Pitching inconsistencies dooms A&M as Kentucky forces rubber match

Game #30: Kentucky 7, Texas A&M 3
Records: Texas A&M (18-12, 5-6), Kentucky (18-12, 4-7)
WP: Daniel Harper (1-1)
LP: Ryan Prager (0-1)
Save: Tyler Guilfoil (3)
Box Score

Another week. Another 1-1 series.

Yet another lackluster start on the mound was too much for Texas A&M's offense to overcome as the Aggies fell to Kentucky in game two of a three-game set on Friday night, 7-3.

"We had guys on base. We didn't get a timely hit," Texas A&M head coach Jim Schlossnagle said. "They got a timely hit. Several."

Starter Ryan Prager recorded just seven outs before the Aggie bullpen sprung into action. After allowing an unearned marker in the second, Prager coughed up three runs in a nightmarish third to boost Kentucky out to a 4-0 lead as his ERA rose to 5.45 on the year.

"Sometimes a starter can go to the bullpen and get better and come back as a starter," Schlossnagle said. "You may see some of that in the next week. We'll see, but Ryan has a great future in this program.

Hard-throwing reliever Chris Cortez did all he could to keep the Aggies in the ballgame, working 4.2 innings of scoreless ball.

"It's just what had to be done," Cortez said. "It was an opportunity for me to go in and keep our team in the game.

Utilizing his fastball-slider mix, the freshman fireballer retired the first 10 Wildcats he faced and only allowed two singles and a walk to go along with six strikeouts in his best outing to date and what was perhaps an audition for a spot in the starting rotation.

"I've always been a starter," Cortez said. "It's always what I've done, but wherever they need me, I'm going to be there."

Offensively, the Aggies chipped away at the Kentucky lead with a run in the fifth and two in the sixth, trimming the deficit to 4-3. A&M had its chances but a timely hit and a tying run eluded the home nine as they stranded 11 runners in total.

"That's just baseball," Texas A&M first baseman Jack Moss said. "You're not going to have everything go your way. We've been doing a great job offensively these past few weeks, and we've really started to click. We're going to continue to click."

TexAgs

True freshman Chris Cortez continues to play a consistent role in A&M’s bullpen through 16 appearances. 

Wildcat reliever Tyler Guilfoil stimied the Aggie offense, earning a four-inning save and working around traffic in the final three stanzas. The visiting right-hander struck out eight batters, including the final two of the night.

Working on back-to-back nights, Joseph Menefee failed to keep A&M within striking distance as he allowed three runs in the eighth behind Cortez's brilliance.

"We ask a lot of (Menefee)," Schlossnagle said. "He's been great two times in a row. He'll be great again. Maybe he wasn't quite as sharp, but you also have to give credit to them.

Kentucky's second three-run frame came immediately after A&M stranded a pair of runners in the seventh as Guilfoil punched out both Troy Claunch and Brett Minnnich to end the Aggie threat.

"We have to tip your cap," Moss said. "They made good pitches when they had to, and we need to continue to hit the mistakes. We're going to be just fine."

Every A&M starter other than Logan Britt tallied a hit as the Aggies registered 10 knocks in total. Only Dylan Rock and Moss recorded multi-hit nights.

The loss sets up a third-consecutive rubber game on Saturday at 3:02 p.m. CT in Aggieland

Texas A&M is 0-2 in SEC series deciders having fallen to Auburn at home and Alabama in Tuscaloosa in back-to-back weeks.

Even with the pressure squarely on their shoulders, Moss claims the Aggies are up for the challenge.

"We're ready to go," Moss said, undeterred. "We know we can do it. We have a really good ball club, and we know we can handle any situation that comes our way."