Rainiers hold off Baby Cakes, 4-2

METAIRIE – Former New Orleans right-hander Bryan Evans carried a shutout into the seventh inning, and the Tacoma Rainiers snapped a nine-game losing streak with a 4-2 win over the Baby Cakes on Friday night.

Tacoma capitalized on an error to grab a 1-0 lead in the second. David Freitas led off with a double and advanced to third when he was struck in the helmet on a throw by second baseman Isan Diaz, and Freitas scored on a double play grounder, the first of four twin killings turned by the Baby Cakes in the game.

Another leadoff double led to the Rainiers’ second run, as Adam Law scored on a John Andreoli single in the fifth, and Cam Perkins blasted his sixth home run of the year to start the sixth inning, stretching the Tacoma advantage to 3-0.

The Baby Cakes were hitless in their first nine at-bats with runners in scoring position, failing to score despite putting two runners on base in three of the first five innings and stranding an Eric Campbell leadoff double in the fourth. But the ‘Cakes finally broke through in the seventh after Evans issued a one-out walk to end his outing.

J.B. Shuck jumped on the first offering by reliever Tyler Higgins for a single, and Austin Nola walked to load the bases for Austin Dean, whose grounder in the hole at short snuck past Zach Vincej to plate a pair. Higgins recovered to strand runners at second and third, keeping the Rainiers in front by a run.

Tacoma tacked on an insurance run against Joe Gunkel in the ninth on Ian Miller’s sacrifice fly, and Shawn Armstrong worked around a walk and an infield single in the bottom half to record his 10th save.

Evans (3-1) limited the ‘Cakes to one run and four hits in 6 1/3 innings with three walks and five strikeouts to earn the win in his return to the Shrine.

Dillon Peters (2-6) gave up eight hits and three runs – two earned – in 5 2/3 innings of a losing effort. It marke the fourth consecutive start the left-hander has allowed two earned runs or fewer.

The Baby Cakes and Rainiers continue the four-game series on Saturday at 6 p.m.