PHOENIX, Ariz. – Victor Sanchez slammed the door shut in the ninth inning with three straight ground outs to save the game for starting pitcher Luis Gonzalez, who did it all, both on the mound and with the bat as UNM swept a two-game series with Grand Canyon, winning 6-5 at Brazell Park in Phoenix. The win was the 1,100th in Ray Birmingham’s 29th year as a collegiate head coach.
Gonzalez was making his first start of the season and just his second appearance on the hill this season, and he was nothing short of marvelous. On the mound he went five innings, allowing just a pair of earned runs (three total) while striking out four. Along with pitching, head coach Ray Birmingham had Gonzalez DH for himself, batting leadoff. There he was 2-for-4 with a run scored, and RBI and a sacrifice bunt.
Gonzo opened the game with a single and eventually came around to score on a Jack Zoellner sacrifice fly. After Grand Canyon tied it in the bottom of the first on an RBI double, UNM took the lead for good without the benefit of a hit as Jared Mang walked, went to second on a wild pitch, moved to third on a groundout and then scored on the second wild pitch of the inning.
UNM tacked on two more in the third for a 4-1 lead when Chris DeVito’s groundout drove in Jared Holley and then a Scottie Graham single knocked home Zoellner. From there Grand Canyon would keep inching close, but they never could catch UNM.
The ‘Lopes struck for two in the fifth to make it 4-3, but fortune favored UNM as even when its defense let it down, it still worked out. With one out and runners on first and second, GCU went for a double steal, and Graham went after the trail runner. His throw was off the mark and sailed into center, allowing one run to score, but Reecce Weber backing up on the play alertly fired to third to catch the trail runner, leaving the game at 4-3.
After Gonzalez doubled in Dalton Bowers in the seventh to make it 5-3, GCU picked up an unearned run in the bottom half to make it 5-4. Chris DeVito responded with a mammoth home run to right, his fifth of the year, to again give UNM a two-run cushion at 6-4. Again GCU mounted a comeback attempt.
After two quick outs for Drew Bridges, a single brought Fernando Fernandez out of the bullpen. A passed ball moved the Paul Pavlica into scoring position and a single made it 6-5. That brought in Taylor Duree, who got a strikeout with a runner on second to end the threat.
Victor Sanchez then came out of the pen in the ninth, and after a leadoff double he induced three straight groundouts to short to end the game and give UNM the 6-5 win.
The Lobos improved to 10-6 overall and have won four of their last five, all on the road. For Gonzalez, it was his first win of the season, and Sanchez picked up his fourth save.
New Mexico now returns home for a three-game set with San José State at Santa Ana Star Field. Games will be Friday (6 p.m.), Saturday (2 p.m.) and Sunday (1 p.m.).
Notes: Duree is now tied with David Steinberg in second for most pitching appearances with 68 … Sanchez is now second on the UNM career saves list with 14, one behind Gera Sanchez … the two-game sweep is UNM’s first non-conference road sweep since April 8-9, 2014 when the Lobos swept a pair of mid-week games against Stephen F. Austin … UNM is now 4-0 against Grand Canyon since GCU joined the Western Athletic Conference.