COX TIES LEAGUE RECORD FOR STRIKEOUTS AS SURF EDGE PRIDE
June 24 Recap

Atlantic City, N.J. – Atlantic City starter Adam Cox (pictured) equaled a Can-Am League record with 14 strikeouts as the Surf rallied to defeat the Nashua Pride, 5-4, at Bernie Robbins Stadium on Tuesday evening, the team’s second consecutive victory in the series.

Nashua (14-16) drew first blood with a two-run second inning, scoring on RF Jeremy Pickrel’s RBI single and C Luis Rodriguez’s RBI double. Atlantic City (16-15) halved the Pride’s lead on CF Lucas Taylor’s run-scoring single in the third, before Nashua responded with a pair of runs in the fifth in CF Vinny Pennell’s RBI single and another unearned run.

The Surf rallied in the seventh, plating three runs. 2B Brad Thoma’s solo home run, his first of the season, led off the inning, before LF Joe Burke singled through the right side, bringing home Taylor. Later in the inning, with the bases loaded, C William Plaza grounded to 3B Jack Joffrion, but a muffed throw home by Rodriguez allowed SS Anthony Granato to scamper home to tie the game.

Atlantic City broke the tie in the eighth; after Thoma tripled to right center, Taylor singled him home to make it a 5-4 game. The Pride threatened in the ninth, putting runners on second and third with one out, but Derek Duclos quelled the Nashua rally for his team-leading third save of the season.

Cox (3-2) threw eight innings, giving up three earned runs on five hits while walking two. Pride starter Hideki Nagasaka received a no-decision, allowing two earned runs in six innings of work. Jason Paul (0-1) was saddled with the loss, having given up the eighth-inning run.

Taylor, batting in the leadoff spot for the second consecutive evening, went 3-for-5 with two RBI. DH Bryan Duplissie was the only Nashua player with more than one hit, going 2-for-4.

The third game of the four-game set takes place Wednesday evening, when Aaron Easton (1-1) makes his first start of the season for the Surf, opposing Lance Stevens (3-2).