Saints outfielder Jake Cave enjoys playing on Mother’s Day; It is always special for her to break the pink bat and pink wristband and pay tribute to someone dear to her heart.
But Sunday’s celebrations took another level with their son Sonny arriving earlier in the week.
Kew abandoned the game in the fourth inning at CHS Field on Wednesday night when he received news that his wife Sage had gone into labor.
“Wednesday was her due date, but my wife dropped me off on the field and she was feeling fine,” Cave said. “So I wasn’t expecting to hear anything. I had left my car with him, so when I got word I had someone drive me to our apartment in Maple Grove.
“When I got there my wife was fine, and we jumped in the car. She kept asking me to stop speeding, but we ended up at Edina’s hospital.
Sonny was born that night at 11:39, along with his sister Sloane, who will turn 5 in June.
“He’s at home and sleeping all night,” said Cave, “so that means mom and I have been sleeping all night.”
Cave, who had extra impetus to get the hit on Sunday, produced an RBI double in the Saints’ 10-3 loss to the Iowa Cubs.
“I pulled one out,” he said. “One hit and one RBI on Mother’s Day is good.”
Kev has had a slow start with the bat this season, hitting just .224, but he says he has been feeling fine since the start of the season and thinks it’s only time before he hits a matter of. And history tells him that he will start beating for power as well.
Sloane was born while Kew was with the Triple-A team of the New York Yankees. He finished that season with a combined 20 home runs between Double-A and Triple-A.
“I always joke that it was because of my ‘father’s strength,'” Cave said. “So I know the home runs will start coming in because I feel good. Especially with the change in circumstances.
“It’s been very tough here, especially down the wind. I’ve hit some balls pretty deep and caught them on the track. Some of those balls will start coming out as the summer starts.
“Then I can say it’s because of my ‘dad strength’.”
The Saints, who have played their last 12 matches at home, will now play their next 12 on the road, which is less than ideal for the new father.
“It sure stinks, but the newborn baby wants mommy right now,” Cave said. “It’s more about me being around to help my wife. But we have family in town. And my daughter is at an age where she wants to help, too.”
She has already helped her father.
brief
Cole Sands started for the Saints and made a poor innings. After conceding four runs in the second, he dismissed the team in the third. Sands hit six in three innings of his work. In total, the Saints’ pitchers scored 17 runs, allowing 17 hits.
