SALT LAKE CITY – A two-out RBI single by Johnny Sewald highlighted Arizona State’s two-run ninth-inning rally and a RBI single by Joey Bielek drove in the go-ahead run in the 10th as No. 6 Sun Devil Baseball defeated Utah, 6-5, in the series finale on Saturday at Smith’s Ballpark in Salt Lake City.
The Sun Devils (21-8, 9-3) won their fourth straight Pac-12 series, including their second on the road, to move into a virtual tie for second place in the conference. They improved to 10-4 in one-run games and 4-0 in extra-innings games this season, and have won six games when trailing after six innings.
ASU trailed by two runs heading into the ninth inning, but used three singles and a wild pitch to complete the rally and tie the game at five runs apiece. Right-hander Ryan Burr (5-0) took over in the bottom of the ninth and stranded the winning run on third base with a groundout to Bielek.
Third baseman David Greer hit a one-out triple in the top of the 10th and Bielek knocked a single through the left side two batters later to give ASU its first lead since the opening inning. Burr set the Utes down in order in the bottom of the 10th, including a looking strikeout for the final out, to close out the series and earn his fifth win of the season.
Sewald had three hits and a RBI in the game, and finished the series with eight hits, including three on Friday and two on Thursday. Greer added two hits, two RBI and the go-ahead run in extra innings, and has at least one hit in 17 of the past 18 games he’s started at third base. Bielek went 3-for-5 and notched his second game-winning RBI in the eighth inning or later this season.
Burr gave up just one hit and one walk, and struck out two, in two innings. Starting left-hander Brett Lilek struck out six and allowed just two hits but was responsible for four runs, including two earned, in 4 2/3 innings.
The Devils took an early 2-0 lead in the top of the first behind a pair of singles from Cerbo and Serven, and a two-run double by Greer. Utah responded with a run in the bottom of the second on a RBI groundout by right fielder Josh Rose.
Josh Rose drove a two-out triple to right-center field in the bottom of the fourth inning to score Wyler Smith and AJ Young, who reached base via a leadoff double and a walk, respectively, to give Utah its first lead of the game, 3-2.
The teams exchanged runs in the fifth as Utah held on to its one-run lead, 4-3.
ASU second baseman Andrew Snow tied the game in the top half of the inning after he doubled, moved to third on a single and scored on a wild pitch. Utah retook the lead in the bottom half when second baseman Kody Davis scored an unearned run on a throwing error on a stolen base.
Right-handed reliever Ryan Hingst took over for Lilek with runners on first and second and two outs, and induced a short chopper up the middle to end the inning and escape the jam. He bookended a perfect sixth inning with strikeouts and did not allow a hit in 1 2/3 innings. Fellow right-hander Darin Gillies conceded one run on one hit and struck out two in 1 2/3 innings.
Bielek and pinch hitter Jordan Aboites each singled with one out in the ninth, and second baseman Andrew Snow struck out to set up Sewald’s two-out RBI, which brought the Devils within one. Utah reliever Tanner Thomas replaced Hunter Rodriguez and promptly threw a wild pitch to bring pinch runner David Graybill home from third.
Notes
The Devils moved to 35-6 all-time against Utah, including 4-0 in Pac-12 series’…this marked the fifth three-game series since 1995 that included two extra-innings games, and is just the second ASU has won both of the extra-innings game (USC in ’95, Washington in ’01 (win), Stanford in ’03 and Cal in ’14).
Up Next
The Sun Devils head to Las Vegas to take on UNLV on April 7 at 6 p.m. PT before returning to Arizona for a three-game home series against Arizon April 11-13. Saturday’s game will be televised by ESPNU and is set for a 7:30 p.m. start, while Sunday and Monday’s games will be carried on Pac-12 Networks. First pitch on Sunday is at 5 p.m. and Monday is slated to start at 7:30 p.m. All three home games will be broadcast by NBC Sports Radio AM 1060.
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