It was Durham, the Triple-A affiliate of the Tampa Bay Rays, who got the scoring started this evening when Vidal Bruján and Osleivis Basabe hit back-to-back doubles to scratch the game’s first run in the first.
With two aboard in the top of the third, Ryan Mountcastle stepped up to the plate and delivered with a long single that banged off the wall in left field, bringing the equalizing run around to tie the game at one apiece.
The Tides, the Triple-A affiliate of the Baltimore Orioles, added a couple of runs in the bottom of the fourth to take the lead which began with a Connor Norby hit up the middle to score the go-ahead run. Maverick Handley followed it up later in the frame to bring Norby around and put the Tides in front, 3-1.
After the Bulls loaded the bases in the home half of the fourth, Tristan Gray singled to even the score.
Blake Hunt followed Gray with a sacrifice fly that put Durham back in front, 4-3.
Two consecutive singles to lead off the fifth for the home team set the tables for Greg Jones who doubled with two outs to bring home a run, increasing Durham’s lead to two.
In the bottom of the sixth, Bruján found his way on base, stole two bags, and scored on Basabe’s second double of the game, and the Bulls led 6-3 by the end of the frame.
A one-out double in the ninth by Ryan McKenna followed by a wild pitch and a throwing error allowed the Norfolk center fielder to score with ease to dip into the Durham lead.
While the tying run waited in the on-deck circle for Norfolk, the rally would be cut short, and Durham would shut the door on the Tides, tagging Norfolk with the 6-4 loss while taking a 2-1 series lead.
The Tides look to get back in the win column tomorrow night against Durham with first pitch scheduled for 6:35 p.m. The Tides will send RHP Garrett Stallings (0-1, 3.18) to the mound while the Bulls are expected to start RHP Elvin Rodriguez (3-3, 3.40).
Game Notes
Going 1-for-4 with a run scored and an RBI tonight was Connor Norby…since April 28, he has hit safely in 45 of his last 58 games and has not gone back-to-back games without a hit…over that span, he is batting .289 (70-for-242) with 22 doubles, a triple, seven home runs, 33 RBI, 18 walks and four stolen bases…in that stretch, he ranks second in the International League in doubles (22) and fourth in hits (69).
Joey Ortiz went 1-for-4 with a double and a run scored…in his last seven games, he has racked up five two-baggers.
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Chris Graham
