PHOENIX – Sun Devil Baseball saw another quality start from right-hander Seth Martinez, but dropped its series opener with Utah, 3-1, on Thursday night at Phoenix Municipal Stadium.
Martinez allowed just one earned run and one walk, and struck out six in his sixth quality start of the season. He was replaced in the eighth inning after he conceded a leadoff single, one of six hits he scattered, and he stranded seven on base, including three in scoring position.
The Sun Devils (13-8, 0-4) put the tying run at the plate with two outs in the ninth on a walk from center fielder Andrew Shaps and a base hit from third baseman Jeremy McCuin, but a swinging strikeout ended the evening.
Right-hander Eder Erives, who inherited Martinez’s runner in the eighth, tossed the final two innings and allowed one run on one hit and two walks, and struck out one in his ninth appearance of the season.
Martinez struck out the side in the second and recorded three perfect innings en route to his third start of the year that he has allowed just one earned run in six or more frames.
Both teams went scoreless through the first two innings before the Utes (7-12, 3-1) broke the tie in the top of the third, 1-0, behind a pair of singles, a fielding error on a long fly ball to left-center field and a bases-loaded wild pitch.
Shaps laced a two-out double to the gap in right-center field in the seventh inning to score second baseman Andrew Snow all the way from first and knot the game at one run apiece.
Utah responded with a run in the top of the ensuing frame to retake the lead, 2-1. Third baseman Dallas Carroll led off the eighth with a single, advanced to third on a wild pitch and sacrifice bunt, and came home a sacrifice fly to right field.
Erives followed up consecutive walks to open the ninth with back-to-back strikeouts, but a two-out single to left-center field plated the lead runner and extended Utah’s lead to a pair, 3-1.
Notes: Shaps is tied for third on the team with four two-out RBI…Woodmansee failed to reach base for the first time this season (20 straight games heading into tonight)…David Greer made his first career start in left field and RJ Ybarra made his second consecutive start at first base…Greer picked up his 30th hit of the season with a double in the first inning.
Up Next
The Devils continue their three-game series against Utah on Friday, March 25, at 6:30 p.m. at Phoenix Muni. The game will be streamed live via thesundevils.com and broadcast by the Sun Devil Sports Radio Network on NBC Sports Radio AM 1060 with Tim Healey and Max Rossiter on the call.
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