Trojans starter Wyatt Strahan left the game in the 5th inning with USC down 3-2. (Paresh Dave/Neon Tommy)

USC Trojans pitchers struggled to work out of jams, surrendering 17 hits and 6 walks in a 10-3 home loss to the Stanford Cardinal.

The Trojans grabbed the lead early and sent Cardinal starter Marcus Brakeman to the bench in the second inning. But USC left seven runners on base and scored only one run off the Cardinal bullpen.

On a perfect Southern California afternoon Saturday, the Trojans kept pace with Cardinal until Stanford scored two runs in the sixth off Brent Wheatley. On a day with enough breeze to force trees beyond the outfield wall to bob, the Trojans also committed two errors that led to runs.

The Trojans were the first to score after a double, a wild pitch and a Blake Lacey infield single.

In the second, Trojans starter Wyatt Strahan loaded the bases. Two runs ended up scoring off a tough grounder to first baseman Kevin Swick. He bobbled the ball then overthrew Strahan at first.

In the bottom half of the second, the Cardinal turned a crisp double play to get themselves out of a bases-loaded jam.

Stanford piled it on, scoring in each of the final five innings for a total of 8 runs.

DH Wayne Taylor drove in three runs for Stanford. Catcher Brant Whiting and and 3B Alex Blandino, whose mom drove down from Palo Alto to cheer him on, each had a pair of RBIs. James Logan faced 20 batters in 5 1/3 inning of relief. He allowed only one run on four hits, striking out four and walking one.

Strahan allowed seven hits and five walks. He was charged with one earned run. All four Trojan relievers -- Brent Wheatley, Marc Huberman, James Guillen and Matt Munson -- allowed at least one run.

Lacey drove in the Trojans' final run in the 5th on an infield single.

In Sunday's series finale, the Trojans will look to avoid their first three-game series sweep of the season. The game begins at 1 p.m

The Trojans are ranked 10th in the Pac-12 at 4-7, ahead of only Utah and Washington.

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