When Connecticut Tigers manager Howie Bushong told Patrick Cooper on Friday that he would make his first career pro start, the right hander had no idea how badly his team would need an outstanding performance from him.
With the bullpen short handed from 6 2/3 innings of service the night before, the Tigers were asking a lot of Cooper on Sunday.
Cooper, who had thrown just one inning this season, was given a 60-pitch limit and needed to make every one count.
He exceeded the Tigers’ wildest expectations.
Cooper used 63 pitches to get through five innings, allowing one run on two hits while striking out four in a 6-1 win over Mahoning Valley at Dodd Stadium.
“I was just happy to get the start,” Cooper said. “I just went out there with a different approach than I did in college. I was pitching more for contact. I was on a pitch count and tried to get the most innings that I could.”
The philosophical difference in college ball asks the pitcher to make batters miss rather than play for contact. Catcher Eric Roof, who played American Legion with Cooper in their home state of Kentucky, also caught his pitcher in a summer league.
Roof, who gave his friend the game ball, didn’t manage the game to the pitch count.
“Usually I don’t like to think about it because it ruins your game plan is for that day,” Roof said. “But since I played with him for a year and know him as a person, I really wanted him to get five (innings) just to get that first win.”
Cooper had some difficulties locating his fastball in the first inning, and aside from a lead-off triple in the second, made few mistakes. Usually relying upon his slider as his out pitch, Cooper instead worked his fastball all over the plate, getting first-pitch strikes. He retired the last 11 batters he faced, including the first five of those on 12 pitches.
“Cooper was the name of the game (Sunday),” Bushong said. “We were expecting three, hoping for four. … That’s just an absolutely fantastic job on his part, and such a big boost for us.”
A 2009 Cape Cod League All-Star as a closer, Cooper relished the opportunity to get back to starting, something he did last season at Bradley University. The 20-year-old went 4-3 with a 3.08 ERA in eight starts as a college junior.
Cooper was a two-time all-state selection in high school and was drafted by Arizona in the 34th round of the 2009 draft. He was a 14th round pick last month by Detroit.
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