Redbirds rally to snap ‘Cakes five game win streak

Oscar Mercado delivered a game-tying two-run double in the eighth inning, and later scored the go-ahead run on a wild pitch as the Memphis Redbirds scored five unanswered runs to defeat the New Orleans Baby Cakes, 5-4 on Friday night.

The ‘Cakes had their five-game winning streak snapped and missed a chance to move above the .500 mark for the first time since May 22.

Teammates on the Redbirds’ Pacific Coast League championship squad a year ago, Zac Gallen and Magneuris Sierra came back to haunt their former club for the first five innings on Friday. With the bases loaded and two outs in the third, Sierra turned on a Chris Ellis fastball and laced it off the base of the right field wall for a two-run double.

That provided Gallen with a 4-0 cushion, and the right-hander worked out of a pair of jams to complete five shutout innings. Gallen gave up a double and a single to lead off the third, but fanned Luke Voit and induced an inning-ending double play from Carson Kelly. In the fifth, a single and two walks loaded the bases with two outs, but Steven Baron lined out on Gallen’s 100th and final pitch of the night to end the threat.

Gallen struck out eight batters, including four in a row at one point, while scattering five hits and exited in line for his first victory since May 15.

The Redbirds nicked Odrisamer Despaigne for a pair of runs in the sixth, capitalizing on a leadoff walk and a double by Patrick Wisdom, and finally drew even in the eighth on Mercado’s two-run double following singles by Baron and Tyler O’Neill to open the frame. After Tyler Kinley relieved Despaigne (1-1), Mercado stole third base and scored a wild pitch to give the Redbirds their first lead.

Tommy Layne worked around Peter Mooney’s leadoff single in the ninth to record the save in his Redbirds debut and hand the win to Hector Mendoza (1-1), who retired all six batters he faced.

The teams continue the four-game set on Saturday at 6:35 p.m.