Omaha topples Baby Cakes, 4-2

Glenn Sparkman tossed six innings of one-run ball in his season debut for the Omaha Storm Chasers, who held off the New Orleans Baby Cakes, 4-2 on Sunday afternoon.

Glenn Sparkman tossed six innings of one-run ball in his season debut for the Omaha Storm Chasers, who held off the New Orleans Baby Cakes, 4-2 on Sunday afternoon.
In only his second career Triple-A start, Sparkman retired the game's first nine batters and did not allow a runner into scoring position until Tomas Telis singled with two outs in the fourth and stole second base. Sparkman (1-0) struck out four and walked two.
Baby Cakes starter Dillon Peters matched zeroes with Sparkman over the first four innings until he loaded the bases with no outs in the fifth on a walk, single and hit batter. Humberto Arteaga lifted a sacrifice fly to end the stalemate, and Terrance Gore followed with a bunt single to double the Omaha lead to 2-0.
New Orleans finally broke through in the seventh when Eric Campbell doubled into the left field corner with two outs and scored on a single by Telis, but Omaha answered with a pair of runs in the ninth against Drew Rucinski to provide what proved to be important insurance.
Josh Staumont walked the bases loaded in the bottom of the ninth, putting the tying run on base and forcing the Storm Chasers to bring in Eric Stout. A 12-pitch battle with Austin Dean ended in a sacrifice fly, and Stout fanned Jon Rodriguez for the final out to pick up his first save.
Peters (0-1) provided the Baby Cakes with their 12th quality start in the last 14 games by surrendering two runs and five hits in six innings. The left-hander struck out five and walked two.
The 'Cakes have and Storm Chasers continue the four-game set on Monday at 7 p.m.