Nashville sends Baby Cakes to 80th loss

METAIRIE – Joey Wendle delivered the go-ahead RBI single in the eighth inning, lifting the Nashville Sounds to a 3-2 win over the New Orleans Baby Cakes on Friday night.

Renato Nunez led off the eighth with a triple into the right field corner against Hunter Cervenka (1-4), and Wendle followed with a single to right to put the Sounds in front. It was Wendle’s second hit of the night and third time reaching base.

The Baby Cakes got a leadoff triple of their own in the bottom half from – of all people – Ramon Cabrera, who had not hit a triple since 2013. But Raul Alcantara recovered to induce three ground outs with the infield playing up to escape the jam and preserve the one-run lead.

Lou Trevino gave up a leadoff single to Chad Hinshaw in the bottom of the ninth, then recorded the final three outs to convert his third save in as many chances.

Nashville grabbed a quick lead when Melvin Mercedes started the game with a double and scored one out later on a wild pitch by Omar Bencomo. Wendle and Chris Carter had back-to-back doubles leading off the third to extend the Sounds’ lead to 2-0.

Moises Sierra sliced the deficit in half with an RBI double in the third, and the ‘Cakes drew even in the sixth on three straight singles, capped by Grant Green’s game-tying knock.

Patrick Schuster (4-2) was credited with the victory, after starter Ben Bracewell scattered one run and eight hits in five innings.

The ‘Cakes piled up 13 hits, but stranded 10 runners on base and were dealt their 80th defeat of the year. It is the fifth time in franchise history New Orleans has lost 80 games.

The Baby Cakes continue their final series of the season on Saturday at 4 p.m.