Packer gets back on track as Cavs drop Rams

In Richmond, the smooth left-handed pitcher that led the nation in earned run average in 2008 was finally back in his purest form Tuesday night.

Matt Packer, starting his first game of the season, dazzled through five innings of work on the mound as No. 11 Virginia hammered Virginia Commonwealth 8-1 at the Diamond in a game that was delayed over an hour by rain.

Packer, who has struggled at times out of Virginia’s bullpen this season in various roles - typically as a closer - allowed just three baserunners and fanned six batters.

“I thought a change of pace was good for Matt,” Virginia coach Brian O’Connor said. “I thought he looked really, really good. It was good for him to get out there and stretch it out a little bit and get his pitch count up and have to use all of his pitches.

“I think he will be much improved as we move on.”

Packer (2-4) said he welcomed the move to get additional work after assuming the role of Virginia’s closer through the first 39 games, most of which were lopsided affairs for a team that now boasts a record of 31-8-1.

“It was a lot of fun. I really felt like I needed something like that to kind of get back on track,” said Packer, who entered having allowed 15 earned runs in 24.2 innings of work.

Message board chatter had blasted Packer in recent days.

“I don’t pay attention to that and I know that I can do it on the mound,” Packer said. “I just like knowing that my teammates have confidence in me and it is just a matter of getting everything back to the way that I can pitch.”

As a starter, Packer was able to use his full compliment of pitches. That, he said, explained the high strikeout total.

“I used my breaking ball a lot today,” he said, “and I hadn’t really thrown that at all this year.”

It was a move that O’Connor wanted to make previously as Packer failed to get in enough work.

“I actually wanted to do it a week or so ago but we had games rained out last week and it just seemed like the right time to make the move,” the coach said. “Matt just wants to get it right and he has tried so hard all year to do the best that he can and like I said before I don’t think that he has been very far away; he’s just had some hard luck.”

Packer was able to get comfortable on the mound in the third inning after third baseman Steven Proscia hit the first grand slam.

However, it was a blast that Packer missed.

“I had my head down, but I heard it went, like, 500 feet,” he said.

O’Connor added: “That was a big grand slam by Proscia that gave us breathing room and allowed Matt to go out and pitch. I was happy to see him be able to go five innings and hopefully we can build on that.”

Robert Poutier and Neal Davis combined to throw the final three innings.

Virginia finished with 11 hits and stranded eight runners on base.

Proscia drove in five runs and fellow rookie John Hicks added two hits and scored three runs.

Virginia plays today at 6:30 p.m. tonight at home against Georgetown.

O’Connor said he plans to start rookie RHP Will Roberts (2-0, 3.75) on the mound tonight.