‘Cakes squander late lead in 8-6 setback to Sounds

The Nashville Sounds rallied for four runs in the top of the ninth inning to defeat the New Orleans Baby Cakes, 8-6 on Saturday afternoon.

The Sounds had allowed six unanswered runs to squander a 4-0 advantage until storming back in the ninth against Clayton Mortensen, who loaded the bases with one out before Jaff Decker doubled into the right field corner to score all three runners. Decker had been mired in a 2-for-25 slump. 

Yairo Munoz added an insurance run with a sacrifice fly, and Lou Trivino earned his second save in as many days with a perfect bottom of the ninth.

Nashville jumped on top by batting around against ‘Cakes starter Scott Copeland in the third inning, scoring four times on five hits. Joey Wendle, who had the game-winning hit on Friday, capped the rally with a two-run single.

The Baby Cakes sliced the deficit in half with two runs in the fourth as Eury Perez doubled in Steve Lombardozzi, then scored on a ground out by Moises Sierra.

New Orleans put up a four-spot of its own in the sixth to grab the lead. Lombardozzi and Perez drew back-to-back walks against Chris Jensen to lead off the frame, and singles by Sierra and Jake Elmore drew the ‘Cakes within a run. Jensen then hit Christian Colon with the bases loaded to force in the tying run, and Grant Green lifted a sacrifice fly to put the Baby Cakes in front.

Kyle Lobstein worked two hitless innings out of the Baby Cakes bullpen before Nashville flipped the script on Mortensen (4-1), who suffered his third blown save.

Sierra went 2-for-4 to post his team-leading 39th multi-hit game of the season, and Perez hit safely for the 21st time in his 23 starts with the ‘Cakes.

Jesse Hahn (2-0) tossed a scoreless eighth inning and received the win.

The Baby Cakes host Fan Appreciation Night on Sunday at 6 p.m., with pregame catch on the field and postgame fireworks and fans run the bases.