Suarez, Baseball Complete Sweep of NC State

Miami60NC State

PLAYER OF THE GAME
Andy Suarez | R-Junior | LHP In his first start since Opening Day, Andy Suarez dominated for six innings. He struck out seven batters, walked none and allowed just three hits.

CORAL GABLES, Fla. – Redshirt junior lefthander Andy Suarez showed no signs of rust in his first start since Opening Day, striking out seven batters to help Miami finish off a sweep of NC State with a 6-0 win.

Suarez, who suffered an oblique injury during his pregame bullpen in a scheduled start against Florida back on February 20, was scratched from his past three starts due to the injury. But the southpaw was on top of his game from the outset Sunday, needing just 70 pitches and cruising through his six-inning outing with ease.

He issued no walks and allowed just three hits, as Miami improved its home record to 12-1 and capped a perfect 5-0 week.

“I felt great. It was probably the best I’ve felt all year, after three weeks of resting and getting ready,” Suarez said. “Before the game, I made sure I stretched out and I felt fine.”

Suarez (1-0), who was a third-team All-ACC choice a year ago and a second-round MLB Draft selection last June, elected to return to school for the 2015 season.

“I feel stronger, and I feel like all of my offspeed pitches are better. My sinker, too,” Suarez said.

Suarez retired the first seven batters he faced before allowing a one-out single to NC State’s Joe Dunand in the third. Jake Fincher followed with a double two pitches later to put two runners in scoring position, but Suarez struck out leadoff hitter Brock Deatherage and induced a flyout from Logan Ratledge to strand both runners.

That was the only jam of Suarez’ entire afternoon. The lefthander retired the last seven batters he faced before departing, but deferred his status as the Friday night “ace” to head coach Jim Morris and pitching coach JD Arteaga.

“I think I’m ready for it, but it all depends on the coaches and what they do, if they want to keep me on Sundays for the rest, it’s fine with me. It doesn’t matter.”

Morris was excited about the return of Suarez, who had not toed the rubber at Mark Light Field in over a month.

“It’s great to get Andy back…he pitched very well, stayed ahead of the hitters, had good breaking stuff, good changeup, threw strikes. He pitched extremely well,” Morris said.

Miami took a 2-0 lead in the second inning, plating runs off NC State starter Johnny Piedmonte (1-1) on a passed ball and an RBI groundout from Johnny Ruiz.

The Hurricanes (15-6, 4-2 ACC) tacked on a pair in the fifth on an error that scored Ruiz and an RBI single from Zack Collins.

Collins (2-for-4) and junior George Iskenderian (1-for-4) both reached base for the 21st consecutive game to open the season.

A two-run home run from David Thompson, his third blast of the week, added insurance in the eighth. It was Thompson’s fourth home run of the season.

“He left a slider up in the middle of the plate and I put a good swing on it,” Thompson said.

Miami ends its homestand Tuesday before traveling to Winston-Salem, N.C., for a series with Wake Forest.

“It was a pretty good joint effort from our team, starting on Friday night,” Morris said of the sweep. “Our bullpen threw outstanding.

“Today’s game was good defense, timely hitting, and pitching, number one. This game’s about pitching. If you can pitch, you have a chance to win.”

Miami returns to Alex Rodriguez Park at Mark Light Field Tuesday with a midweek showdown against Army. First pitch for the game, slated for broadcast on 560 WQAM, is set for 6 p.m.