Tacos defeat Baby Cakes in series opener Tuesday night

The Fresno Tacos (60-43) took the series opener 10-3 from the New Orleans Baby Cakes (40-62) in the first of a four-game set on Tuesday night at Chukchansi Park. Fresno increased their Minor League Baseball-leading home run total to 163 when J.D. Davis (2-for-5) went yard twice and Jack Mayfield (2-for-3) homered once.
The Tacos took a 3-0 lead in the second on a pair of homers from the two recent call ups. Davis hit his second Triple-A home run of the season in just as many games. The solo shot to center was his 23^rd long ball of 2017 overall, combined with Double-A Corpus Christi. Following a Reid Brignac single, Mayfield crushed his second of 2017 with Fresno. The two-run bomb to left was his 16^th home run of the season overall, including his totals from Corpus Christi.
New Orleans found themselves a spot on the board in the fifth. Brandon Barnes led off the frame with his ninth home run of the season, a solo shot to left. Peter Mooney (2-for-3) hit a two-run double a few batters later that scored Cal Towey who reached on an error and Christian Colón who also doubled to get on to tie the contest 3-3.
Fresno jumped out in front 10-3 in a 10-batter, seven-run eighth inning. The seven runs in the frame tied the most runs scored in an inning this season for the fourth time. Jon Kemmer led off with a single and came around to score on a Mayfield double to right. Mayfield then scored when Max Stassi reached on an error. Juan Centeno (3-for-3) was the sixth run to score when A.J. Reed drew a bases loaded walk.
With two outs and the bases still loaded, Davis blasted a 443-foot grand slam to left center, his second homer of the game and third in two contests for his 3^rd of the the season with Fresno and 24^th overall. It was Davis' first five-RBI game at the Triple-A level; he had just one five-RBI game this season in Corpus Christi on June 8 when he also hit two homers, including a grand slam. He joined Teoscar Hernández, Kemmer and Tyler White as the only Fresno batters to hit a grand slam this season.
Tacos starter Trent Thornton allowed three runs (two earned) through 6.2 IP for his sixth quality start of the season. He allowed sit hits and struck out three without walking a batter. Brendan McCurry (3-0) tossed an inning and a third of scoreless relief to earn the win.
Former Fresno LHP Mike Kickham (2013-2014) started for the Baby Cakes and lasted just four innings. He allowed three runs on six hits and a walk with seven strikeouts. Reliever Tayron Guerrero (0-1) suffered the loss allowing four runs (two earned) on two hits and a walk. He did not record a strikeout in an inning of relief.
Fresno and New Orleans will play the second contest of a four-game series on Wednesday at 7:05 p.m. Probable starters are LHP Justin Nicolino (4-4, 3.45) for the Baby Cakes and LHP Kent Emanuel (1-0, 3.00) for the Grizzlies.