Feb. 24, 2006
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Fresno, Calif. - Greg Reynolds and Jeremy Bleich combined on a six-hitter to lead Stanford (8-3) to a season-best fourth straight win in a 3-2 victory at Fresno State (6-7) on Friday night at Beiden Field. Reynolds (1-1) earned his first victory of the season by striking out a career-high 11 batters without issuing a walk, while allowing just one run and five hits over the first 7.2 innings. Bleich (1.1 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 SO) notched his fifth save of the young season by getting the Cardinal out of an eighth inning jam and then holding off the Bulldogs in the ninth.
"It's good to get Greg a win here, because he's pitched well for us," said Stanford head coach Mark Marquess.
"It's an honor to pitch on Friday nights on this staff," added Reynolds. "I know the ramifications of getting that first win of the series. I like the role, and I think I'm establishing myself early in the season that I'm somewhat deserving of the Friday night role. It's been exciting so far."
Fresno State trailed 3-1 heading into the bottom of the ninth before Bleich allowed his first run of the season by giving up a triple into the rightcenter field gap to Ozzie Lewis, who would score on Frank LoNigro's sacrifice fly that followed. The Bulldogs managed to get the tying run to second base when pinch-hitter Brian Lappin reached on a two-out, two-base error by Cardinal shortstop Chris Minaker but Bleich retired Erik Wetzel on another ground ball to Minaker to end the game.
"Jeremy's done a great job in some pressure games," commented Marquess. "That's his fifth save - that's pretty good."
Michael Taylor (3-5, RBI) and Jim Rapoport (2-5, 2B, RBI) had multiple-hit games for Stanford, who outhit Fresno State by an 11-6 count.
Fresno State starter Doug Fister (1-3) took the loss despite limiting the Cardinal to a pair of sixth inning runs and scattering seven hits while walking just one and striking out five. Brandon Burke (3.0 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 SO) kept the Bulldogs close.
Steve Susdorf accounted for the other Fresno State run with a solo homer in the bottom of the sixth, while Loren Storey (2-4, SB) was the only Fresno State player with more than one hit.
Reynolds and Fister traded blanks on the scoreboard until got to Fister for a pair of runs in the top of the fifth. Joey August's leadoff infield single started the rally and Rapoport knocked him to break the scoreless tie when he one-hopped the wall in leftcenter field for an RBI double. Minaker then moved Rapoport to third with a grounder to Bulldog second baseman Erik Wetzel and Taylor followed with an RBI single down the right field line to plate Rapoport.
Susdorf cut the lead in half and ended Reynolds' shutout bid when he deposited the first pitch he saw in the bottom of the sixth over the right field wall.
Reynolds responded by getting the next nine hitters he faced with only LoNigro reaching on a throwing error by Cardinal catcher John Hester after a striking out during the span.
The Bulldogs were finally able to knock Reynolds out of the game after he allowed a two-out single to Storey and a subsequent RBI double to Kent Sakamoto in the bottom of the eighth before Bleich came on to end the threat with the tying run on second by getting Beau Mills to ground out to Cardinal first baseman Jason Castro.
Stanford and Fresno State will continue the three-game series that opens a 10-game road trip on Saturday and Sunday with the start time scheduled both days at 1:05 pm, PT. Stanford is scheduled to start righthander Matt Manship (0-1, 6.55) against Fresno State lefty Eddie Romero (2-1, 4.37) on Saturday. RHP Andy Underwood (2-1, 1.99) is scheduled to go for the Bulldogs on Sunday, while the Cardinal has not announced a starting pitcher for the series finale.