April 6, 2008
PALO ALTO, Calif. - All weekend the Sun Devils failed to get a hit with runners on base, and it cost them on Sunday as Stanford claimed the Pac-10 series win with a 10-2 victory at Sunken Diamond. Arizona State stranded 12 runners on the day and 33 for the weekend, as they dropped to 28-3 on the year, 4-2 in conference play. Arizona State has not won a series at Sunken Diamond since 1997.
ASU hit Stanford starter Jeffrey Inman all over the yard for most of his five innings, but only once with runners on base. He allowed eight hits and walked five, but allowed only two runs and picked up his fourth win of the season.
Petey Paramore put the Devils on the board in the top of the first, singling home Jason Kipnis and Ike Davis to put ASU up 2-0. The Sun Devils left two aboard in the first, a sign of things to come. Arizona State would leave the bases loaded twice
After managing only one hit in the first four innings, Stanford solved starter Stephen Sauer in the fifth, scoring three off him and three off Reyes Dorado. After allowing back-to-back singles to start the inning, Sauer's throw on a play at third ended up in left field, allowing Joey August to score. Dorado would relieve him, inheriting runners at second and third and nobody out. After walking the first hitter he faced, Dorado induced a shallow pop to centerfield. Jason Kipnis made the catch, then fired a perfect strike to catcher Petey Paramore that appeared to beat the runner Austin Yount home. However, home plate umpire Chuck Lyon called him safe, tying the score at 2-2. Brendan Domaracki then doubled down the right field line to bring home two more and give Stanford a 4-2 lead. A bases loaded double by Joey August would bring two more home and give the Cardinal a 6-2 lead. They would make it 7-2 off Jason Franzblau in the sixth. They would add three more in the seventh
Sauer lasted four innings, allowing three hits and three runs, two earned. He struck out two and walked two. He took the loss, dropping him to 3-1 on the year. Dorado went one inning, allowing three runs, one earned, on two hits. He walked three, hit a man and struck out one.
Jason Kipnis and Ike Davis each had two hits in the loss. Both of Davis' hits were doubles, giving him 18 on the year.
Arizona State continues its road swing next weekend, heading to Pullman, Washington for a three-game series with Washington State beginning next Friday.