The 14th-ranked Arizona State baseball team won its first Pac-12 home series with a 9-6 victory over Cal on Sunday at Packard Stadium.
The Sun Devils (15-8, 3-3) took the series 2-1, winning Friday night and losing Saturday night.
Trailing by three runs heading into the bottom half of the sixth inning, ASU answered with five runs in the frame, which was highlighted by a three-run double to right field by Deven Marrero that gave the Devils the lead for good. ASU sent 10 batters to the plate in the inning, adding runs on an RBI single by Andrew Aplin and an RBI sacrifice fly by Trever Allen.
Right-hander Robert Ravago (1-0) retired all four batters he faced in relief to earn his first win of the season and his first as a Sun Devil. Right-hander Jake Barrett earned the save, his third of the season, by pitching the ninth inning.
Cal’s Michael Theofanopoul (1-3) took the loss after surrendering the first two runs in the Devils’ five-run sixth inning. Right-hander Darin Gillies, who tied his career-long outing with five innings, gave up three earned runs on seven hits while striking out two in a no-decision.
Cal’s starter, left-hander Kyle Porter, lasted three innings in a no-decision, giving up three runs -- one earned -- on three hits and three walks.
The Golden Bears (13-9, 1-5) jumped out to a two-run lead in the opening frame on a pair of RBI singles by Chadd Krist and Andrew Knapp.
The Sun Devils cut the deficit to one run in the second inning when Max Rossiter drove in James McDonald, who had reached base on an error, with an RBI single through the left side.
Consecutive RBI groundouts by Joey DeMichele and Abe Ruiz put the Devils on top 3-2 in the bottom of the third inning. Aplin walked to lead off the home half of the inning, and Marrero followed with a double to put runners on second and third before both crossed the plate on groundouts in the next two at-bats.
Cal's Tony Renda answered with a home run in the top of the fifth to tie the score at 3-3, and the Golden Bears took a 6-3 lead in the next frame with three runs on three hits, including an RBI double to center field and a pair of RBI singles.
After ASU went ahead 8-6 with the five-run sixth inning, DeMichele led off the eighth with a solo home run to right field to stretch the Devils’ lead to three at 9-6.
