May 20, 2011
SEATTLE, Wash. - On a picturesque night at Husky Ballpark in Seattle, Brady Rodgers pitched a masterpiece for the Sun Devils. The sophomore righty scattered five hits and struck out nine, throwing his first career complete game shutout in a 6-0 Arizona State victory. The win improves ASU to 37-13, 15-7 in Pac-10 play.
Rodgers (8-3), whose previous career high for innings pitched was 8.0 against Arizona last season, dominated the Husky lineup. He out-dueled Washington starter Geoff Brown (1-7), who went 7.2 innings allowing six runs on eight hits.
The Devils offense exploded in the top of the third inning, plating five runs, all with two outs. Deven Marrero led off the inning with a double down the left field line, but found himself at third base with two away. Johnny Ruettiger battled Brown for an 11-pitch at bat, the last of which Ruettiger sent up the middle for an RBI single. Zack MacPhee followed that with a single through the left side to put runners at first and second. Riccio Torrez hit a ball deep in the hole at short that was fielded by Ty Afenir. Afenir's throw to first was late and high, rolling up the right field line. That allowed Ruettiger and MacPhee, who were running on the pitch, to score and make it 3-0. Then Joey DeMichele put the icing on the third inning cake, smoking a ball into the water beyond the right field fence for his seventh homer of the season and a 5-0 Sun Devil lead.
Arizona State would add another run in the top of the eighth. Zach Wilson doubled off the wall down the left field line and would come around to score on a Marrero double off the wall in right. Marrero was 2-4 with an RBI, while Johnny Ruettiger was 3-5 with an RBI. Both MacPhee and Ruettiger had two stolen bases, giving Ruettiger 21 for the year and MacPhee 20. The Sun Devils and Huskies will meet in game two of the three-game series on Saturday afternoon. First pitch is scheduled for 2 p.m. from Husky Ballpark.