Nelson's gem helps Knights snap 7-game nosedive.
June 27, 2015Cory Nelson (pictured) pitched a masterful three-hitter through seven innings to lead Corvallis to a 6-1 win over Medford on Saturday at Harry & David Field.
The Knights (8-13 all, 7-13 WCL) snapped a franchise-record seven-game losing streak with their first win since a 3-1 decision over Yakima Valley on June 18. The old mark of six straight losses was set in the 2012 season.
A rising senior left-hander at Pacific Lutheran who originally joined the club as a 10-day signee, Nelson improved to 2-0 with a stellar performance. He allowed three hits, struck out one, walked one, and lowered his ERA from 2.20 to 1.93.
Nelson allowed just one hit and two baserunners after the second inning. He retired 12 of the final 14 Rogues he faced in order, and threw 58 strikes in 88 pitches.
Returnee Harrison McGhee (Concordia) closed it out with two innings of one-hit relief in his season debut at any level. He missed the college season with an injury and redshirted for the Cavaliers.
Third baseman Michael Farris (UC Riverside) doubled, singled and drove in three runs for the Knights, who broke open a close game with a four-run eighth inning. Farris had a two-run single and Christian Donahue (Oregon State) and Ryan Matranga (San Francisco) added RBI singles in the uprising to give the Knights an insurmountable 6-1 advantage.
Matranga and Nick Madrigal (Oregon State) had two hits each and Michael McAdoo Jr. (UC Santa Barbara) had a hit and an RBI for the Knights.
The series finale is set for 6:35 p.m. Sunday at Harry & David Field. Lefty Cameron Bishop of UC Irvine (0-0, 11.57) will make his starting debut for the Knights.
Corvallis's next home game is a Monday exhibition against the U-19 Colts, a touring Australian all-star team. They start a two-game, nonconference home series against the Humboldt Crabs on Tuesday.