March 23, 2003
Tempe, Ariz. - Sam Fuld (4-6, 2 2B, 2 RBI) singled home pinch-runner Donny Lucy in the top of the 10th inning to help No. 7 Stanford (15-8, 1-1 Pac-10) hold off No. 3 Arizona State (32-4, 1-1 Pac-10) by a score of 9-8 in the second extra-inning game in as many days between the two top-ranked teams in the Pac-10 before 3483 fans Sunday at Packard Stadium. Stanford had led 8-1 before Arizona State forced extra innings by scoring seven runs in the eighth and ninth innings, the final three coming on a two-out homer by Andre Ethier in the bottom of the ninth. The win evened the series with the rubber game slated for Monday (4:30 pm, MT).
"I was just trying to see the ball and hit the ball today," said Fuld, who had his second four-hit game of the season and the 11th of his career. "I wasn't looking for any particular pitch (on the game-winning hit) but was just trying to drive the ball up the middle or even go the other way. It feels a heck of a lot better to be on the winning end of one of these types of games."
Jed Lowrie started Stanford's 10th inning rally with a one-out single before Lucy replaced him as a pinch-runner, stole second base with two outs and scored on Fuld's single.
"It showed a lot of character," added Stanford head coach Mark Marquess. "You can give Arizona State credit for their comeback but also give us credit for coming back to score a run in the top of the 10th after losing a big lead. I'd like to win it the easy way, but we'll take it."
Stanford reliever Kodiak Quick worked out of a one-out bases loaded jam in the bottom of the 10th inning to record his second save. Quick struck out Jeremy West before retiring Steve Garrabrants on a ground ball to Stanford's shortstop Tobin Swope to end the game. Arizona State had loaded the bases when Quick walked pinch-hitter Ryan Bosch, allowed a single to Dustin Pedroia and intentionally walked Jeff Larish to load the bases after a sacrifice bunt from Travis Buck had moved the runners to second and third base.
Tobin Swope (2-4, RBI, SB), John Mayberry, Jr. (2-5, RBI) and Brian Hall (2-6, 3 RBI, 2 SB) added two hits each for the Cardinal. Mayberry extended his career-high hit streak to 16 games and has hit safely in 22 of his first 23 collegiate contests. Carlos Quentin also extended his hit streak to 11 contests, while Fuld and Hall have seven-game hit streaks.
Arizona State had four different players with three hits each in Ethier (3-4, 2B, HR, 3 RBI), Dennis Wyrick (3-4, 2B, RBI), West (3-5, 2B) and Pedroia (3-6, 2B, RBI). Garrabrants also had a two-run homer in the eighth inning to begin Arizona State's comeback.
David O'Hagan (2-1) was credited with the victory despite allowing four runs (three earned) and four hits with four strikeouts in 2.0 innings as Stanford's third reliever. Arizona State reliever Ryan Schroyer, the winning pitcher in Friday night's game, suffered his first loss of the season to fall to 4-1 overall. Schroyer, who was the sixth Sun Devil pitcher of the day, also gave up his first earned run in 16 appearances this year.
Stanford began to build its 8-1 lead with a pair of runs in the top of the first. Fuld doubled to lead off the game and Hall singled him home for the first run of the game. Hall then stole second base with two outs and scored on RBI single up the middle by Mayberry.
The Cardinal extended its advantage to 5-0 with three runs in the top of the second inning. Swope singled to center field to chase Arizona State starter Jered Liebeck before stealing second with one out and advancing to third on the first of two throwing errors by Sun Devil catcher Joel Bocchi. After Chris Lewis drew a walk, Fuld singled home Swope to make the score 3-0 and advanced to second on a wild pitch before Hall's two-RBI single plated Lewis and Fuld.Stanford scored another run in the top of the fourth when Fuld doubled with one out, moved to third on a balk and scored when Quentin's pop up down the left field line fell safely for an RBI double.
Arizona State got on the scoreboard in the bottom of the fourth when West doubled with one out, moved to third on a groundball out by Frank Mesa and scored on a two-out double from Wyrick.
Stanford added a pair of runs in the top of the seventh to run its lead to 8-1. The Cardinal loaded the bases with out one when Quentin was hit by a pitch and stole second, Ryan Garko walked and Mayberry reached on an infield single. Jonny Ash's RBI groundout scored Quentin with the first run of the frame before an RBI bunt single by Swope scored Garko.
Arizona State's comeback began when West singled and Garrabrants homered to lead off the bottom of the eighth to chase Stanford starter Ryan McCally, who took a no decision despite limiting the Sun Devils to three runs and nine hits over the first 7.0 innings. Wyrick was hit by Stanford reliever Drew Ehrlich to restart the rally. Ethier then singled off O'Hagan after he relieved Erhlich, moving Wyrich to third base before he scored on an RBI fielders choice by Rod Allen. O'Hagan struck out pinch-hitter Mike Guerrero for the second out but a passed ball on Garko allowed Allen to move to second base before a two-out RBI single by Pedroia scored Allen.
In the ninth, O'Hagan walked West with one out but sandwiched strikeouts of Larish and Garrabrants around it to leave the Cardinal one out away from victory. A single from Wyrick kept Arizona State's hopes alive and set up Ethier's game-tying three-run blast down the right field line.
Quentin was hit by two pitches to run his team-high total to seven and his career mark to 40. Stanford stole six bases in the contest, one shy of its season-high and recorded 13 hits to mark the seventh straight game the Cardinal has posted double-digit hits.
Arizona State left 12 runners on base, while the Cardinal stranded eight.
The all-time series between the two teams is tied, 77-77.
Stanford won for the second time in four extra-inning games this season. The Cardinal needs a victory in Monday's rubber game to extend its series win streak to five.