March 3, 2006

Box Score

CORAL GABLES, Fla. (www.hurricanesports.com) - University of Miami sophomore Carlos Gutierrez pitched six shutout innings to lead the 24th-ranked Hurricanes (10-6) to a 4-0 win against Indiana (0-4) at Mark Light Field Friday night. Gutierrez, who entered the game as the Atlantic Coast Conference's leader in wins, struck out six and gave up four hits with a walk to improve to 5-1 on the season and lowered his earned run average to 1.54.

UM junior reliever Danny Gil and closer Chris Perez pitched the final three innings of Miami's second shutout of the season. Gil struck out four batters and did not surrender a hit in two innings of relief. Perez struck out one in the ninth and got Michael Nilles to fly out to right field to end the game.

Miami pitchers struck out 11, walked two and held the Hoosiers to five hits. It was the eighth time this season and fourth-consecutive time the Hurricanes have held a team to five hits or less this season.

"Our pitchers were great tonight," head coach Jim Morris said. "They've given us the opportunity to win in nearly every game this season."

As a staff, the Hurricanes are holding opponents to a .197 average at the plate and no Miami starter has allowed more than three earned runs in any appearance this season.

Eddy Rodriguez led Miami's offensive charge, going 2-for-4 with a double and two runs scored. Danny Valencia doubled and drove in a run and freshman Dennis Raben homered for the second time this season.

Miami got its scoring done early, scoring all four runs in the first four innings. Valencia followed a pair of one-out bunt singles from Jemile Weeks and Jon Jay with single to right to bring in Weeks for a 1-0 lead in the first. Raben led off the UM second with a solo home run to right field. Eddy Rodriguez pushed the lead to 3-0, scoring on Weeks' sacrifice fly.

Rodriguez added an insurance run in the fourth, scoring after IU catcher Billy O'Connor's throw hit him in the back in a rundown between third and home.

Indiana freshman right-hander Tyler Tufts was charged with the loss, giving up three earned runs on nine hits in seven innings in his second career start.

The Hurricanes and Hoosiers will play again Saturday at Mark Light Field at 7 p.m. and will close out the series Sunday afternoon at 1 p.m.

Notes:The Hurricanes improved to 4-0 all-time in the series against the Hoosiers. Friday's game was the first between the two teams since 1974 ... Jon Jay moved into seventh place all time on the Hurricanes hit-by-pitch list. Jay was hit for the 24th time in his career in the bottom of the sixth to load the bases.