Big Second Inning Dooms Dodgers

Metairie, La. - The New Orleans Baby Cakes scored four runs in the second inning en route to taking an early five-run lead and beat the Oklahoma City Dodgers, 5-2, Friday night at the Shrine on Airline.
The Baby Cakes (33-54) raced out to a 4-0 lead in the second inning, starting off the frame by hitting for the cycle before an out was made. Moises Sierra came up first and sent a solo home run to left field to get New Orleans on the board. Cal Towey followed with an infield single and Chad Hinshaw doubled to put two runners in scoring position. KC Serna scored both on a triple to right-center field to make it 3-0. Two batters later, Baby Cakes pitcher Adam Conley laid down a squeeze bunt to score Serna for the inning's fourth run.
New Orleans kept it going in the third inning. Hinshaw ripped a two-out RBI double for his second two-bagger of the evening, pushing New Orleans ahead, 5-0.
Drew Maggi led off the fourth inning for OKC and sent a fly ball to deep right field that snuck over the fence for an opposite field home run. It marked Maggi's fifth home run of the season, setting a new career high.
The Dodgers (48-38) got a bit closer in the sixth inning. Alex Verdugo led off the inning and was hit by a pitch, extending his current on-base streak to 32 games. Later in the inning Willie Calhoun hit a two-out RBI double, pulling OKC within 5-2.
However, that would be the final hit of the night for the Dodgers. After the double, Kyle Farmer walked and Edwin Rios flied out to left field. The New Orleans pitching staff retired the final 10 Dodgers batters, with five via strikeout. Hunter Cervenka worked a perfect eighth inning, and Brian Ellington struck out two while sealing the win in the ninth inning for his fourth save.
The Dodgers were limited to six hits and struck out 11 times, with no player finishing with a multi-hit game.
Conley (3-3) delivered seven strong innings to earn the win. He held the Dodgers two runs and six hits, with one walk and a season-high eight strikeouts.
OKC Dodgers starting pitcher David Hale went a season-high six innings. He allowed a total of five runs and nine hits, with no walks and two strikeouts. Between the second and third innings, he surrendered all five runs and seven of the nine hits. Hale (1-1) finished strong by retiring nine of the last 11 batters he faced.
The middle of the New Orleans order did most of the damage Friday, as the three through six batters in the order went a combined 8-for-15 with four runs scored.
Entering Friday, the Dodgers had won eight straight series openers and six consecutive road series openers.
The Dodgers and Baby Cakes will play a doubleheader Saturday consisting of two, seven-inning games to make up a rainout from May 30. First pitch of game one will begin at 4 p.m., with game two starting approximately 30 minutes after the conclusion of the first game.
Live coverage begins at 3:45 p.m. on AM 1340 "The Game," 1340thegame.com, or through the free iHeartRadio mobile app.