Savannah 7, Kannapolis 1

For the second straight night, Savannah’s starting pitcher perplexed Intimidators hitters as the Sand Gnats cruised to a 7-1 win in Kannapolis on Sunday evening in front of 2,440 fans and more than a hundred dogs attending “Bark in the Park.”

Gabriel Ynoa tossed the South Atlantic League’s first 9-inning complete game this season, retiring 19 of the first 20 batters he faced and holding the Intimidators off the scoreboard until the eighth inning. Ynoa (7-2) earned his league-leading seventh win, allowing a run on five hits while striking out four and walking none. It’s the second-straight game the Sand Gnats did not walk a batter.

Kannapolis starter Kyle Hansen worked three scoreless innings before giving up five runs on six hits in his fourth and final inning of work. Hansen (1-2) finished with five runs allowed (three earned) on eight hits with five strikeouts and a walk in a losing effort.

The Gnats five-run outburst started with Jayce Boyd, the SAL-leader in average (.350), singling to left field, and Gregory Pron doubling him to third. Cole Frenzel brought home Boyd with an RBI-ground out, and Jeff Glenn added a two-run double. Glenn later scored on a wild pitch, and Brandon Nimmo doubled to score Yucary De La Cruz to cap the rally.

Glenn added a sac-fly in the fifth inning and finished with a team-high three RBI while Frenzel blasted his fourth home run of the season, a solo shot off Ryan Bollinger in the seventh for a 7-0 lead.

On Saturday, Savannah’s Luis Cessa worked 7 2/3 scoreless innings to pitch the Gnats to a 5-0 shutout win in Kannapolis. The Intimidators also failed to score during the final five innings in Friday’s 6-2 loss to the Gnats.

Key Stats

Brandon Nimmo: 2-for-5, 1 2B, 1 RBI

Cole Frenzel: 1-for-5, 1 HR, 2 RBI, 1 R

Jeff Glenn: 1-for-2, 1 2B, 1 BB, 3 RBI, 1 R

Greg Pron: 2-for-5, 1 2B, 1 R

Jayce Boyd: 2-for-4, 1 BB, 2 R

Gabriel Ynoa: 9.0 IP, 5 H, 0 BB, 1 ER, 4 K

(Team Report)