Luis Nieves hit a solo HR in the top of the 7th, and Aderlin Rodriguez crushed a two-run job in the 8th, to ice the game en route to a 7-3 Savannah win in Game Two of their championship series with Greensboro. Right-hander Yohan Almonte, pitching in relief of starter Gonzalez Germen, picked up the win with 5 scoreless innings after Germen was ineffective. Almonte gave up 4 hits, 0 runs, struck out 5 and walked 2.
The Gnats got on the board early with lead-off singles in the top of the 1st by Darrell Ceciliani and Wilfredo Tovar. After Greensboro starter Robert Morey struck out the next two batters, Joe Bonfe doubled to drive in two, and give the Gnats an early 2-0 lead. Greensboro got single runs in the 1st and 2nd off Germen and he was lifted after the 3rd, with the score 2-2
Savannah picked up two gift runs, a run scoring in the 3rd on a wild pitch, and a run scoring in the 4th on a fielding error, to take a two-run lead again 4-2. The score stayed that way until the Gnats flexed their muscles late in the game. After the two homers by Nieves and Rodriguez made the score 7-2, Greensboro closed out the scoring by picking up an unearned run in the ninth.
Now the series switches to Savannah for the remaining games, with Game Three scheduled for Thursday night at 7:05 pm. LHP James Leverton goes for the Grasshoppers, while righty Taylor Whitenton starts for the Sand Gnats.
