PHILADELPHIA - The mannerisms were the same, the pitches just as effective, and the result was the same. Only former Mount St. Joseph star Gavin Floyd did it on a higher level last night.
Making his major league debut for the Philadelphia Phillies at Citzens Bank Park, Floyd, 21, gave up four hits, struck out five and walked four in seven innings in an 8-1 victory over the New York Mets.
The 6-foot-5, 215-pound right-hander, who threw 95 pitches, was brilliant in posting his first big league victory, much the same way he rang up wins at Mount St. Joseph.
"I was more nervous in the bullpen warming up than I was when I got out on the mound," said Floyd after the game in the clubhouse in front of a horde of media. "I just tried to stay focused on the hitters. It's really big to get that first win and focus on my next start."
Called up Wednesday from Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, Floyd, from Severna Park, took the mound last night with the confidence, poise and intensity that that made him The Sun's three-time All-Metro pitcher and two-time Player of the Year while at Mount St. Joseph.
He still pulls at the top of his jersey sleeve, toes at the dirt in front of the pitching rubber, and trots onto the field before his teammates to start an inning.
And more importantly, his mid-90 mph fastball and nasty curveball were still there to keep the Mets off balance.
With his parents Rodney and Elaine, family, friends and his former Maryland Orioles summer and Oriolelanders fall coach, Dean Albany, among the 37,267 fans on hand, Floyd rose to the occasion in the first inning and got better as the game went on.
Eric Valent ripped Floyd's first pitch of the game into right field for a single, but Jeff Keppinger hit into the first of three double plays behind the rookie.
Floyd struck out Cliff Floyd looking to end the first inning, and he was on his way.
"After getting that double play, I felt a lot better," Floyd said. "I realized I got my first inning over with, but then I got nervous thinking now I might have eight more."
Floyd struck out David Wright, who played for the Virginia Beach fall team against Floyd and the Oriolelanders in his high school days, to start the second inning, the first of two 1-2-3 innings.
Valent hit a one-out homer for the Mets' only run in the third. That tied the game at 1-1, but the Phillies staked Floyd to a 3-1 lead after five and scored five runs in the seventh inning.
