Sky Sox ride early outburst past Baby Cakes

Rene Garcia hit a two-run homer in the first inning and added a two-run single in the third as the Colorado Springs Sky Sox built an eight-run lead before holding off the New Orleans Baby Cakes on Thursday night, 8-5.
The Sky Sox sent eight hitters to the plate in the opening frame against Adam Conley, scoring five times on four hits. Colorado Springs then batted around two innings later while tacking on three more runs.
Brett Phillips had an RBI single in the first, and doubled and scored in the third. Conley (1-3) was removed after issuing a bases-loaded walk to Kirk Nieuwenhuis, and was charged with all eight runs.
New Orleans received 6 1/3 scoreless innings from the bullpen to get the 'Cakes back in the game. Kyle Lobstein recorded 10 outs, including five via strikeout, as the Baby Cakes chipped away at the lead.
Steve Lombardozzi, activated from the disabled list earlier in the day, doubled home a run in the third for the first of his three hits. Tomás Telis added a run-scoring ground out.
Moisés Sierra's RBI single in the fifth narrowed the gap to 8-3, and the 'Cakes capitalized on a two-out error to plate a pair of runs in the sixth on Chad Hinshaw's double into the left field corner.
But New Orleans could not get any closer, stranding two runners on base in each of the final three innings and 13 in the game. The Baby Cakes out-hit the Sky Sox, 13-9.
David Goforth worked around two singles in the ninth to record his fourth save in relief of Angel Ventura (2-1), who scattered three runs and five hits in five innings to earn the victory.
The 'Cakes have dropped nine of their last 11 series openers.
The teams resume the four-game series on Friday at 7 p.m.