After wasting another great start from Tyler Anderson in yesterday's 2-1 loss to the California Golden Bears, the Oregon offense stepped up and spotted starting pitcher Madison Boer to an early lead. Boer pitched very well, limiting his bad innings and getting help from his defense, and right-hander Kellen Moen, one day removed from giving up a game-winning hit, delivered a perfect five-out save as the Ducks beat the Golden Bears 4-2.
The Oregon bats, normally small-ball minded, got their runs from two big hits. In the second inning, center fielder Andrew Mendenhall took a Justin Jones fastball over the left field wall, giving the Ducks a 2-0 lead. Oregon would add to that run total in the third. After a Danny Pulfer single and a Jack Marder fly ball that was misplayed by Cal right fielder Danny Oh, first basemen Shawn Peterson stepped in and hit a line drive into the right center field gap, scoring both runners and putting the Ducks up 4-0. The Duck batters were able to wait out Cal starter Jones, who had trouble throwing first-pitch strikes throughout much of the game.
Right hander Madison Boer had all three pitches working today, allowing three runs, two earned, on seven hits. His biggest assest, though, was his ability to work out of trouble. He induced inning-ending double play grounders in each of the first three innings, and was able to limit the Golden Bears to only one fourth inning run after giving up two hits to start the inning, leaving him with runners on second and third with no one out.
The bottom of the sixth saw a number of mental mistakes by the Ducks lead to two Cal runs. After an RBI double by catcher Chadd Krist, Oregon catcher Jack Marder attempted to pick Krist off second base. The ball bounced off of Krist and into left field, and the runner advanced to third. Cal first baseman Devon Rodriguez then bounced one over Shawn Peterson's head to second baseman Danny Pulfer, only Boer failed to cover first base. Fortunately for the Ducks, Jack Marder atoned for his throwing error by picking Rodriguez off first base.
The score remained 4-3 in the eighth, and the Ducks squandered a chance to tack on some insurance. Steven Sabol and Peterson led off with singles, subsequently knocking Cal starter Jones out of the game, but the Ducks were shut down by Cal reliever Matt Flemer. In the bottom of the inning, the Golden Bears chased Boer from the game with a one out hit, and lefty reliever Christian Jones was unable to get Cal's Danny Oh out. Enter Kellen Moen, who proceeded to get Krist on a ground out, and Rodriguez on a liner to right, ending the threat.
The ninth was uneventful thanks to Moen, who retired the side in order, securing the win for the Ducks and his seventh save of the season.
The series concludes tomorrow at noon, where Alex Kuedell will take the hill in pursuit of Oregon's second straight Pac-10 series win, and first on the road.