Tigers' Moscoso pitches perfect game

Moscoso struck out seven and pitched the second nine-inning perfect game in New York-Penn League history on Sunday as the Oneonta Tigers blanked the Batavia Muckdogs, 6-0, at Damaschke Field.

"It's unbelievable," Moscoso said. "I feel great. I'm really, really glad about the job I did."

The 23-year-old right-hander had all three of his pitches -- fastball, curve and changeup -- working in his fifth New York-Penn League start. He started one game for Class A Advanced Lakeland in June.

The perfect game was the second in the Minor Leagues this season. Manny Parra of the Triple-A Nashville Sounds pitched one on June 25 against the Memphis Redbirds. Oneonta's Gregory Diehl tossed the last perfecto in the New York-Penn League, a seven-inning gem against Newark on July 7, 1974.

The last nine-inning perfect game in the New York-Penn League was thrown by Erie's John Herbert on June 23, 1956 against Hornell.

"He had great stuff," Tigers manager Andy Barkett said of the Venezuela native. "It was one of those nights where everything went his way. He didn't show any emotion until the 27th out."

To get that final out, Moscoso (3-0) had to regroup after a Ross Oeder's foul pop dropped between first baseman Christopher Carlson and second baseman Justin Henry. Unfazed, Moscoso got Oeder to ground out to Henry on the next pitch.

"I just said, 'Let's go out and do it again,'" he explained.

He credited his teammates for strong defense, including a backhanded snare and across-the-body-throw by third baseman Ron Bourquin in the fifth.

"I was nervous sometimes," Moscoso admitted. "They made some great plays."

Barkett agreed, saying the Tigers also helped in the dugout.

"They did a good job not to get giddy," he said. "The staff was more nervous than [the players] were. Moscoso was the same for all nine innings. I wish he'd do this every time out this season."

Carlson delivered a two-run double in the fifth to open the scoring. Kyle Peter doubled in two more runs in the seventh to help Oneonta (14-12) pull away and give Moscoso some breathing room.

Reliever Davis Bilardello (1-2) took the loss after giving up three runs on two hits and five walks with one strikeout in 1 2/3 innings. Muckdogs starter Blake King yielded two hits, walked four and fanned five over three scoreless innings for Batavia (7-19).