March 4, 2010
SURPRISE, Ariz. - Raoul Torrez's first career grand slam capped a five-run seventh inning, giving Arizona State a come-from-behind 12-9 win over Cal Poly in the opening game of the Coca-Cola Classic at Surprise Stadium. The Devils trailed 8-7 entering the seventh before homers by both Torrez brothers helped them improve to 8-0 on the year.
Mitchell Lambson went 1.2 innings, allowing three runs on four hits. He walked one and fanned six, picking up his first win of the 2010 season.
Seth Blair got the start for the Devils and got a no decision, going six innings and allowing five runs on six hits. After retiring the Mustangs in order in the first, Blair allowed a single run in the second through the sixth innings, including three solo home runs. He struck out six and walked three in his longest outing of the year.
Cal Poly starter Matt Leonard went six plus, allowing nine runs, six earned, on 10 hits. He walked four and struck out three, taking the loss (0-2).
The Devils jumped on Leonard quickly, scoring two runs in the first inning. After Zack MacPhee was hit by a pitch with one away, Kole Calhoun doubled off the wall in center to score MacPhee. Riccio Torrez followed that with a double of his own, scoring Calhoun to make it 2-0. Cal Poly would push one across in the second after a leadoff triple by Matt Jensen and a sac fly by David Van Ostrand that made it 2-1.
Back-to-back walks by Blair to start the third inning would cost ASU the lead, as the Mustangs manufactured a run to tie things at two. They would take the lead in the fourth on a solo homer by Ross Brayton that made it 3-2 Cal Poly. A J.J. Thompson solo shot to center in the fifth would put Cal Poly up 4-2.
Arizona State would draw even in the bottom of the fifth, scoring twice to make it 4-4. After a one out walk to Raoul Torrez, Drew Maggi doubled to right to put runners on second and third. MacPhee sent a laser just above the glove of the second baseman, scoring Torrez to make it 4-3. Later in the inning, Calhoun would lace a double off the top of the wall in left center to score MacPhee and tie the game.
Cal Poly would break out the big bats again in the sixth when David Van Ostrand sent a blast to left center that made it 5-4. A fielding error in the bottom of the sixth would spark a Sun Devil rally that put them on top 7-5. After Mustang starter Matt Leonard got two quick outs, Johnny Ruettiger and Austin Barnes hit back-to-back singles. Raoul Torrez then hit a ground ball to first baseman Van Ostrand, but he was unable to field it cleanly, loading the bases. Drew Maggi then drew a walk to tie things at five, then MacPhee sent a bullet into left field for a two-run single and a 7-5 ASU lead.
The lead was short lived, as Cal Poly scored three in the top of the seventh against Lambson, grabbing the lead back at 8-7. Riccio Torrez would tie things up with a solo blast to left in the bottom of the seventh, his second of the year. His brother Raoul would do him one better later in the inning, hitting a grand slam to left center off Cal Poly reliever Mark DeVincenzi to put ASU up 12-8. It was the first round-tripper of the year and the first career grand slam for the fourth-year Sun Devil co-captain. It's the first time the Torrez brothers have ever homered in the same game.
MacPhee finished the game 2-4 with three RBI, while Calhoun and Riccio Torrez each had two hits as well.
1,651 fans saw the first day of the Coca-Cola Classic, which also features Oregon State, UC Riverside, FIU and Utah Valley. The Sun Devils continue play in the Coca-Cola Classic tomorrow, when they take on #10 Oregon State in an non-conference meeting. First pitch will be 45 minutes following the conclusion of the MLB Spring Training game at Surprise Stadium.