Oregon baseball built off its 15-run performance Wednesday to beat Arizona State 11-3 in Phoenix Friday night. While the offense kept rolling, RJ Gordon provided a fantastic relief outing to lock down the middle and late innings.
Arizona State has been a similar team as Oregon this year. Both teams have great offenses, but their pitching staffs have held them back.
Sun Devils pitcher Adam Tulloch came in with an ERA over seven, and it was immediately clear why that number was so high. The Ducks struck first with a Tanner Smith single, an error and a Drew Cowley RBI single. Josh Kasevich hit another RBI single, and the runners each moved up 90 feet on a whiff by Arizona State’s catcher.
Anthony Hall added one more with another hit, but Kasevich was thrown out trying to score. Still, Oregon picked up where it left off in Wednesday’s 15-6 win, roaring out to a 3-0 lead.
Right-hander Christian Ciuffetelli got the start instead of Gordon, due to both Ciuffetelli’s success and Gordon’s struggles in the rotation. The Sun Devils got one back in the bottom of the first on a passed ball, but Ciuffetelli escaped with no earned runs allowed.
Tulloch’s struggles continued in the second, when he walked Gavin Grant and gave up a double to Smith. After Brennan Milone drew a 10-pitch walk to load the bases, Cowley hit his second RBI single of the day. Tulloch was subsequently chased from the game. He threw 51 pitches and recorded only four outs.
Kasevich hit a two-run single as the Ducks put up another three-spot and took a 6-1 lead. The Sun Devils avoided complete disaster by getting Sam Novitske to ground into a double play with the bases loaded.
Arizona State coach Willie Bloomquist, who played more than 1,000 games in the major leagues, joined the Pac-12 Network broadcast in the third inning. When the announcer asked him where he needs his team to improve, he said bluntly, “Where do I start?”
Sun Devils third baseman Cam Magee made a pair of tremendous leaping plays to record the first two outs of the third.
“If we could make those plays in the first inning, we wouldn’t be in this situation right now,” Bloomquist said.
As soon as Bloomquist took his headset off, the Ducks went back to work. Smith recorded his third hit, Colby Shade walked and Milone hit an RBI single to make it 7-1. Fittingly, the inning ended on another smooth play by Magee.
Ciuffetelli exited the game after 2 1/3 innings, leaving with two runners on. Gordon replaced him, so he and Ciuffetelli simply switched roles.
Gordon issued a walk but recorded a strikeout to end the inning, pumping his fists as he came off the mound.
The Ducks added a run in the fourth on a hit and three walks, including one with the bases loaded by Smith. The Oregon leadoff hitter reached base in each of the first four innings.
Gordon settled in for the Ducks, throwing a scoreless fourth and fifth. After trudging on for the first few innings, the game started to speed up.
Hall led off the sixth inning with his 12th home run of the year, a solo shot that extended the Ducks’ lead to 9-1.
Gordon gave up a single and a walk in the bottom of the sixth. He nearly got out of the inning unscathed, but Novitske made a throwing error to bring home Arizona State’s second unearned run. Gordon still finished the inning strong.
The Ducks plated another pair in the seventh on two walks and two hits, including Hall’s third RBI of the night.
In the bottom of the seventh, Gordon remarkably pitched a perfect frame on just three pitches — the minimum possible to throw in an inning.
Gordon kept rolling through a scoreless eighth as well. He retired eight batters in a row before surrendering a solo homer with one out in the ninth. It was the first and only earned run he allowed on the night.
After giving up a pair of singles, Gordon was pulled with two outs in the ninth. Overall, he was tremendous in relief after experiencing some struggles as a starter. He pitched 6 1/3 innings and threw 91 pitches.
Rio Britton recorded the last out, stranding Gordon’s two baserunners. All told, Gordon allowed just one earned run as the Ducks cruised to an 11-3 victory.
Oregon (30-20) will try to clinch the series against Arizona State (24-26) Saturday at 6 p.m.
