April 23, 2010
STANFORD, Calif.-- Kenny Diekroeger hit a sacrifice fly in the bottom of the ninth and No. 22-ranked Stanford (19-13, 8-5 Pac-10) won the series opener with cross-bay rival No. 15-ranked California (23-12, 8-5 Pac-10) 3-2 on Friday evening.
Reliever Matt Flemer (2-1), took the loss after giving up a leadoff double to Jonathan Kaskow, and then balking pinch runner Ben Clowe to third with one out. Diekroeger then hit a 1-2 pitch to left for the team's seventh win in its last at-bat.
Alex Pracher (6-2) picked up the win, after stranding the go-ahead run at third with one out in the eighth, after Cal tied it at 2-2. Pracher threw the final 1.2 shutout innings following a season-high 10 strikeouts by Brett Mooneyham.
Mooneyham after retiring 15 of 17 during the middle innings, allowed the tying run to score following a throwing error over first base on a sacrifice bunt attempt. The two-base error allowed Marcus Siemen to score from second and put Danny Oh at third with no outs. Mooneyham then struck out Brian Guinn, before Pracher came on to strike out the next two to send it into the ninth.
Mooneyham, who also retired six and eight in a row, allowed two runs on four hits over 7.1 innings.
An error also benefited the Cardinal, leading to its two runs in the fourth to lead 2-1.
Cal first baseman Mark Canha's fielding error to leadoff the fourth led to a Stanford lead, as an RBI groundout followed by a wild pitch made it 2-1. Cal took a 1-0 lead in the third on an RBI groundout by Guinn.
Cal starter Erik Johnson went the first eight innings, allowed two unearned runs on eight hits.
The Bay Area series continues on Saturday and Sunday with games at 1 p.m. Righthander Jordan Pries (3-1, 3.14) is scheduled to throw for the Cardinal against Cal lefthander Justin Jones (8-2, 2.62) on Saturday.
NOTES: Brett Mooneyham struck out 10 or more for fourth time in his career, and the most since he struck out a career-high 11 against USC last year... Cal has won four of the last five weekend series with its cross-bay rival.