Baby Cakes return home, blank Redbirds, 3-0

METAIRIE – Ben Meyer worked 5 2/3 scoreless innings and combined with Mike Kickham and R.J. Alvarez on a five-hit shutout as the New Orleans Baby Cakes blanked the Memphis Redbirds, 3-0, on Monday night.

The ‘Cakes have won 10 of their last 14 contests to move a season-high four games above the .500 mark, and improved to 6-1 in series openers.

Meyer had failed to get out of the fifth inning in any of his first three starts, and the going was not easy against the Redbirds, either. The right-hander posted only one flawless frame and Memphis had a runner in scoring position in each of his other five innings.

But Meyer (1-2) bore down by holding the Redbirds hitless in seven at-bats with runners in scoring position, working around three hits and four walks while recording six strikeouts to earn his first victory.

Neither team took advantage of its scoring chances until New Orleans broke through with a run in the fourth. Austin Dean led off with a walk and moved to third with two outs before Deven Marrero’s sharp one-hopper handcuffed Redbirds shortstop Edmundo Sosa for an infield single and a 1-0 Baby Cakes lead.

After Kickham escaped a seventh-inning jam when the Redbirds put runners at second and third with one out, Peter O’Brien provided the ‘Cakes with insurance courtesy of a towering two-run homer to left-center, his fourth home run of the year.

Alvarez retired the Redbirds in order in the ninth to earn his fourth save.

Genesis Cabrera (0-2) went 4 1/3 innings and allowed one run and four hits to take the loss.

New Orleans and Memphis continue the four-game set on Tuesday at 6:35 p.m.