BERKELEY, Calif. – Erik Miller's 5.2 shutout innings and Tim Tawa's three-run home run lifted No. 2 Stanford to a 5-2, series-clinching win over California on Sunday at Evans Diamond.
"This was a character win," said the Clarke and Elizabeth Nelson Director of Baseball David Esquer. "After what happened on Saturday it was a true test of character for our guys and they responded. We have more super regional-type baseball coming up the next couple weeks but to come on the road and beat a lineup of this quality two out of three times showed what we're made of."
Miller (W, 7-1) struck out eight and did not allow a hit until the fourth inning, allowing only three hits on the day. Tawa's home run in the second inning proved to be the difference, a three-run blast far beyond the fence in left field, and Duke Kinamon, who went 2-for-4 with two runs, hit his third home run of the series for an insurance run late in the game. Kyle Stowers went 3-for-5 with an RBI, a two-out single in the seventh, Brandon Wulff went 2-for-5 and Stanford's bullpen held off the Golden Bears (29-17-0, 14-10-0 Pac-12) late in the contest with Jack Little finishing the final 1.2 innings.
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The Cardinal (37-9-0, 19-5-0) plated three runs in the second inning after Miller retired the side in the bottom of the first. Andrew Daschbach led off with a walk, Duke Kinamon reached on an error and Tawa connected on a 1-2 pitch for his seventh home run of the season, a three-run blast which landed on the roof of the building well beyond the left-field fence.
Miller tossed a one-two-three home half, picking up two more strikeouts along the way, upping his total to three after 2.0 innings. The southpaw's strong start continued in the third, striking out two more before stranding a runner, who reached via a one-out walk, at second. Miller allowed his first hit of the day, a two-out single in the fourth, but retired the side on the very next pitch.
.@E_Rex23 delivers on Sunday, punching out 8 in 5.2 shutout innings in Stanford's series-clinching win over Cal. ?? #GoStanford pic.twitter.com/oKpqkd7dL5
— Stanford Baseball (@StanfordBSB) May 12, 2019
Stanford went away in order for the third-straight inning before Miller returned to the mound for the bottom of the sixth. Miller struck out the first two batters he faced before walking Andrew Vaughn and allowing a double by Korey Lee, making way for right hander Zach Grech. Grech got out of the inning with two pitches, getting Max Flower to ground out.
In the seventh, Stanford tacked on another run as Stowers drove in Tawa with a two-out single. Tawa led off the inning with a double, advancing to third on a sacrifice bunt before Stowers' second hit of the day brought him in to make it 4-0. Grech returned for the bottom half, pitching through a lead-off single with a pair of strikeouts to retire the side.
Grech started the eighth but was replaced by Jacob Palisch after a lead-off single. Palisch did his job, getting the lefty Quentin Selma swinging before exiting for Little. California got on the board as Vaughn hit a two-run homer to right field, making it 4-2.
WATCH | @DukeKinamon adds a little insurance for the Cardinal after the Golden Bears got on the board in the 8th. ??: @Pac12Network
— Stanford Baseball (@StanfordBSB) May 12, 2019
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??: 2#GoStanford pic.twitter.com/j4uZAHaRez
Stanford got one run back in the top of the ninth courtesy of Kinamon's third home run of the series, a lead-off, solo shot to left field. Little returned for the ninth, retiring all three batters he faced for Stanford's seventh Pac-12 series win of the season.
No. 2 Stanford returns to Sunken Diamond on Tuesday when it plays host to Cal Poly at 6 p.m., followed by a three-game series against No. 12 Oregon State. Tuesday's game will stream live at GoStanford.com with Pac-12 Networks set to broadcast all three games against the Beavers. Live statistics for all games will be available at GoStanford.com.
Cardinal Notes
- The Cardinal played error-free defense for the 18th time this season.
- Stanford has double-digit hits in 18 games this season.
- Stanford has hit at least one home run in 17-of-18 games. The Cardinal has hit 50 homers in its last 22 games.
- The Cardinal is 31-0 when leading after seven innings and 34-0 when leading after eight.
- Tawa's seventh home run of the season matches his season total from 2018.
- All six of Kinamon's home runs have come in the last 16 games. In four games this week, Kinamon went 8-for-18 with three homers, six runs and four RBI.
- It was Miller's eighth start of the season with six or more strikeouts.