By P.J. Harmer
ONEONTA _ Jeff Gerbe looks like he's well on the way to a full recovery.
Gerbe pitched six solid innings Friday and the Oneonta Tigers received timely hitting during the third inning to earn a 2-0 New York-Penn League victory over the Tri-City ValleyCats in front of 1,242 fans on opening night at Damaschke Field.
Gerbe, who played for Oneonta in 2006 but missed the 2008 season after having surgery on his right (throwing) shoulder, scattered four hits. He struck out three and walked two.
"I felt pretty comfortable," Gerbe said. "I was just excited to get out there again. ... Even with the first inning being rough, I felt comfortable."
Before the game, the new ownership honored former owners Sam Nader and Sid Levine with an on-field ceremony that included Minor League Baseball President Pat O'Connor, NY-Penn League President Ben Hayes and former Boston Red Sox pitcher and O-Tigers pitching coach Bill Monbouquette.
Also in attendance was E. Miles Prentice III, who led a group to purchase the team from Nader and Levine last year.
"This is what it's all about," Prentice said. "Having a good time. ... It's also a nice turnout. It's a lot of fun to be involved with a professional team _ especially baseball."
Oneonta (1-0) visits Tri-City at 6 p.m. Saturday. The Tigers return home for a 6:05 p.m. game Sunday, also against Tri-City.
Gary Perniar will start Saturday for the O-Tigers and Luis Sanz on Sunday.
Oneonta got all the offense it needed Friday during the third inning. After Alexis Espinoza struck out looking and Eric Roof grounded out to second, Michael Rockett singled to left. Jamie Johnson then got hit by a pitch.
Jim Gulliver followed with a single to center, scoring Rockett for a 1-0 lead.
Wade Gaynor, Detroit's third-round pick in this year's First-Year Player Draft, then doubled over the head of Tri-City right-fielder Russ Dixon, scoring Johnson for a 2-0 lead.
"I was trying to tell myself all day it was just a game," Gaynor said. "I haven't been that nervous in a while. Getting the first at-bat out of the way got it back to normal."
Gaynor's double came off a 1-0 pitch from losing pitcher Colton Pitkin.
"I knew it was a double off the bat," Gaynor said of his opposite-field drive.
The rest was up to Oneonta's pitching and defense.
"I'm tickled with the way we pitched and played defense," first-year Oneonta manager Howard Bushong said. "The hitting was timely. We didn't have many opportunities. The one time we cashed in with two runs, the other time we didn't. That's a credit to their club, too. It's a great win for us."
Gerbe struggled early as he gave up a one-out single to Brandon Wikoff in the first inning before walking Jhonny Medrano and Russ Dixon to load the bases. He got out of the jam by striking out Renzo Tello swinging and getting Nicholas Stanley to fly out to center.
Gerbe gave up three hits over the next five innings but issued no walks and didn't allow a runner past first base.
"It's how Gerbe has thrown in extended (spring training)," Bushong said. "He's had an inning where he couldn't throw it over the plate and the ball was up. Then he settled in. I was only going to let him go five, but I asked how he felt and he said, like a million bucks.'"
Rockett, who finished with two hits, also helped Gerbe twice with tough catches in right field.
The first came in the second inning when he dived forward to make a grab on Rene Garcia's diving liner.
"It's great to have a guy like Rockett out there," Gerbe said.
He topped that in the fourth when he made an over-the-shoulder catch on the run on Stanley. If he hadn't made the catch, Stanley would have had a shot at a triple.
"Those two plays Rockett made were big time," Bushong said. "I never gave him a chance (on the second catch) and he came down with that ball. That's a great play on his part."
Mike LaLuna followed Gerbe with three strong innings to earn the save. LaLuna struck out the first four batters and finished with six. He allowed one hit and walked none.
O-Tigers 2, Valleycats 0
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___
P.J. Harmer can be reached at pharmer@thedailystar.com or 607-432-1000, ext. 229.
