TUSCALOOSA | It was supposed to be a birthday party for the University of Alabama baseball team, complete with postgame fireworks. Not only was the Crimson Tide celebrating 60 years of Thomas-Sewell Stadium, but coach Jim Wells turned 53 Friday.

Although Alabama didn’t have to worry about Vanderbilt junior third baseman Pedro Alvarez, a two-time first-team All-American sidelined with a hand injury, the same can’t be true of Commodores ace Mike Minor. The sophomore left-hander proved to be a party crasher during the Tide’s SEC home opener, throwing a complete game with eight hits, no earned runs and 12 strikeouts to out-duel junior right-hander Austin Hyatt for a 2-1 victory.

“By far the best performance we’ve had all year,” Wells said about Hyatt (2-2), who gave up two runs, seven hits and struck out six. “We certainly had a chance to win, and we haven’t had that in a while.”

The loss was Alabama’s sixth straight, and the Tide is still winless in SEC play (0-4, 9-11 overall). Vanderbilt, No. 9 in the most recent Collegiate Baseball poll, but as high as fourth in the other national rankings, is 14-4 (3-1 SEC).

“No walks, that was one of my goals, to cut down on the walks,” Hyatt said. “That’s just the way it goes sometimes.

“Give Minor credit, he threw well. He’s a real good pitcher.”

Alabama actually gave Hyatt an early 1-0 lead in the third inning. Junior center fielder Alex Kubal dropped a bunt down the third-base side and beat it out for a base hit, advanced to second on an error during a pickoff attempt, and went to third on freshman shortstop Josh Rutledge’s sacrifice bunt before freshman second baseman Ross Wilson singled him in.

However, the bottom third of the Vanderbilt order loaded the bases with no outs in the fifth. After Hyatt struck out senior center fielder David Macias, a wild pitch brought home senior catcher Shea Robin to tie the score.

“It was an extra change-up in the dirt,” Hyatt said. “It just got away, it hit the plate and took a bad hop.”

Senior second baseman Alex Feinberg subsequently drew a full-count walk and junior shortstop Ryan Flaherty drilled a pitch to center field, where Kubal made a diving catch, but senior left fielder Parker Hanks tagged up at third and scored for a 2-1 lead before Hyatt could get out of the inning.

Alabama came oh-so-close to getting to Minor (3-1, 1.60 ERA) in the sixth, but after loading the bases with one out senior first baseman Matt Bentley struck out on the 10th pitch of his at-bat before junior right fielder Kent Matthes flied out to deep left.

For the season, the Tide is just 6-for-28 (.214) with bases loaded.

“We haven’t had too many breaks so far,” said Wilson, who went 2-for-4. “We have to make our own breaks, and hopefully we’ll catch a few too.”

Minor -- who last year went 9-1 with a 3.09 ERA -- dominated Alabama’s five through eight hitters in the batting order, who combined to go 0-for-14 with eight strikeouts. He benefited from Wilson not being able to get a bunt down in the first inning before hitting into a double play, and a ball-four pitch to Bentley going off the knob of his bat.

“The first couple of innings I was still shaky,” said Minor, whose only walk was intentional. “The double play was big.”

Minor’s 139 pitches were a career high, and Vanderbilt coach Tim Corbin said Minor talked him into keeping him in the game in the seventh. In comparison, Hyatt threw 130 pitches and said his arm felt fine.

Game 2 is scheduled for 4:05 p.m. today. Right-hander Austin Graham (1-1, 2.76 ERA) will face right-hander Caleb Cotham (3-0, 1.88).



Reach Christopher Walsh at christopher.walsh@tuscaloosanews.com or at 205-722-0196.