‘Cakes come up a run short to Redbirds

METAIRIE – Wilfredo Tovar homered and had a two-run double to drive in all three runs for the Memphis Redbirds in a 3-2 victory over the New Orleans Baby Cakes on Wednesday night.

Starting pitchers Dillon Peters and Daniel Poncedeleon dueled in a scoreless tie until the sixth, when the Redbirds put runners at second and third on a hit by pitch and walk. With two outs, Tovar’s blooper fell between first baseman Tomas Telis and right fielder Isaac Galloway for a double, allowing both runners to score.

The ‘Cakes got on the board in the seventh after consecutive walks leading off the inning led to an RBI ground out by Rafael Ortega.

Tovar homered leading off the top of the ninth to provide an important insurance tally, as Galloway returned the favor with a leadoff home run in the bottom of the frame before Edward Mujica retired the next three batters to convert his second save.

New Orleans missed several scoring chances early on, wasting a one-out double by Magneuris Sierra in the first and a leadoff double by Galloway in the second, and finished hitless in 13 at-bats with runners on base.

Poncedeleon (4-2) worked around four walks and four hits in six innings, thanks in part to eight strikeouts, and earned the win.

Peters (0-2) allowed just three hits, walked two and struck out five and was dealt the hard luck loss.

The Baby Cakes have fallen a season-high 9½ games behind first-place Memphis in the division, and continue the five-game set on Thursday at 7 p.m.