The Arizona Wildcats have been a better team away from home than at the friendly confines of Hi Corbett Field, winning 11 of their first 14 road and neutral-site games this season. But Friday was not one of those good road outings.
The UA never lead in a 9-5 loss at Utah in Salt Lake City, snapping a 3-game win streak and a run of six consecutive Pac-12 victories on the road.
Arizona (24-11, 11-6 Pac-12) fell to 0-7 this season when allowing nine or more runs, using six pitchers who combined to allow 13 hits while walking two and hitting three batters. Starter Garrett Irvin was pulled after three innings and 69 pitches, giving up three runs and four hits to pick up the loss, then Anthony Susac was tagged for five runs in 1.1 innings of work.
The Wildcats managed 11 hits including a pair of 2-run home runs, from Mac Bingham and Tanner O’Tremba. Bingham, who was 3 for 4, got Arizona within 3-2 in the third and O’Tremba’s homer cut the deficit to 8-5 in the seventh, but in both those innings it also had runners in scoring position with less than two outs that it couldn’t bring home.
Arizona was 2 for 11 with runners in scoring position and 0 for 3 with the bases loaded. The UA had the go-ahead run at the plate twice in the seventh but Noah Turley struck out and Garen Caulfield bounced out with the bases loaded.
The UA will try to win its third straight Pac-12 road series when it takes on Utah at 10 a.m. PT Saturday. Right-hander Chandler Murphy (1-0, 5.11) is scheduled to start.
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