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LAKEWOOD, N.J. - Mike Stutes delivered another masterful performance on Tuesday night, giving up just one hit in seven scoreless frames against Savannah to help the BlueClaws to a 4-0 victory over the Sand Gnats at FirstEnergy Park.
Stutes (4-0) took his fourth win in his fourth start in a BlueClaws uniform. He has now allowed one earned run in his first 26 South Atlantic League innings. Stutes, who was selected in the 11th round of the 2008 Draft out of Oregon State, struck out six.
Savannah was without a hit against the BlueClaws right-hander through 6 1/3 innings. The first hit did not come until there was one out in the seventh, when Jefferies Tatford pushed a base hit through the left side. Stutes did walk three batters, but had faced the minimum through 5 2/3 innings thanks to a well-timed doubleplay.
Eryk McConnell and Jared Simon each pitched perfect innings to close out the game and hold Savannah to just one hit. It was the fewest hits allowed by the BlueClaws pitching staff this season. Lakewood limited opposition to two hits twice this season, last on July 17 at Hickory, when Vance Worley, Chris Kissock and Simon combined for a two-hit shutout.
Matt Rizzotti led the offensive charge against the Sand Gnats and their starter Eric Beaulac. The BlueClaws first baseman reached base in all four of his trips to the plate and drove in three runs. He also smashed his seventh home run of the season off of reliever Stephen Puhl in the seventh to put the 'Claws up by four.

For the second straight game, Lakewood chased the Savannah starter early. On Monday, Brant Rustich lasted just four innings, while on Tuesday Beaulac survived only three innings. The right-hander gave up three earned runs on four hits. He also walked five, the most by any opposing pitcher against the BlueClaws this season, and struck out four.
Lakewood (33-18, 71-50) missed a number of early opportunities to put the game away early, stranding seven runners over the first four innings. The BlueClaws loaded up the bases with one out and could not score in the first inning and did not get on the board until the third. Rizzotti drove a base hit into centerfield to bring in the first run of the game.
The 10th shutout of the season evened the series with the Sand Gnats (22-27, 55-64) heading to the final two games of the four-game set. The BlueClaws will send Chance Chapman (7-5) to the mound after missing his last start due to neck stiffness. Savannah will counter with left-hander Mark Cohoon (1-1)

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