Late night for Baby Cakes, El Paso results in doubleheader split

METAIRIE – The New Orleans Baby Cakes and El Paso Chihuahuas played into the wee hours on Friday night and Saturday morning, with each coming away with a victory as the teams split a rain-delayed doubleheader.

Following a delay of three hours, Brian Anderson hit a go-ahead three-run homer in the fifth inning as the Baby Cakes clipped the Chihuahuas, 6-5 in the opener.

The ‘Cakes overcame two home runs from former LSU star Ryan Schimpf, the first of which capped a four-run fourth inning to give El Paso a 4-2 lead.

Brandon Barnes went deep in the bottom of the first for a quick 1-0 lead, and starting pitcher Scott Copeland helped his cause by executing a suicide squeeze bunt to drive in another run in the second.

After Schimpf put the Chihuahuas in front, Austin Nola led off the bottom half of the inning with a double and eventually scored on a sacrifice fly by Steve Lombardozzi. Anderson’s home run an inning later, his fourth in 17 games since joining New Orleans and 17th overall on the year, gave the ‘Cakes a lead they would not relinquish.

Nursing a one-run cushion into the seventh, Javy Guerra retired the side in order to pick up his second save in relief of Copeland (8-10), who struck out eight in six innings to get the win.

Dillon Overton (3-5) gave up six runs and eight hits in four innings to take the loss.

Ramon Cabrera snapped a scoreless tie in the nightcap with a fourth-inning home run, his third of the year, to give New Orleans a 1-0 advantage.

Tom Koehler recorded 10 strikeouts and carried a no-hitter into the sixth before Collin Cowgill slugged a grand slam with two outs and two strikes, vaulting the Chihuahuas into the lead.

El Paso committed a pair of errors in the bottom half, allowing the Baby Cakes to score three times on just one hit. Peter Van Gansen bobbled Mooney’s grounder with two outs as Cabrera brought in the tying run.

But Van Gansen redeemed himself in the eighth by lacing a two-run single to left with two outs off Victor Payano (3-3). Carter Capps put the tying run on base with one out in the bottom of the inning but recovered to retire the final two batters, fanning Mooney at 1:37 a.m. for the final out.

Cory Mazzoni (1-0) earned the win for the Chihuahuas.

The teams continue their four-game series on Saturday at 6 p.m.