May 18, 2012
TEMPE, Ariz. -Right-hander Brady Rodgers earned the win in what could be the final home start of his career as the 16th-ranked Arizona State baseball team beat Washington 7-5 on Friday night at Packard Stadium in Tempe, Ariz.
Rodgers (10-2) allowed five runs, including four earned, on eight hits in seven innings. He moved to 18-3 with 26 earned runs and 14 walks in 168.1 innings pitched in his career at Packard Stadium.
Trever Allen drove in the go-ahead run in the sixth inning and the insurance run in the eighth inning, and Abe Ruiz hit his 13th home run of the season as the Sun Devils (33-18, 15-10) collected seven extra-base hits.
Right-hander Robert Ravago (1) recorded his first save of the season after pitching a perfect ninth inning.
Ruiz hit a two-out, two-run homer to right field in the first inning to score Andrew Aplin, who took a walk to lead off the frame, and put the Devils ahead early, 2-0.
The Huskies (27-22, 11-14) put up one run in both the second and third frames on an RBI groundout and an RBI single, respectively.
ASU added three more runs with two outs in the bottom of the second and third innings to take a 5-2 lead. They scored a pair in the second behind an RBI triple by Aplin and an RBI double by Deven Marrero, and Max Rossiter doubled and came home on an RBI single by Michael Benjamin in the third frame.
Washington added two runs in the top of the fourth on an inside-the-park home run and an RBI groundout to cut the Devils' lead to one, 5-4. Aplin crashed into the outfield wall while chasing down B.K. Santy's deep fly ball and appeared to be shaken up on the play, which allowed Santy to round the bases.
Jacob Lamb tied the game at five runs apiece in the fifth inning with an RBI groundout, the third of the game for the Huskies.
Benjamin was hit by a pitch and Nathaniel Causey followed with a double to left field before an RBI groundout by Allen helped the Sun Devils retake the lead in the sixth inning, 6-5.
Aplin made a diving catch in centerfield in the seventh inning to strand runners on first and second, and keep the Devils' lead intact.
Allen scored Rossiter, who doubled to lead off the eighth inning, on an RBI groundout to stretch ASU's lead, 7-5.
Washington starting right-hander Tyler Davis (2-4) struck out five but took the loss after giving up six runs on eight hits in five innings.
The Sun Devils host Washington at 6:30 p.m. Saturday night at Packard Stadium. The game will be broadcast live on Fox Sports Arizona with Mark McClune and Joe Borowski on the call, while Tim Healey and Seth Dhaenens of the Sun Devil Sports Network will cover the game on The Fan AM 1060.
Senior Day will be held prior to the final home game of the season on Sunday, May 20. Seniors Abe Ruiz and Joseph Lopez, as well as graduate student Adrian Gomez will be honored on the field.
Saturday's projected pitching matchup:
ASU - RHP Trevor Williams (10-2, 1.83 ERA)
Washington - TBA
Game notes: Aplin stayed in the game for the rest of the night after running into the outfield wall in the top of the fourth inning...ASU scored its first five runs with two outs...Sun Devil fans gave Rodgers a standing ovation as he walked off the field in the eighth inning...right-hander Joseph Lopez allowed one hit and struck out two in the eighth inning...Aplin recorded his 60th career RBI and his ninth career triple.