BERKELEY, Calif. – Suffering its first Pac-12 series loss of the year, No. 12 Stanford (28-12, 13-8 Pac-12) dropped the rubber game of a three-game series with California (26-22, 12-12 Pac-12) 9-5 on Sunday from Evans Diamond.
Stanford starter Quinn Mathews was dominant through the first three innings, facing the minimum and striking out seven, but the lefty ran into trouble in the fourth. Dylan Beavers led off with a double before consecutive walks loaded the bases with nobody out. Quentin Selma fell behind 0-2 in the count, but launched a grand slam on the very next pitch to put Cal on top.
An error and two more walks re-loaded the bags for the Golden Bears in the fourth before a wild pitch extended the lead to 5-1. Beavers put a cap on the eight-run frame on the next play, connecting for his 14th homer of the season to leave the tally at 8-1.
Mathews, who took the loss and fell to 4-2, surrendered seven runs (four earned) on two hits and four walks while striking out seven.
The Cardinal had managed to get on the board first on Sunday, getting a solo home run from Nick Brueser in the top of the fourth. The round-tripper was Brueser's ninth of the season and his second of the series.
Trailing 8-1 headed to the seventh, Stanford cut into the deficit on a three-run homer from Tommy Troy and a solo shot from Brock Jones. Troy, who batted 3 for 5 with three RBIs out of the leadoff spot, connected on a 1-2 pitch and delivered it over the wall in left-center field to draw the Cardinal within four at 8-4. Austin Kretzschmar and Kody Huff singled earlier in the inning to set the table for Troy's blast.
Adding another run on one swing, Jones connected for a two-out shot to right field to make it an 8-5 ballgame. The homer was the first for Jones since April 6 vs. California. The native of Fresno, Calif. finished the game 4 for 5 with a double and the homer.
California added an insurance run on a productive groundout from Cole Elvis in the bottom of the eighth to run the score to the eventual final of 9-5.
Stanford, which outhit Cal 13-6 in the setback, managed to put two runners aboard in the top of the ninth, but eventually stranded them both. The Cardinal stranded nine runners overall in the game.
Kretzschmar got the start at second base and finished 2 for 4 with a run scored while hitting out of the eighth spot in the order.
Cal starter Grant Holman picked up the victory and moved to 1-2 after allowing just two runs on eight hits and a walk while striking out four over 6 1/3 innings.
Stanford will look to earn a split of the overall four-game series with Cal on Monday as the two teams travel to Sunken Diamond for a 6:05 p.m. first pitch.
