Savannah native John Gant was roughed up for four runs in two innings Sunday afternoon, and the Savannah Sand Gnats were shut out for the first time since June 26 during a 5-0 loss to the Charleston RiverDogs at Grayson Stadium.
Gant fell to 9-5 and his earned run average rose to 2.97. He was coming off one of his best outings of the season after pitching eight innings, allowing one run while striking out 10 in a 3-1 victory over Augusta on July 7. But this time, he was hit hard in the second inning, surrendering a lead-off home run to Mike Ford before giving up four more hits and three runs.
Charleston’s Caleb Smith didn’t give up a hit until Jonathan Johnson singled with two outs in the fifth inning. Smith went six innings, allowing only the one hit while walking three and striking out five.
RiverDogs’ Mark Payton had three hits, drove in two runs and raised his batting average to .346.
The Sand Gnats, who managed just four singles, never got a runner past second base. Charleston was the last team to blank Savannah, shutting out the Gnats 9-0 in Charleston, S.C. Savannah followed the shutout loss with an 11-game winning streak. The Gnats have lost four of their last five games since the streak.
Savannah will be off today before beginning a three-game series Tuesday with the Asheville Tourists in Asheville, N.C.
Charleston ab r h bi Savannah ab h r bi
Payton rf 5 0 3 2 Biondi lf 4 0 0 0
Wade ss 4 0 1 0 Stuart cf 3 0 0 0
Fowler dh 5 0 1 0 Smith 1b 4 0 0 0
Ford 1b 4 1 1 1 Leroux dh 3 0 0 0
Andujar 3b 3 1 1 0 Frenzel 3b 4 0 1 0
O’Neill lf 4 1 1 0 Cruzado rf 4 0 1 0
de Oleo c 3 0 0 1 Ruiz ss 3 0 1 0
Katoh 2b 3 1 1 0 Glenn c 4 0 0 0
Thomas cf 3 1 1 1 Johnson 2b 1 0 1 0
Totals 34 5 10 5 Totals 30 0 4 0
Charleston 040 100 000 — 5
Savannah 000 000 000 — 0
DP—Charleston 1, Savannah 1. LOB—Charleston 7, Savannah 8. 2B—O’Neill, Payton. HR—Ford (10). SB—Thomas, Katoh, Stuart. CS—Payton.
CHARLESTON IP H R ER BB SO
C.Smith W,5-7 6 1 0 0 3 5
Taylor 1 1 0 0 0 1
Walby 1 0 0 0 2 0
Ruth 1 2 0 0 0 1
SAVANNAH IP H R ER BB SO
Gant L,9-5 2 6 4 4 1 0
Alvarez 3 2 1 1 0 3
Mitchell 2 1 0 0 1 2
Frias 1 1 0 0 0 1
Morris 1 0 0 0 1 1
HBP—Wade (by Alvarez). T—2:38. A—942.