It was fitting that Sparky was in the building for Sunday's matchup between the Arizona Diamondbacks and Los Angeles Dodgers.
Happy Birthday, @DbacksBaxter! #ForksUp from @SparkyArizonaSt pic.twitter.com/nhB8Frz4NV
— Sun Devil Athletics (@TheSunDevils) July 17, 2016
The Arizona State Sun Devils were well represented in Phoenix, just 10 miles from ASU campus, as relief pitcher Jake Barrett struck out back-to-back Dodgers in the ninth inning to preserve the D-backs' 6-5 win over their division rivals.
Catching for Barrett was fellow ASU alum Tuffy Gosewisch, who was the first to congratulate Barrett on the win.
"I try my best to go out there and just not think about the situation," Barrett said. "Try to slow the game down, control my breathing and my tempo and then try to throw strikes."
Robbie Ray pitched seven scoreless innings and Jake Lamb hit his 21st home run to help Arizona earn a series victory over the Dodgers.
Barrett relieved Tyler Clippard and gave up a two-run single to Justin Turner to make it 6-5. With runners on first and third, Barrett struck out Yasiel Puig and Chris Taylor to earn his second career save.
Arizona squandered almost all of a 6-0 lead the last two innings. The Dodgers scored two in the eighth and three in the ninth.
Lamb hit a solo homer and singled in a run off Kenta Maeda, tagged for a season-worst five runs on seven hits in 4 1/3 innings starts.
With the homer, Lamb hit for the cycle in four consecutive at-bats over two games -- a triple and double Saturday night, a single and homer on Sunday.
