The win was the fifth in a row for the Tides (28-23), the Triple-A affiliate of the Baltimore Orioles.
Norfolk was down two entering the ninth. The first two batters of the inning were set down before Daniel Johnson walked, Hudson Haskin singled and Nick Maton was hit by a pitch to load the bases.
Maverick Handley delivered with a two-run single to left to tie the game, and Holliday, who had entered as pinch-hitter in the sixth inning, was able to knock the ball the other way to score Maton from second base as the eventual game-winning run.
Ryan Watson entered to pitch in the ninth to close down the 9-8 win.
Worcester took the early lead with back-to-back-to-back home runs by Jamie Westbrook, Tyler Heineman and Eddy Alvarez.
That was the first time a Tides opponent hit a home run in three straight plate appearances since Durham did it on Aug. 22, 2016.
Maton and Terrin Vavra were each 2-for-4 with a homer and three RBIs on the day for Norfolk.