March 26, 2011
TEMPE, Ariz. -
By Kris Knief Arizona State beat the Arizona Wildcats 5-1 on Saturday night to even up the three-game Pac-10 series. Brady Rodgers (3-1) was brilliant for seven innings, allowing only two hits and a run, to earn the win and help ASU improve to 17-6, 1-1 in Pac-10 play, in front of a sell out crowd for the second consecutive night.
While Rodgers was keeping the Wildcat hitters off balance, the Sun Devils offense was persistent. The Devils would score in the bottom of the second on a Joey DeMichele triple down the right field line that would score Zach Wilson. Three batters later, Xorge Carrillo doubled to left scoring Matt Newman and Deven Marrero to put the Devils up 3-0. But they were not done, as Andrew Aplin stepped to the plate and singled to center to score Carrillo and give the Devils a 4-0 lead after two innings.
The Wildcats would score in the top of the fourth inning on a Seth Mejias-Brean single to center scoring Steve Selsky, but Arizona would not push another run across the rest of the way.
While the offense was great, Rodgers, Joseph Lopez and Mitchell Lambson kept the Wildcats off the scoreboard. Rodgers threw the first seven, striking out 5 before giving way to Lopez. Lopez and Lambson would each throw an inning of scoreless ball to secure the win.
Deven Marrero was 3-4 with two runs scored, while Xorge Carrillo was 3-4 with three RBI.
The Sun Devils will wrap up the three- game series on Sunday afternoon with the Arizona Wildcats. First pitch is scheduled for 12:30 p.m. from Winkles Field-Packard Stadium at Brock Ballpark.