No. 11 Miami Completes Sweep of Maryland, 9-1
May 2, 2010
CORAL GABLES, Fla. – The 11th-ranked University of Miami baseball team completed its three-game sweep of Maryland this weekend, winning 9-1 Sunday afternoon at Alex Rodriguez Park. Four Miami pitchers combined to allow just one unearned run, with Travis Miller picking up the win in four innings of relief work.
Miami improved to 34-11 overall and 18-6 in Atlantic Coast Conference play, winning its 14th straight home game and 11th straight home game against a conference foe.
With Miami up 4-1 in the bottom of the seventh, Chris Pelaez broke the game open with his first career grand slam. Pelaez finished the day 2-for-4 with four RBI and three runs scored. Michael Broad recorded his fourth multi-hit game in his last five, going 3-for-4 with two RBI and a run scored. Nathan Melendres, who went 1-for-2 with a walk, drove in what proved to be the game-winning runs with a two-run single in the fourth to put UM up 2-0.
Eric Erickson started and tossed three scoreless innings, allowing just two hits while striking out three before Miller went the next four innings. From there, Jerad Grundy and Eric Whaley each tossed a scoreless frame.
Sander Beck (0-8) suffered the loss for Maryland (15-33, 4-20 ACC), allowing two runs on three hits while walking three and striking out five in 3 2/3 innings. Four Terrapin relievers went the rest of the way. Alfredo Rodriguez recorded two hits for the third straight game, going 2-for-3 while Gary Schneider finished the day 2-for-4 with a run.
Melendres’ bases-loaded, two-out single through the left side in the fourth scored Yasmani Grandal and Pelaez for the first two runs of the game.
Broad singled home Pelaez in the sixth to make it 3-0 Miami before a wild pitch, a passed ball and another wild pitch brought Broad around to plate UM’s fourth run.
Maryland’s only run came in the seventh on a RBI single through the right side by Mike Rozak.
After Pelaez’s grand slam in the seventh made it 8-1, a double by Martinez was followed by an RBI single off the bat of Broad, bringing the score to 9-1.
The Hurricanes will take the upcoming mid-week off to focus on final exams before returning to Alex Rodriguez Park for a two-game series against Barry, May 7-8.
SERIES NOTES
– The Hurricanes have won 11 of 12 home games against ACC opponents, including 11 straight after Sunday’s win.
– Miami has now won 14 straight home games, with the streak starting on March 31.
– With the series sweep, Miami now owns a 9-3 advantage over Maryland. The Hurricanes have won six of the last seven meetings.
– Michael Broad led Miami at the plate against the Terps, going 6-for-12 with two RBI and two runs scored in the series. Broad hit safely in all three games and has now recorded multiple hits in four of his last five games.
– Stephen Perez, who went 4-for-12 on the weekend, was successful on all four of his stolen base attempts against Maryland.
– Miami’s pitching staff allowed just five earned runs in 27 innings of work against the Terrapins.
-Yasmani Grandal recorded more walks (6) than the entire Maryland team (5) in the series.
