The Norfolk Tides (24-27) earned their second walk-off win of the season, defeating the Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp (27-24), 7-4, at Harbor Park on Thursday.
Patrick Dorrian crushed a three-run home run with one out in the bottom of the ninth to set off the celebrations, snapping a brief two-game losing streak. He is the first Tide since Robert Neustrom on July 28, 2021, to hit a walk-off home run.
The Tides played long ball in the first inning, hitting a pair of two-run home runs, jumping out to an early 4-0 lead. Tyler Nevin launched a towering shot to left to open the scoring and Neustrom followed with his ninth homer of the year to right-center three batters later.
But Norfolk bats went quiet after that inning, which allowed Jacksonville to mount another comeback. Jerar Encarnacion hit a solo shot to lead off the fourth and Lewin Díaz got another run on the board in the fifth with a two-out RBI-double. The Jumbo Shrimp made it a brand new ball game in the seventh, scoring a pair of runs, first from an RBI-single by Peyton Burdick and then a sacrifice fly from Payton Henry.
Nick Vespi worked a perfect ninth inning to keep the game tied at 4-4 and has now not allowed an earned run in 16 appearances this season, spannig 18.1 innings.
The two clubs will be back for game four tomorrow night, with the Tides starter to be announced and LHP Matthew Kent (2-4, 4.91) tabbed take the mound for the Jumbo Shrimp. First pitch is scheduled for 7:05 p.m.
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