Nola, Van Slyke provide key hits in Baby Cakes’ third straight win over River Cats

METAIRIE – Austin Nola hit a go-ahead three-run double in the fourth inning, and Scott Van Slyke added a three-run homer in the fifth to power the New Orleans Baby Cakes to a 7-4 win over the Sacramento River Cats on Monday night.

Austin Slater slugged a two-run homer in the top of the first, but ‘Cakes starter Tyler Cloyd bore down to keep the River Cats off the board over the next four innings despite allowing eight hits.

Back-to-back singles by Eric Campbell and Rafael Ortega in the fourth were followed by a two-out walk to Cristhian Adames to load the bases for Nola, who ripped his second double of the night into the right field corner to score all three runners and put the ‘Cakes in front.

New Orleans continued the onslaught against River Cats starter Taylor Hill an inning later, when Van Slyke belted his sixth home run of the year over the left field fence, boosting the Baby Cakes’ advantage to 6-2.

Van Slyke has three home runs and 10 RBI over his last eight games.

Sacramento strung together three hits against reliever Ben Meyer in the sixth, with Orlando Calixte blooping a two-run single inside the left field line. But Meyer reached on a throwing error in the bottom of the inning, and came around to score on a balk as the ‘Cakes regained a three-run cushion.

Jose Quijada had three strikeouts in two perfect innings for his first Triple-A save and give Cloyd (1-1) his first win of the year.

Hill (1-2) was dealt the loss after surrendering six runs and seven hits in 4 2/3 innings. All six runs came with two outs.

The ‘Cakes have won the first three games of the series, which concludes in the homestand finale on Tuesday at 12 p.m