CHAMPAIGN, Ill. -- Purdue baseball failed to cash in on some early opportunities and then the bats went silent following No. 12 Illinois' four-run fifth inning as the Fighting Illini took game two of the series, 5-1, Sunday afternoon.
Illinois pitchers retired the final 15 Boilermakers to come to the plate. Purdue had two aboard with no outs in the fifth inning with the game tied 1-1. But after Drasen Johnson (5-2) escaped the jam, his teammates put up a four-spot in the bottom of the frame to take control of the game.
The Fighting Illini (28-6-1, 7-1 Big Ten) won their ninth straight game overall and handed Purdue (11-23, 1-7 Big Ten) its seventh straight Big Ten loss.
Reid Roper tripled to left field with the bases loaded in the fifth inning, delivering what proved to be the game-deciding hit. Each of the first five batters to come to the plate for the Illini in the fifth had a productive at-bat. A seeing-single through the right side from Illinois' 9-hole hitter Ryne Roper ignited the rally.
Meanwhile, the Boilers got consecutive singles from their 8-9 hitters, James Jewell and Michael Vilardo, to begin the top of the fifth but couldn't capitalize. Johnson struck out four and did not issue a walk over eight innings of six-hit ball. His first two strikeouts came with a runner on third base and only one out.
Kyle Wood led off the fourth inning with a double and has now hit safely in all eight of Purdue's games at Illinois Field the last three seasons. He also extended his reached base safely streak in Big Ten play to 14 consecutive games dating back to last season. Wood was at third with one out after a sacrifice bunt by Jordan Lewis, but Johnson was able to get the big outs he needed to strand the runner.
BTN Highlights from Sunday's Game in Champaign
Illinois successfully stole a run in the second inning with runners on the corners after starter Brett Haan (1-6) got a pop fly to first base for the second out. With a 1-2 count on Ryne Roper, the Illini sent the runner from first base. Catcher Jack Picchiotti threw through and Casey Fletcher was able to score easily from third.
The Boilermakers received consecutive singles from Harry Shipley and Cody Strong to open the game, but they settled for just a single run on an RBI fielder's choice from Brandon Krieg.
With runners on second and third, no outs and two left-handed hitters due up in bottom of the fifth, Purdue went to southpaw Tim McElroy. He walked the first batter he faced on four pitches and gave up the three-run triple over Vilardo's head in left field before finally retiring Illinois' right-handed hitting cleanup man on a sac fly to right field.
Joe Eichmann retired all seven batters he faced over 2 1/3 innings of relief.
Kyle Johnson (14 straight games) and Krieg (11) saw their reached base safely streaks end, but Strong extended his to nine consecutive games.
The series finale is slated for Monday at 7 p.m. ET and will be televised by the Big Ten Network. It will be Purdue's first Big Ten game on a Monday since May 2010.
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