The Norfolk Tides (3-3) dropped the series finale, 5-4, Sunday to the Charlotte Knights (3-3) to split the opening series of the season at Harbor Park.
Four of the six games were decided by two runs or fewer, with the Tides going 2-2 in such contests.
The teams exchanged solo home runs in the second, with Patrick Kivlehan going deep for the Knights and Jacob Nottingham bringing the game level in the home half, in his first career at-bat in the Baltimore organization.
Nottingham would later single in the fourth and walk in the sixth. He ended his Tides debut going 2-for-3.
The Knights regained the lead with a three-run fourth, but the Tides responded with three runs in the fifth. Tyler Nevin singled home Patrick Dorrian, and Robert Neustrom tied the contest with a two-out two-run homer.
After ranking second on the Tides last season with 52 RBI, Nevin has driven in four runs in his first two games of the 2022 campaign.
Zac Lowther got the start for the Tides, making his season debut. He took no-decision, allowing three runs on three hits in 3.1 innings of work. He struck out two batters and walked two.
Kevin Smith, in his first relief appearance of the season, worked 4.0 innings and allowed one run on three hits. Despite his solid outing out of the bullpen, he takes the loss.
Terrin Vavra went 2-for-4 and has multi-hit performances in two-straight games.
Norfolk will back in action on Tuesday night, after tomorrow’s scheduled off day, taking on Scranton/Wilkes-Barre in their first road game of the season. RHP Kyle Bradish (0-0, -.–) makes his first start of the season for the Tides. He faces RHP Hayden Wesneski (0-0, 0.00) who takes the mound for the RailRiders.