'Nadoes secure split in twinbill; Cochran hurls neat four-hitter.

• Position: SPORTS

Byline: Chad Garner

WORCESTER - Nothing can go wrong for Worcester left-hander Tom Cochran right now.

With Nashua, dead last in the Can-Am League in hitting, here last night, Cochran made sure his undefeated pitching record wouldn't be ruined by the Pride. He hurled a compete-game four-hitter, allowing one earned run and two walks with four strikeouts as the Tornadoes took Game 1 of the doubleheader, 9-1, at Hanover Insurance Park at Fitton Field.

Pride right-hander Jason Paul was tough in Game 2, limiting the Tornadoes to three hits while fanning nine in a complete-game, 6-1 win to earn the split. Spencer's Vinny Pennell was 3 for 4 with two RBIs and a stolen base for Nashua in the second game.

"Like I've been saying all year, when we can jump on a guy like this and get five runs in the second inning, it kind of makes the starting pitcher go at his job a lot easier," said Cochran, who improved to 8-0. "You don't have the pressure to make perfect pitches - you sort of go at guys and let them get themselves out."

Cochran got all the run support he would need when the Tornadoes strung together six consecutive hits and batted through the order for a 5-0 lead in the second inning.

Francisco Caraballo singled sharply to third and trotted home on Chuck Jeroloman's booming two-run homer to left field on a 2-0 pitch by Pride starter Hideki Nagasaka. The hit parade continued as Omar Pena doubled to left and Jeff LaHair followed with a soft single to center. With two on, No. 9 hitter Josh Farkes hammered a 1-0 offering to deep left for a three-run homer.

The Tornadoes clobbered four homers in Game 1- two by Jeroloman and one each by B.J. Weed and Farkes.

The Tornadoes and Pride will play their second straight doubleheader starting at 5:30 p.m. today. Wednesday's game, suspended due to rain in the top of the fourth inning with the score tied at 2-2, will resume and be played through its entire nine innings. The regularly scheduled game, slated for seven innings, follows approximately 25 minutes after Game 1.

It has been a season of success for Cochran, who was named Pitcher of the Week on June 29 and Pitcher of the Month for June. But these awards don't really seem to matter. Cochran is all about team.

"I just want our team to win the first half, that's what's important to me most," he said. "You can win as many awards as you want, but without a trophy at the end, nothing really matters."

Entering last night, Cochran had a 7-0 record with a stingy...