STANFORD, Calif. – No. 3 Stanford blasted four home runs in a 13-5 win over Arizona on Sunday, clinching a 2-1 series win at Sunken Diamond.
"We're starting to get some balance in the lineup, it's been a long time coming and different guys up and down the lineup are really helping us out, offensively," said the Clarke and Elizabeth Nelson Director of Baseball David Esquer. "Sometimes you have to face different types of adversity with the loss on Friday but we did a great job of coming back strong in these last two games. I thought Maverick's back pick in the sixth really kept the momentum in our favor and was certainly a turning point with Arizona threatening."
In the last 14 games, Stanford has hit 37 home runs with multiple homers in 12 of those games. The Cardinal has scored has scored double-digit runs in six-of-seven games with 85 runs during that span to remain atop the Pac-12 standings entering next week.
The ?? just keeps rollinnnnnn. ?? #GoStanford
A post shared by Stanford Baseball?? (@stanfordbsb) on Apr 28, 2019 at 4:39pm PDT
Brandon Wulff homered twice, upping his season total to 15, Duke Kinamon went 2-for-4 with a grand slam, two runs and a double and Maverick Handley hit a three-run blast for his second of the season. Tim Tawa finished 2-for-4 with two runs, Nick Bellafronto scored twice with two RBI and Erik Miller (W, 6-0) tossed 5.1 innings to earn the win. The Wildcats (19-22-0, 7-14-0 Pac-12) got to within three runs in the sixth, but, aided by Handley's fourth pickoff of the season, Jack Little came in to pitch through multiple jams and finish with 2.2 shutout innings.
Arizona scored first for the third-straight game, plating one run in the top of the first. Matthew Dyer led off with a single, advanced to third on two wild pitches and scored on a four-three putout, but Stanford leveled the score in the bottom half with Wulff's 14th home run of the season.
In the third, starting pitcher Erik Miller (W, 6-0) faced a two-on, one-out jam but the inning ended on a six-four-three double play, starting with a tough pick by shortstop Tim Tawa. In the home half, Handley's three-run shot, a no-doubter made it 4-1, but Arizona came back with a run in the top of the fourth on a sacrifice fly.
It was Stanford's turn to respond in the bottom of the fourth – Brueser's double down the right-field line scored Andrew Daschbach, Bellafronto's sacrifice fly plated Tawa and Kyle Stowers' two-out double brought home Brueser from second. Miller registered a quick, one-two-three inning in the fifth and Stanford added another run in the bottom half as Wulff blasted his second of the day to the right of the batters' eye in centerfield.
Miller started the sixth, but was replaced by Austin Weiermiller following Blake Paugh's two-run shot to make it 8-4 – Stanford. Miller's final line included four earned runs on five hits in 5.1 innings pitched. The Wildcats strung together back-to-back doubles to make it 8-5 before Jack Little entered with two runners on and still just one out. Handley picked off the runner at first base before Little got the inning-ending fly ball to center.
WATCH | @DukeKinamon clears 'em all with his 3rd home run of the season, a 1-out grand slam!
— Stanford Baseball (@StanfordBSB) April 28, 2019
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In the seventh, Little escaped another jam, stranding runners at first and second after a one-out single and a walk and Stanford went away in order in the home half. Little returned in the eighth, retiring all three batters he faced with a pair of strikeouts. Stanford added five more runs in the home half. Bellafronto drew a bases-loaded walk before Kinamon launched his third home run of the season, a grand slam to make it 13-5. Zach Grech relieved Little for the final frame, retiring the Wildcats quietly to clinch the win.
No. 3 Stanford is back in action on Tuesday when it heads south to face Santa Clara at 6 p.m. Live streaming and live statistics will be available at GoStanford.com. Stanford continues Pac-12 play next weekend with a three-game series at USC, starting Friday at 7 p.m. – all three games will air on Pac-12 Networks with live statistics available at GoStanford.com.
Cardinal Notes
- It was Wulff's third multi-home run of the season, pushing his season total to 15 – Wulff has hit six home runs in the last eight games.
- The Cardinal has double-digit hits in six-of-nine contests and 13 times this season.
- Stanford is 28-0 when leading after eight innings.