PHOENIX -- Jake Peevyhouse homered and delivered a walk-off hit with the bases loaded in the bottom of the ninth inning for the ninth-ranked Arizona State baseball team, which knocked off No. 24 Arizona, 5-4, before a crowd of 6,247 Saturday night in the first of a three-game series at Phoenix Municipal Stadium.
The Sun Devils, who rapped out 14 hits in the game, received impressive production from their No. 8-9 hitters, Joey Bielek and Andrew Snow. The combo proved costly for the Wildcats in the ninth.
Bielek, who was 3-for-4, hit a one-out single off reliever Nathan Bannister before Snow collected his second hit of the game to move the winning run into scoring position.
Bannister (L, 5-1), who was solid in relief of starter Cody Hamlin before running into trouble in the ninth, was lifted in favor of left-hander Cameron Ming to face a pair of lefties at the top of Arizona State's lineup.
The freshman reliever walked Johnny Sewald to load the bases, then fell behind in the count 3-0 to Peevyhouse, who lined a 3-2 pitch into right field for the game-winning hit.
Arizona (22-10, 7-6 Pac-12) was looking to snap a three-game losing streak and it gained the initial momentum with a three-run fourth inning against Seth Martinez.
Riley Moore was 2-for-3 and his single to open the fourth was the first surrendered by Martinez. Bobby Dalbec then drew a walk and, one out later, Michael Hoard ripped a two-run double to right-center. Later, Cody Ramer's two-out single gave the visitor's a 3-0 advantage.
Arizona State (22-9, 10-3) responded with its first run in the home half. Consecutive infield singles by Colby Woodmansee and Brian Serven set the stage for another infield hit by Trevor Allen, which drove in a run. A double-play finally let Hamlin escape further trouble.
The Sun Devils kept momentum rolling in the fifth inning thanks to the one-two punch at the bottom of the order. Bielek singled, Snow doubled and Sewald drove in a run with a sacrifice fly to bring the home side within a run.
Peeveyhouse, who had not homered this season, then belted a two-run homer off Hamlin to ahnd Arizona State its first lead. It was the second career home run against the Wildcats for Peevyhouse, who has only three total as a Sun Devil.
The Wildcats eventually tied the game in the seventh inning. Ramer, who was 2-for-3 and threw out a runner at the plate from left field, reached on a one-out single. He was bunted to second base by Justin Behnke, and Scott Kingery lined a run-scoring double to left field to tie the game.
Tied 4-4 in the ninth, Zach Gibbons led off with a single against closer Ryan Burr. Ramer bunted Gibbons to second, but Behnke struck out and Kingery softly lined out to strand the potential go-ahead run.
Burr (W, 6-0) earned the win for his one shutout inning.
Neither starter factored into the decision. Arizona's Hamlin tossed 5.1 innings with four runs on nine hits, while Martinez tossed 5.0 with three runs on four hits and three walks for the Sun Devils.
The rivals continue their series at 5 p.m. Sunday. The game will be televised live on the Pac-12 Networks
