Tide blasts Knights

The Norfolk Tides paid homage to the Independence Weekend Sunday night at Harbor Park by lighting up the scoreboard in an 11-7 win over the Charlotte Knights in front of 8,853 fans.

John Hester put the Tides ahead with a three-run homer in the second inning. Trailing 3-0 to start the frame, the Tides loaded the bases with no outs on two hits and a walk. Nick Green put the home team on the board with an RBI fielder’s choice before John Hester launched a Deunte Heath offering into the left field picnic area.

The Tides put up another four spot in the third inning thanks to another home run, this one from Brendan Harris. Rhyne Hughes got the big inning started by reaching on a dropped third strike and moved to second base when Jake Fox was hit by a pitch. Snyder followed with the first of his three RBI on the night, an RBI single. Tyler Henson then delivered an RBI single of his own ahead of the blast from Harris that gave the home team an 8-4 lead.

The Knights got off to a hot start of their own. Alejandro De Aza led off the game with a home run that landed in the Tides bullpen. The Knights added two more runs in the second inning off a two-run homer by Jordan Danks that gave the Knights a 3-0 lead. Trailing 4-3 in the third inning, De Aza led off the frame with his second home run to tie the game at 4-4.

Snyder added solo home runs in the fifth and seventh inning to increase the Tides advantage. The four home runs hit by the Tides tied a season best for the club. They also hit four home runs against Charlotte on April 18.

Fighting a strong wind to left field, Chris Tillman (3-2, 4.54) labored through 5.0 innings to pick up the win. He gave up five runs on seven hits, three of which went for home runs.

Knights starter Deunte Heath (2-4, 5.73) was charged with nine runs on eight hits in a losing effort. The righthander struck out eight batters on the night.

Matt Angle continued his hot stretch, going 2-for-5 with an RBI.

Nick Bierbrodt tossed 1.2 innings of relief and allowed a run on two hits. Jeremy Accardo earned his second hold in as many nights after throwing 1.1 innings of scoreless relief. Mark Worrell’s streak of 11.0 scoreless innings came to end when he allowed a ninth inning RBI double to Danks. The All-Star closer allowed just the one run in his 1.0 innings of work.

The Tides will travel to Charlotte Monday night for a 7:30 game. The game was originally scheduled for 7:15 but was pushed back to accommodate pre-game festivities. RH Steve Johnson (0-2, 8.49) will get the start for the Tides opposite RH Matt Zaleski (1-4, 7.47).

The Tides will return to Harbor Park on Saturday, July 9 for a two-game series with Durham. The first 2,000 kids 17 & under to enter Harbor Park on July 9 will receive a Tides youth replica jersey compliments of Coke Zero and Fox 43.