'Cakes top 'Topes, clinch winning road trip

Ben Meyer's quality start and just enough offense gave the New Orleans Baby Cakes a 2-1 series lead over the Albuquerque Isotopes and clinched a winning road trip with a 5-3 victory on Monday night.
New Orleans got on the board early, thanks to a triple by Magneuris Sierra on the second pitch of the game, and a double by Eddy Alvarez off Isotopes starter Kyle Freeland (0-3) in the next at-bat. Alvarez came around to score on a single up the middle by Deven Marrero three batters later.
Albuquerque responded in the second inning, as Roberto Ramos hit a long fly ball to right-center for a solo home run, his 16th of the season.
The Isotopes would not score again off Meyer (3-4), however. He worked through the sixth inning, scattering seven hits, without issuing a walk and not recording a strikeout. He threw only one clean inning, in the fourth, also facing only three batters in the third, nullifying a one-out single in the third by inducing an inning-ending groundball double play. Meyer worked efficiently, throwing only 73 pitches, 46 for strikes.
It was the second quality start of the season for Meyer, after entering three innings shy of qualifying for the Pacific Coast League leaderboard with a 7.30 ERA that would rank second to last among qualifiers. His 38 walks ranked third in the league, and he had yet to pitch a game without issuing any.
The 'Cakes added a trio of insurance runs in the ninth, with five straight hitters reaching in a row off reliever Phillip Diehl, capped by a three-run homer by Gabriel Guerrero. Guerrero hit safely for the eighth time in his last 10 away games.
Joe Gunkel came on in relief, allowing only one hit in two innings of work. After Brian Moran allowed the 'Topes to begin a rally in the bottom of the ninth, giving up a run on a single then double by Sam Hilliard, then hitting Ramos before being relieved.
R.J. Alvarez entered, giving up a single to Elliot Soto, which put the tying run in scoring after left fielder Alvarez's throw handcuffed catcher Tyler Heineman and allowed an inherited run to score. Alvarez bore down, striking out Drew Butera and getting Drew Weeks to pop up to second. He then punched out Yonathan Daza, the PCL's top hitter with a .380 average, to secure his 10th save, tying for the league lead. 
It was the 'Cakes eighth save in June, the most in the PCL.
Deven Marrero tallied three hits, extending his hitting streak to a season-high seven games. On the road trip, he is now 11-for-24, after going 1-for-34 before beginning the streak.
Isan Diaz's 0-for-4 snapped his 17-game hitting streak, which was the longest in the PCL, and the longest by a Baby Cake this season. Lewis Brinson, who struck out in a pinch-hit appearance, had his road hitting streak also snapped at 10 games.
The Baby Cakes improve to 39-32, and win their fourth game on their seven-game road trip. They conclude their four-game series with the Isotopes tomorrow at 1:05 Central time, then take an off day before beginning a series with the Nashville Sounds. Hector Noesi gets the ball for New Orleans.