Rodriguez’s late homer lifts ‘Cakes past Sox

METAIRIE – Jon Rodriguez’s home run broke an eighth-inning tie as the New Orleans Baby Cakes rallied to defeat the Colorado Springs Sky Sox on Friday night, 4-3.

Back-to-back home runs by Brett Phillips and Orlando Arcia in the top of the third gave Colorado Springs a 2-0 advantage, but Isaac Galloway answered with his ninth home run of the year to lead off the bottom half of the frame, cutting the lead in half.

New Orleans starter Tyler Cloyd worked around a Dylan Moore leadoff triple in the fifth, but could not escape damage in the sixth after Arcia singled and Tyrone Taylor doubled to open the inning. Domingo Santana lifted a pop up to shallow right field and second baseman Eric Campbell made a running grab, but Arcia raced home to score ahead of Campbell’s turn and throw to the plate.

Again, the Baby Cakes responded in their half of the inning, scoring twice without a hit to knot the score. Sky Sox reliever Nick Ramirez walked the bases loaded, and two runs scored on a fielder’s choice grounder by Peter Mooney when second baseman Andres Blanco made an errant throw.

Rodriguez took Michael Brady (1-3) to the opposite field with one out in the bottom of the eighth to give New Orleans its first lead of the night, and Jose Quijada (2-0) struck out the side in the ninth to nail down the Baby Cakes’ 22nd come-from-behind victory of the season, surpassing their total from all of 2017.

Cloyd turned in a quality start by scattering three runs and five hits in six innings with four strikeouts and no walks. Quijada and Odrisamer Despaigne combined to hold the Sky Sox hitless over the final three innings, and ‘Cakes relievers have allowed two earned runs in their last 38 2/3 innings, good for a 0.47 ERA.

The teams continue the four-game set on Saturday. First pitch is scheduled for 6 p.m.