Savannah 5, Kannapolis 2

The Savannah Sand Gnats snapped a 16-inning scoring drought in a big way, busting out with a five-run stanza in a 5-2 victory over the host Kannapolis Intimidators on Tuesday night.

Savannah starter Gabriel Ynoa (14-4, 2.71 ERA) limited Kannapolis to two runs on five hits over seven innings, with Hunter Carnevale pitching a scoreless eighth and Beck Wheeler (1.75 ERA) collecting his 17th save in the ninth.

Trailing 1-0 in the seventh, Savannah had led off the third, fourth, fifth and sixth innings with hits only to come up empty against Kannapolis starter Adam Lopez.

The seventh was different. Storm Throne (1-4, 6.69 ERA) relieved Lopez and struck out Nelfi Zapata, but it was the only out Throne recorded.

Jeff Glenn and Phillip Evans walked, then Eudy Pina singled on a soft fly ball to center to load the bases. Brandon Nimmo (3 for 5) drove in two with a single to left and ended Throne’s evening.

Those were the first runs for the Sand Gnats since the fourth inning of the opening game of a doubleheader Monday at Augusta.

Euclides Leyer unleashed a wild pitch to advance the runners, then walked Maikis De La Cruz to reload the bases. Cole Frenzel then walked for an RBI as Pina scored.

After the second out, Jeff Reynolds delivered a two-run single to left for 5-1 before Zapata batted again and hit into a force out.

Kannapolis came right back with Keon Barnum’s home run to right to lead off the bottom of the seventh.

The Intimidators had led 1-0 in the fourth on two singles and a throwing error on a force attempt.

Key Stats

Brandon Nimmo: 3-for-5, 2 RBI, 1 R

Jeff Reynolds: 2-for-4, 2 RBI

Cole Frenzel: 0-for-3, 3 BB, 1 RBI

Gabriel Ynoa: 7.0 IP, 5 H, 0 BB, 2 ER, 3 K

Hunter Carnevale: 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 B, 1 K

Beck Wheeler: 1.0 IP, 0 H, 1 BB, 1 K

(Team Report)