SAN ANTONIO –
After being down 5-1, the San Antonio Missions scored five runs in the bottom of the eighth inning to take a 9-6 lead and they were able to hold on for 9-8 finish.
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Mother nature came into play in the top of the ninth. After Jay Jackson surrendered base hits to the first two batter, the rain came down and forced a rain delay. 46 minutes later, the teams resumed with Jake Petricka relieving Jackson. Bryan Holaday didn’t hesitate as he singled on the first pitch he saw, which drove in two runs. After recording two outs, left-hander Donnie Hart closed it out.
Corey Ray got the Missions started with a leadoff home run off Baby Cakes starter Hector Noesi. The home run marked Ray’s first for the 2019 season.
Following the Ray home run, Noesi shut down the Missions for the next five innings, allowing no runs and only giving up two hits along the way. Missions starter Miguel Sanchez was pulled after three innings. He allowed two earned runs on a triple from Baby Cakes shortstop JT Riddle.
Missions reliever Michael Tonkin had a tough time in the fourth inning against New Orleans. The right-hander allowed three earned runs capitalized by a two-run home run from Yadiel Rivera.
The Missions would not quit however, and they brought it back to within one run after a pinch-hit three-run home run off the bat of Tyrone Taylor in the bottom of the seventh. Following the three-run seventh inning, the Missions would add five more runs in the bottom of the eighth inning to regain the lead at 9-6.
During the five-run eighth inning, Tyler Saladino drove in two runs with a double, David Freitas drove in a run with a single, and then Troy Stokes Jr. launched a two-run home run off Baby Cakes reliever R.J. Alvarez. Ray followed up with an RBI single, giving him two runs batted in on the night.
For New Orleans, Rivera finished tonight’s game going 3-for-4 with two runs batted in. Austin Dean went 2-for-3 driving in two runs as well.
The Missions and Baby Cakes will travel to New Orleans Saturday morning to begin a four-game road set in Louisiana. Jimmy Nelson is scheduled to make his second rehab appearance and will start for San Antonio. The Baby Cakes will go with fellow right-hander Elieser Hernandez. First pitch is scheduled for 6:00 PM.
Post-Game Notes
- With the win, San Antonio improves to 20-15 on the season.
- First home run of the season for Corey Ray
- Second win this season after trailing through seven innings (1-10 in previous games)