Hudson, Redbirds roll over Baby Cakes

METAIRIE – Memphis catcher Joe Hudson fell a triple shy of the cycle and drove in four runs to carry the Redbirds to a 8-4 win over the New Orleans Baby Cakes on Thursday night.

Hudson opened the third inning with a home run to give the Redbirds their first lead at 2-1, then roped a two-run double in the fourth to snap a 3-3 tie. He added an RBI single in the sixth, but flied out to center field in his final at-bat attempting to hit for the cycle.

The Redbirds piled up 14 hits through the first seven innings, with Adolis Garcia joining Hudson in collecting three knocks. Baby Cakes starter Dustin Beggs (1-1) was unable to stop the bleeding, allowing seven runs on 11 hits in 5 2/3 innings to take the loss.

Austin Gomber improved to 4-0 for the Redbirds, scattering three runs and seven hits in five innings. Gomber struck out seven and walked three.

New Orleans was powered by Peter O’Brien, who drove in the game’s first run with a two-out single in the first and briefly gave the ‘Cakes a 3-2 lead with a two-run homer in the third. It was the fifth home run of the year for O’Brien, and the sixth in his last 10 meetings with Memphis dating back to last season.

Matt Snyder came off the bench to deliver a pinch-hit single in the sixth inning, extending his hitting streak to 12 games, the longest for a Baby Cake in 2019.

After dropping the first two games of the series, Memphis rallied to win the last two and salvage a split.

The Baby Cakes welcome the Oklahoma City Dodgers to the Shrine on Friday for the first of a four-game set. First pitch is slated for 7 p.m.