April 2, 2010

Box Score

LOS ANGELES - The No. 6 UCLA baseball team lost its first game of the season on Friday evening, dropping an 8-4 decision to No. 19 Stanford before 1,472 fans at Steele Field at Jackie Robinson Stadium. The loss snapped UCLA's school-record 22-game season-opening win streak.

Stanford right-hander Jordan Pries (3-1) earned the victory in a complete-game effort, limiting the Bruins (22-1, 1-1 Pac-10) to four runs (three earned) and eight hits in nine innings. Pries struck out four batters and walked four.

UCLA right-hander Trevor Bauer (5-1) was tagged with the loss, allowing seven runs (one earned) and nine hits through 4.2 innings. Bauer recorded three strikeouts and issued two walks against the Cardinal (13-8, 3-2 Pac-10).

Left-hander Mitchell Beacom registered career-highs in relief with six strikeouts in 4.1 innings for the Bruins. He allowed one hit - a solo homer to left field belted by catcher Zach Jones in the top of the ninth.

UCLA was led at the plate by center fielder Beau Amaral, who went 3-for-4 with one RBI. Designated hitter Blair Dunlap was only other Bruin to record multiple hits, going 2-for-4 with two doubles and two runs. Right fielder Brett Krill went 1-for-4 with two-run home run to straight-away center field in the ninth inning.

Stanford received multiple-hit efforts from Zones, center fielder Tyler Gaffney and Kenny Diekroeger. Left fielder Stephen Piscotty led the Cardinal with two RBI in a 1-for-4 effort.

The Bruins took a 1-0 lead after Dunlap doubled to right-center field. After stealing third base, Dunlap scored on an errant throw by Jones.

Stanford used a seven-run fifth inning to assume a 7-1 lead. The Cardinal pounded out six hits, including one triple and one double, and took advantage of a throwing error by shortstop Niko Gallego that opened the frame. Six runs in the fifth inning were unearned and four runs crossed the plate with two outs. Stanford's seven-run inning was highlighted by a two-RBI double by Piscotty and a run-scoring triple to center by Tyler Gaffney.

UCLA scored one run in the bottom of the eighth, and Stanford received a solo homer from Zones in the ninth. Krill's two-run blast in the bottom of the ninth cut the Bruins' deficit to 8-4.

UCLA and Stanford conclude their three-game series Saturday afternoon at Jackie Robinson Stadium. Game time is 2 p.m. The Bruins will send left-hander Rob Rasmussen to the mound for the Pac-10 series finale. Admission costs $7 for adults and $5 for children (ages 16 and under).

Game Notes: UCLA's 22-game win streak spanned six weeks - the Bruins opened the season with a 16-2 win over Southern on Friday, Feb. 19, and had not lost a game since the 2009 season ... Trevor Bauer absorbed his first loss since March 2009 and his first-ever loss as a starting pitcher ... Mitchell Beacom retired nine consecutive batters from the sixth through ninth innings ... Tyler Rahmatulla and Justin Uribe each saw their 10-game hit streaks end.