The Norfolk Tides opened the 2022 campaign with a 3-1 loss to the Charlotte Knights in front of a crowd of 7,051 at Harbor Park.
Blake Rutherford broke a 1-1 deadlock in the eighth to give the Knights a one-run lead and Mark Payton provided an insurance run with an RBI-single in the ninth.
The Tides went 0-for-8 with runners in scoring position, leaving nine runners on base. The Knights pitching staff racked up 10 strikeouts on the night and allowed five hits.
Tarrin Vavra kicked-off the home half of the first with a single in his first-career Triple-A at-bat and later scored on an RBI-groundout from Patrick Dorrian, giving the Tides an early lead.
The Knights later evened up the contest in the fourth via a solo shot from Carlos Pérez.
Kevin Smith got the start for the Tides, working 3.2 innings, allowing one run on two hits. He struck out three batters and walked five. He took no decision in the contest.
Orioles No. 8 prospect Kyle Stowers went 1-for-1 with a double, reaching safely in all three of his plate appearances. He exited the game in the seventh as a precaution after being hit by a pitch in the fifth.
The Tides attempted to rally late in the ninth, bringing the winning run to the plate after a pair of walks, but Yacksel Ríos got Vavra to ground into a game-ending double play to earn his first save of the season.
Will Carter (1-0, 0.00) earned the win in relief for the Knights, while Ofelky Peralta (0-1, 2.25) suffered the loss for the Tides.
The second game of this six-game set is tomorrow night at 6:35 p.m. RHP Cody Sedlock (0-0, -.–) makes his first start of the season for Norfolk and will face LHP John Parke (0-0, -.–), taking the mound for Charlotte.
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