The Norfolk Tides (52-62) beat the Durham Bulls (65-50), 9-8, on Friday night at Harbor Park. The Tides snapped their three-game losing streak, and their eight-game losing streak against the Bulls.
Durham scored in the first inning for a second consecutive day, this time from Luke Raley who hit an RBI single. Norfolk did tie the game eventually in the bottom of the third when Jordan Westburg hit an RBI groundout to make it 1-1.
Ruben Cardenas broke the tie for Durham in the fifth when he hit a solo home run, his eighth of the season. Tides starter Mike Baumann would complete the inning, lasting 5.0 innings and allowed two runs on six hits and a walk while striking out four.
Baumann did exit the game as the pitcher of record because Norfolk scored three in the bottom of the fifth. Greg Cullen tied the game on an RBI single. Two batters later, Westburg blasted a three-run shot to put Norfolk ahead, 5-2.
The Bulls tied the game right back up in the top of the sixth, however. Tides reliever Alex Wells, who rejoined Norfolk today on Major League Rehab, gave up a three-run shot to Raley to tie the game at 5-5.
Norfolk took the lead again in the bottom of the seventh with another go-ahead home run. This time, it was Cadyn Grenier launching a solo home run to put the Tides up. Two more runs would score for them when Robert Neustrom ripped a two-run single. A final run would score in the inning when Bulls catcher Rene Pinto airmailed a pickoff attempt to first base, scoring Yusniel Diaz to put the score at 9-5.
There was a comeback attempt by the Bulls in the ninth when Pinto launched a three-run homer to pull them within one run. But Cole Uvila sealed the deal for the Tides with his 10th save of the season, giving them the 9-8 win.
Game five of the series is set for tomorrow night at 6:35 p.m. RHP Matt Harvey (4-1, 5.70) is scheduled to start for the Tides while Durham has yet to announce their starter in what is expected to be a bullpen day for them.
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Chris Graham
