PHOENIX – Left-handed reliever Eli Lingos put together a career outing and Sun Devil Baseball created scoring opportunities in the latter half of a 4-2 series-opening loss to Washington on Friday night at Phoenix Municipal Stadium.
Lingos struck out a career-best seven and allowed just four base runners, including three hits, in 4 1/3 scoreless innings, his longest career outing without a walk. He took over with two outs and two runners in scoring position in the fifth and delivered an inning-ending swinging strikeout, the first of five frames he punctuated with a punch out.
The Huskies (15-10, 6-4) took a 4-0 lead behind a pair of two-out rallies in the second and fifth innings, respectively, before the Sun Devils (16-11, 3-7) put together a two-out rally of their own in the sixth to cut its deficit in half.
Arizona State brought the tying run to the plate two more times in the last third of the game, including once in the seventh and once in the ninth, but was unable to complete the comeback.
Starting right-hander Seth Martinez (4-3) allowed four runs, including two earned, on eight hits and four walks in 4 2/3 innings, his shortest outing of the year. He struck out three and stranded six, including three in scoring position.
UW struck first with a pair of two-out runs in the top of the second. Martinez retired two straight after he issued a leadoff walk, but the Huskies used a triple down the right-field line and a bloop double to shallow left field to take an early 2-0 lead.
ASU fell behind by four in the fifth after UW capitalized on a fielding error by the Devils to open the frame and plated two more two-out runs behind a single, walk and a double.
Center fielder Andrew Shaps began ASU’s two-out rally in the sixth with a RBI triple, his team-leading fourth of the season, and a throwing error by the Huskies in the next at-bat allowed catcher Brian Serven to reach first and Shaps to cross home plate. Back-to-back walks then loaded the bases and prompted a pitching change as pinch hitter Sebastian Zawada stepped to the plate with the go-ahead run at first, but left-handed pitcher Greg Minier made a play on a grounder back to the mound to end the threat.
Notes: McCuin has three hits in his past two starts…Martinez did not register a quality start for the first time in eight starts this season.
Up Next
The Devils continue their series with Washington on April 9 at 3:30 p.m. at Phoenix Muni. The game will be televised on the Pac-12 Networks and broadcast on NBC Sports Radio AM 1060 with Tim Healey and Max Rossiter on the call.
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