Three consecutive base hits by Charlotte batters scratched the first run of the game in the opening frame as Victor Reyes’ RBI single gave the Knights, the Triple-A affiliate of the Chicago White Sox, the early 1-0 lead.
When the bottom of the third rolled around, the Tides, the Triple-A affiliate of the Baltimore Orioles, loaded the bases on two walks and a hit-by-pitch, bringing Joey Ortiz to the plate. He got an 0-1 pitch he could drive and bounced it over the wall in center field for a ground-rule double to bring two runs around and put Norfolk in the lead.
Following shortly behind with an RBI knock of his own was César Prieto who found a gap in the shifted-in infield to score two more for the Tides, giving Norfolk the 4-1 advantage by the end of the third.
Daz Cameron led off the home half of the fourth with a single and a stolen base, moving up to third on a Lewin Díaz single. This set the table for Maverick Handley to knock him in on a fielder’s choice to increase the Tides lead to four.
Leading off the top of the sixth with a solo home run was Reyes, who took a 2-2 pitch the other way, clearing the fence in left-center to put Charlotte’s second run of the game on the board.
Another opportunity with the bases sacked presented itself in the sixth, this time for Heston Kjerstad. The lefty smoked a ball to left field for an RBI double that scored two runs. Later in the frame, Prieto singled through the right side, bringing in a pair of runs. The hit parade continued and the Tides led 12-2 by the time their seven-run sixth inning came to a close.
Charlotte added a run in the seventh, but Ryan Mountcastle answered with a towering three-run blast in the eighth which would end up being the final scoring play of the night, and the Tides earned the win by a 15-3 score.
Norfolk finishes the series with Charlotte tomorrow night as first pitch is scheduled for 6:35 p.m. The Tides are expected to trot out RHP Grayson Rodriguez (4-0, 2.51) while the Knights are expecting to send RHP Chase Solesky (0-2, 6.75) to the hill.
Game Notes
César Prieto went 4-for-5 at the dish with a double and four RBI…it is his second four-hit game of the year and the fourth of his career, most recently accomplishing the feat on May 11 while he was still with Double-A Bowie in a game against Harrisburg.
Joey Ortiz went 2-for-6 with two runs scored, a double and two RBI, extending his hitting streak to 11 games (.426/20-for-47)…with an RBI tonight, he is now tied for the longest RBI streak in the International League this season as he has knocked in at least one run in each of his last seven games.
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Chris Graham
