METAIRIE, Louisiana – The Memphis Redbirds came out on the wrong end of a back-and-forth tussle, falling 5-4 to the New Orleans Baby Cakes (Marlins) on Wednesday afternoon at the Shrine on Airline.
The game was scoreless until the last of the fourth inning when New Orleans (21-37) moved ahead on a two-out RBI single from Cal Towey. The two-out runs would become a theme for the Baby Cakes throughout the afternoon.
Memphis (35-24) quickly responded, though, with the help of two errors in the top of the fifth inning. With the bases loaded and one away, Todd Cunningham chopped a ball up the middle, which resulted in a put out at second before the relay throw went awry, allowing two runs to score.
An inning later, New Orleans’ Destin Hood used a brisk wind to his aid, launching a two-out, two-run homer to right field, pushing the Baby Cakes back in front 3-2.
The Redbirds quickly countered in the top of the seventh when Patrick Wisdom belted a high fly to left field, which stayed fair thanks, in part, to the brisk cross wind. The blast resulted in a two-run shot for Wisdom, his 10th of the year, and a 4-3 lead for Memphis.
But New Orleans was able to get the last punch in when Chad Hinshaw smoked a two-out, two-run homer of his own in the last of the eighth inning, lifting the Baby Cakes to a 5-4 edge they would not relinquish.
Josh Zeid authored his second straight quality start for Memphis, lasting six innings. He gave up only three runs on five hits with four strikeouts and did not factor in the decision. Miguel Socolovich was dealt the loss after yielding the go-ahead dinger in the last of the eighth inning.
The series wraps up on Thursday evening at 7:00 p.m. before the Redbirds return home for a seven-game homestand beginning on Friday night.
