Savannah 5, Rome 3

All-Star right-hander Gabriel Ynoa surrendered six hits and allowed only two runs over six innings, helping the Savannah Sand Gnats snap a three-game losing streak by beating the Rome Braves 5-3 on Thursday night.

Ynoa, who was earlier in the day named South Atlantic League Pitcher of the Year, raised his record to 15-4.

Ynoa settled down after a rocky first inning and allowed only two hits in his final five innings of work. Rome, an affiliate of the Atlanta Braves, bunched four hits together and scored twice in the first inning.

Savannah (73-59, 30-33 second half) tied the game with two runs in the fourth on Cole Frenzel’s two-run home run and pulled ahead for good in the sixth.

Newcomer Dilson Herrera, who was added to the Savannah roster this week after being acquired in a trade with the Pittsburgh Pirates organization, had the go-ahead, run-scoring single to make it 3-2. Three batters later, Jeff Reynolds singled in two runs and made it 5-2.

Rome added a run in the eighth and got the tying run to the plate but reliever Paul Sewald fanned Joey Meneses for the final out.

In the ninth, the Braves again threatened and had the tying runners on base, but Jose Peraza flied out to end the game.

Despite the fly out, Peraza, a 19-year-old shortstop, had a big game with three hits to raise his batting average to .285. He also stole his 61st base earlier in the game.

Key Stats

Eudy Pina: 2-for-4, 1 BB

Dilson Herrera: 2-for-3, 1 RBI, 2 R

Cole Frenzel: 1-for-4, 1 HR, 2 RBI, 1 R

Gabriel Ynoa: 6.0 IP, 6 H, 2 BB, 2 ER, 1 K

Hunter Carnevale: 1.0 IP, 0 H, 1 BB, 0 ER, 1 K

Paul Sewald: 2.0 IP, 4 H, 0 BB, 1 ER, 4 K