March 4, 2006
Berkeley, Calif. - Chris Minaker redeemed himself with an RBI single in the top of the 11th inning to score Cord Phelps with the eventual game-winning run and lift No. 19 Stanford (10-5) to a thrilling 6-5 victory over California (7-6) on Saturday at Evans Diamond, evening a three-game non-conference series between the clubs. Minaker's fielding error on Garrett Bussiere's routine groundball to the Cardinal shortstop with two outs in the bottom of the ninth had allowed Chris Errecart to score the game-tying run and send the contest into extra frames.
"It felt great because I felt like I let everyone down with the error in the ninth inning," said Minaker. "I was so grateful that our guys kept batting and gave me a chance to make up for it."
Minaker (3-5, 2B, 4 RBI) had a big day offensively for the Cardinal in extending his season-high hit streak to eight straight games. Joey August (3-4, RBI) and Phelps (3-5) also had three hits and scored two runs each for Stanford.
Austin Yount (2-0) earned the victory on the mound by retiring all five batters he faced after coming into the game with California runners on first and second base with one out in the bottom of the 10th. Josh Satin greeted Yount with a long fly ball into the rightcenter field gap that Cardinal rightfielder Michael Taylor chased down for the second out of the Golden Bears inning, before Taylor snagged a line drive hit almost directly at him by Brennan Boesch to extend the game into the 11th.
Matt Gorgen (1-1) took the loss after entering the contest to begin the top of the 11th. The winning pitcher out of the bullpen in California's dramatic 7-6 victory over the Cardinal on Friday allowed a leadoff single to Phelps, who moved to second on a sacrifice bunt by Jim Rapoport before Minaker lined a shot just out of the reach of Golden Bear shortstop Allen Craig to bring home Phelps.
Craig (2-5) was one of five California players with two hits each, while Boesch drove in three runs with a sacrifice fly in the fifth and a two-RBI double in the seventh to spur California's comeback from an early 5-0 deficit. Brett Munster (2-5), Charlie Cutler (2-5), Bussiere (2-6, 2B) and Satin (2-6, 2B) also had a pair of hits each as the Golden Bears outhit the Cardinal, 13-12.
California stranded 14 baserunners in the wild contest, while the Cardinal left 10 on base.
Stanford committed three errors for the second consecutive game in the series to account for a pair of unearned California runs.
Stanford starter Matt Manship (6.0 IP, 5 H, 1 R, 2 BB, 3 SO) was effective in his longest outing of the season and the second longest of his career. The former Cardinal closer did not allow an earned run before giving way to relievers Sean Ratliff (1.2 IP, 5 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 2 SO), Blake Holler (1.2 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 2 BB) and Yount (1.2 IP, 1 SO).
California starter Michael Cooper (1.1, 7 H, 5 R, 5 ER, 1 BB) gave up all five early Stanford runs as the Cardinal jumped out to a 5-0 lead after an inning and a half. Relievers Chris Petrini (4.2 IP, 2 H, 2 BB, 2 SO), Alec Harris (2.0 IP, 1 SO) and Jeremy Burchett (2.0 IP, 1 H, 1 BB, 1 SO) held the Cardinal scoreless for eight consecutive innings before the Cardinal plated the game-winning off Gorgen in the 11th.
The Cardinal victory ended California's three-game home win streak versus Stanford.
The teams are scheduled to play the rubber game in Berkeley on Sunday (1 pm, PT) with RHP Tyson Ross (2-1, 3.38) expected to start on the hill for the Golden Bears. Stanford has not announced a probable starting pitcher for the contest.
A full recap will follow.