Seattle – Ryan Aguilar collected his first-ever two-home run game Saturday at Washington, but Arizona dropped the second game of a three-game series 8-3 at Husky Ballpark.
Aguilar, who entered Saturday's game with a .328 batting average and one home run, hit his first home run of the game in the third inning. The senior first baseman blasted a solo shot to right field with one out. He added his second two innings later when he hit another solo shot with one out. Aguilar's second homer was an opposite field shot to left field.
Aguilar's second homer gave the Wildcats a 3-1 lead in the fifth inning. But the Huskies got to Arizona starter Nathan Bannister in the bottom of the frame and grabbed the lead with a five-run frame. AJ Graffanino started it off with a one-out single and scored when the next batter, Alex Galgano tripled.
That cut Arizona's lead to 3-2. Bannister got the next batter, Jack Meggs, to foul out to third baseman Bobby Dalbec for the second out. But No. 3 hitter MJ Hubbs singled to score Galgano and tie the game. After cleanup hitter Josh Cushing singled to put two on, John Naff hit his first home run of the season for a three-run shot. His home run gave Washington a 6-3 lead and a five-run inning. Bannister got the next batter to fly out to end the inning.
Washington added another run in the sixth and then Naff hit his second home run of the game to make it 8-3 heading to the final inning. Arizona (12-6, 0-2 Pac-12) tried to rally when Jared Oliva led off the inning with a triple and Cody Ramer brought him home with a single. But no one else was able to reach and Washington's Troy Rallings closed out the game.
Freshman left fielder Alfonso Rivas went 2 for 4 for Arizona with two doubles. Rivas got the Wildcats on the board in the second inning with a one-out double that scored JJ Matijevic, who reached on an error.
Aguilar finished 2 for 5 with his two home runs. Ramer also had a multiple-hit game with two singles and an RBI in five at-bats. Oliva tripled and scored in his only at-bat of the game. Reliever Matt Hartman gave the Wildcats a solid outing in relief, allowing just one hit and one run in 2 1/3 innings. He struck out two.
Bannister was saddled with the loss, which marked the first of his season. The senior right-hander did manage to record his 100th career strikeout in the third inning when he struck out designated hitter Gage Matuszak to start the inning.
Graffanino led the Huskies (10-5, 2-0) with a 3 for 3 night and three runs scored. Naff had two home runs and four RBI.
The Wildcats will look to salvage a game in the series on Sunday at 1 p.m. Spencer Jones will start for Washington. Arizona has yet to name a starter for the finale.
