The last time State College Spikes pitcher Tyler Cox pitched in relief, it was his last outing with Single-A West Virginia before being reassigned to State College.
Thursday night, Cox appeared again in relief for Spikes starter Victor Black and pitched six scoreless innings as the Spikes (11-10) defeated Batavia (11-10), 2-1, Thursday night, the team's second-straight one-run victory.
"A win is a win," Cox said. "If it's 2-1, 10-1, 5-4, wins are good for a ballclub. But I've never had a 2-1 game decided like that, it just brings everybody together. Just lets us know that we can win, takes the pressure off of our bats."
It was somewhat of an unorthodox night of work for Cox (3-1), who entered into the game in the fourth inning after Spikes starter Victor Black pitched three innings in his first professional start. But Cox managed well, allowing only three hits in the last six innings while striking out three Muckdogs.
"I keep seeing him mature every time he goes out," Spikes manager Gary Robinson said. "If there was an inning where I think the game was won or lost, I believe it was the seventh. Our middle against their middle, 3-4-5 against 3-4-5. [Brandon Moore] and I were talking about whoever wins this inning, is probably gonna win the game.
"Well we couldn't lose it the way Cox pitched," Robinson said. "There was no way we could lose it."
Robinson planned before the game to have Black pitch the first three innings and Cox finish the game. Cox, normally a starter, last pitched in relief June 7 in the South Atlantic League for West Virginia.
It also helped that the Spikes were given an early lead in the first inning. Right fielder David Rubinstein hit an RBI single to left field that would score the Spikes lone two runs of the game off of Batavia starter Tyler Lavigne (1-1).
Rubinstein's single was the lone offensive highlight for State College in the game.
Black and Cox handled the rest.
Black gave up a run in the third inning on a RBI single by center fielder D'Marcus Ingram to cut the lead to 2-1, but neither pitcher would let Batavia send another runner home.
The rest of the game was dominated by defense. Rubinstein made two diving catches in right field. Evan Chambers tracked down a ball in center field for a catch that he made look effortless.
"Rubinstein makes two nice catches, outstanding catches," Robinson said. "The catch by Chambers, he just came from out of nowhere. Off the bat, that's a double."
The Muckdogs did get a rally together in the eighth inning, putting runners on first and second with one out. Cox got out of trouble thanks to a lineout double play to first baseman Aaron Baker.
"[Batavia] threw two good pitchers tonight," Cox said. "Knowing that the pitchers are going to do their job, and us pitchers knowing the defense is going to do their job, it just takes the pressure off of everybody."
After the game, Robinson couldn't stop raving about the level of baseball he had seen from both teams during the three-game series. The fact State College won its third straight series, taking two of three with the Muckdogs while winning both games by one run, was just icing on the cake for Robinson.
"If you were the guys who played here last year, they lost a lot of one-run games. We lost a couple of one-run games early, and you could see it in their face," Robinson said. "They're over that now."
