Baby Cakes run roughshod over Nashville

METAIRIE – Deven Marrero drove in three runs, and the New Orleans Baby Cakes tied a franchise record with six stolen bases in a 6-1 win over the Nashville Sounds on Friday night.

The only other times New Orleans swiped six bags in a game were in 2005 against Omaha and in 2009 against Round Rock.

The ‘Cakes were held without a baserunner until Eddy Alvarez doubled with one out in the fourth, then stole third base. Lewis Brinson was hit by a pitch with two outs and stole second to put two runners in scoring position, and Marrero cashed in by lacing a single to right to score both.

Nashville was quieted for five innings by Joe Gunkel, who piled up eight strikeouts to match a season high but tired in the sixth by loading the bases with no outs. But Tyler Kinley came out of the bullpen to get a fly out to center, bringing in the Sounds’ lone run, then struck out Patrick Wisdom and Jett Bandy to preserve the lead.

The momentum carried over to the bottom of the sixth, when Alvarez led off with a single and scored two batters later on another single by Marrero. Wilkin Castillo drew a bases-loaded walk later in the inning to stretch the advantage to 4-1.

Brinson collected a two-out RBI single in the seventh, and Rosell Herrera led off the eighth with his first home run to complete the scoring.

Kinley, Parker Bugg and Brett Graves combined to limit Nashville to one hit in four innings in relief of Gunkel (3-1), who held the opposition to one run for the third time in his last four starts.

Wei-Chieh Wang (1-1) took the loss for the Sounds, who have dropped 14 of their last 19 games.

The teams continue the three-game series on Saturday at 6 p.m.