March 30, 2008

Box Score

TEMPE, Ariz. - Tommy Rafferty and Reyes Dorado combined for 5 2/3 scoreless innings in relief Sunday as the No. 1 Arizona State Sun Devils completed a Pac-10 Conference series sweep with the 5-2 decision over the USC Trojans. Arizona State improved to 25-1 overall and 3-0 in conference by turning five double plays in the game with USC leaving nine runners on base.

Rafferty (5-0) picked up his second win of the series, allowing just three hits in 3 1/3 innings while Dorado picked up his first save for the Sun Devils with 2 1/3 innings, giving up just one hit.

ASU took advantage of a small strike zone with four runs in the first. Petey Paramore hit an RBI single, followed by Matt Newman's two-run single as USC starter Ryan Cook (3-2) allowed two walks in the first. Cook would finish with seven innings, allowing five runs on six hits with five walks, two hit batters and seven strikeouts.

Hector Rabago hit his team-leading fifth home run of the season with a solo shot in the second, but Cook walked the bases loaded in the third and hit Raoul Torrez with his first pitch to force in a run for the 5-1 ASU lead. The Trojans scored the final run in the fourth. USC had bases loaded in the seventh and put runners at first and second with two outs in the ninth, but Dorado struck out Grant Green to end the game.

USC hosts UC Riverside in a nonconference game on Tuesday (April 1), starting at 7 p.m. at Dedeaux Field. The game will be broadcast live on usctrojans.com, courtesy of TrojanTV All-Access.

USC	 010-100-000---2-7-0
ASU	 401-000-00x---5-7-1
WP - Rafferty (5-0)   LP - Cook (3-2)   S - Dorado (1)
T - 2:41   ATT - 3,387
Records: USC (11-14, 2-4), ASU (25-1, 3-0)
Cook, Boxberger (8) and Stock.
Sauer, Rafferty (4), Dorado (7) and Paramore, Roling (8).