Victor Cruzado had already knocked one out of pitcher-friendly Grayson Stadium on Tuesday night in the Savannah Sand Gnats’ home game with Charleston.
But when he came up with the bases loaded and the scored tied in the bottom of the ninth, the 22-year-old from the Dominican Republic showed he can also be patient at the plate. He drew a four-pitch walk off of Charleston’s Phillip Walby to highlight a three-run rally as the Gnats pulled out a come-from-behind 9-8 victory.
Sand Gnat closer Akeel Morris entered Tuesday’s game having given up just one earned run in 36 2/3 innings of work.
The right-hander from the Virgin Islands showed he was human by giving up a three-run homer in the top of the ninth to Charleston’s Gosuke Katoh.
But the Gnats backed up their young star by tying things up in the bottom of the ninth with a little help from a two-run throwing error by RiverDog right fielder Dustin Fowler. His errant toss allowed Champ Stuart and Patrick Biondi to score. The support allowed Morris to earn his fourth win of the year against no losses, despite his first blown save of the year. His ERA rose to 0.97.
The Gnats took the lead in the first inning when Stuart hit a one-out triple and later scored on a fielder’s choice by Matt Oberste. Savannah added a pair in the second when Cruzado hit a two-run shot to left for his fifth home run of the season.
In the fourth, Stuart walked and advanced to third on a single to right by Dominic Smith. Oberste notched another RBI with a sacrifice fly to center, which put the Gnats up 4-1.
Charleston rallied for three runs in the top of the fourth as Reymond Nunez drove a two-run double to right and eventually scored on a groundout. A throwing error by Gnats shortstop Yeixon Ruiz led to a run in the fifth as the RiverDogs took a 5-4 lead.
Savannah responded in the bottom of the sixth when Smith led off with a single and moved to third on a double to center by Oberste. Cole Frenzel brought a run in with a groundout to second base, moving Oberste to third. Jorge Rivero drove in the go-ahead run with a double to left as the Gnats took a 6-5 lead.
Charleston ab r h bi Savannah ab r h bi
O’Neill cf 6 1 4 0 Biondi lf 3 1 0 0
Wade ss 3 0 1 0 Stuart cf 4 3 1 0
Fowler rf 4 0 0 2 Smith 1b 4 1 4 0
Ford dh 4 0 0 0 Oberste dh 4 1 1 2
Andujar 3b 3 2 1 0 Frenzel 3b 5 0 1 1
Sumner lf 4 1 1 0 Rivero 2b 3 1 2 1
Thomas pr 0 1 0 0
de Oleo c 4 1 1 0 Cruzado rf 4 1 2 3
Katoh 2b 5 1 1 0 Ruiz ss 4 0 0 0
Nunez 1b 4 1 1 2 Glenn c 4 0 1 0
Totals 37 8 10 7 Totals 35 9 12 7
Charleston 001 310 003 — 8
Savannah 121 002 003 — 9
E—Rivero, Ruiz, Gsellman, Wade, Fowler. LOB—Charleston 11, Savannah 8. 2B—O’Neill, Nunez, Oberste, Rivero. 3B—Stuart. HR—Cruzado (5), Katoh (3). SAC—Sumner. SF—Fowler, Oberste. SB—Wade, O’Neill.
CHARLESTON IP H R ER BB SO
Clarkin 4 4 4 4 4 4
Taylor 2 3 2 2 0 2
Coshow 2 4 0 0 0 3
Walby L,2-3 2/3 1 3 1 3 1
SAVANNAH IP H R ER BB SO
Gsellman 5 2/3 8 5 4 1 2
Paez 1 1/3 0 0 0 1 1
Frias 1 1 0 0 0 0
Morris W,4-0 1 1 3 3 1 1
WP—Coshow. HBP—Ford (by Gsellman), Wade (by Frias). T—3:54. A—876.