May 19, 2002
Los Angeles, Calif. - No. 7 Stanford (37-16, 13-8 Pac-10) hit a season-high-tying five home runs in a 17-4 victory over UCLA (26-30, 9-12) to win the rubber game of the series and move back within 1.0 game of first place USC (14-7 Pac-10) in the Pac-10 race after the Trojans lost at Arizona State on Sunday, 17-8. The Cardinal also moved into a second place tie with Washington (13-8 Pac-10) after the Huskies lost 5-3 at Oregon State. Stanford will host Washington State in the final weekend of the regular season action next Friday-Sunday, May 24-26 (6 pm, 1 pm, 1 pm PDT). USC will travel to UCLA for a three-game series, while Washington will host Arizona for three contests.
"This was a big win for us as far as our chances of still winning a Pac-10 regular season title," said Stanford head coach Mark Marquess. "It should be a fun final weekend."
Chris Carter (2-4, 2 HR, 2 RBI) had a pair of Stanford's five homers, making his first start since May 1. Ryan Garko (3-5, 2 2B, HR) hit his team-leading 13th home run, while Jason Cooper (3-5, HR, 2 RBI) homered for the 12th time this season. Scott Dragicevich (3-6, 3B, HR, 3 RBI) also went deep. Arik VanZandt (3-4, 2 RBI) added three hits for the Cardinal, while Brian Hall had two RBI.
"Obviously, we swung the bats very well today," added Marquess. "A lot of guys came through in a game where we really needed it."
Tim Cunningham (7-2) picked up the victory, scattering eight hits and four runs (three earned)over the first 7.0 innings. Cunningham struck out six and walked five. Dan Rich struck out four of the six batters he faced in 2.0 hitless innings of relief.
Adam Berry (2-4, HR, RBI) had his Pac-10 leading 17th homer for the Bruins, while Josh Arhart (2-3, 2B, RBI) and Casey Grzecka (2-3, RBI) added two hits each.
Stanford started the scoring with a pair of unearned runs in the top of the first when Cooper blasted a two-run homer over the rightcenter field fence, his 12th longball of the season and second in as many days. The inning had been extended Garko reached with two outs on an error by Bruin shortstop Ryan McCarthy.
The Bruins tied the score at 2-2 by answering with two runs in the bottom of the first on RBI singles by Grzecka and Arhart.
The Cardinal regained a 3-2 lead Carter's first solo homer to lead off the top of the second.Stanford extended its lead to 5-2 on back-to-back solo homers by Carter and Dragicevich to lead off the top of the fourth.
The Cardinal added another run to take a 6-2 when Chris O'Riordan led off the inning with a single and scored on an RBI double by Garko.
UCLA cut the lead to 6-3 on a one-out solo homer by Berry in the bottom of the sixth inning.Stanford came back with four insurance runs in the top of the seventh inning to take a 10-3 advantage. Dragicevich highlighted the rally with a two-RBI triple off the top of the center field fence. Carlos Quentin had an RBI single earlier in the inning and Dragicevich scored on a sacrifice fly by Andy Topham on a drive to right that was pulled in by Berry in right field with a leaping catch at the fence.
UCLA picked up a run in the bottom of the seventh to make the score 10-4 when Grzecka walked with one out, moved to third on a double by Arhart and scored when Cooper was charged with an error after failing to come up with Arhart's double cleanly in left field.
Stanford added a run in the top of the eighth to on Garko's solo homer to make the score 11-4.
The Cardinal finished the scoring with five runs in the top of the ninth inning, marking the 22nd time the Cardinal has scored five or more runs in an inning this season. VanZandt and Hall both had two-RBI singles in the inning, while Jonny Ash contributed an RBI single and Sam Fuld an RBI fielders choice.
UCLA starter Doug Silva (0-4) picked up the loss, allowing five runs and six hits in 4.0 innings.
Both teams left eight runners on base.