Hernandez overpowers Oklahoma City
Elieser Hernandez carried a no-hitter into the seventh inning on Monday night and struck out 10 in the New Orleans Baby Cakes' 4-0 shutout of the Oklahoma City Dodgers.Hernandez twice fanned four consecutive batters, including each of the first four of the night, en route to his first double-digit strikeout
Elieser Hernandez carried a no-hitter into the seventh inning on Monday night and struck out 10 in the New Orleans Baby Cakes' 4-0 shutout of the Oklahoma City Dodgers.
Hernandez twice fanned four consecutive batters, including each of the first four of the night, en route to his first double-digit strikeout performance since July 4, 2015. He walked three and hit a batter but kept the Dodgers out of the hit column until Cam Perkins doubled down the left field line with one out in the seventh.
It marked the second time this season a Baby Cakes starter took a no-hitter into the seventh inning. Zac Gallen worked seven hitless frames on Opening Night against Round Rock. Hernandez (1-1) earned his first win of the season despite lowering his ERA to 1.16, which trails only Gallen's 1.12 mark among Pacific Coast League hurlers.
The 'Cakes gave Hernandez all the runs he would need in the opening inning. Monte Harrison led off with a single, then stole second and third base before trotting home on a double by Matt Snyder. A broken-bat single by Lewis Brinson found grass in shallow left field to score Snyder for a 2-0 lead.
Deven Marrero began the second inning with a single and eventually scored on a sacrifice fly by Bryan Holaday, and JT Riddle's leadoff homer in the third extended the lead to 4-0.
Riddle has hit safely in all seven games with New Orleans this season, while Snyder extended his on-base streak to 17 games, the third-longest active streak in the PCL.
The Dodgers loaded the bases with two outs in the eighth, but Mike Kickham escaped trouble by inducing a fly out from Perkins. Jarlin Garcia struck out a pair in the ninth to finish off the Baby Cakes' fourth shutout of the year. New Orleans pitchers combined for 14 strikeouts, including five of Dodgers shortstop Drew Jackson.
Ben Holmes (0-4) gave up four runs and six hits in five innings and took the loss for Oklahoma City.
After splitting the four-game series and eight-game homestand, the Baby Cakes make their first-ever visit to San Antonio to open a four-game set with the Missions on Tuesday at 7:05 p.m.