The Norfolk Tides (15-17) dropped the second game of this series against the Memphis Redbirds (15-16), 9-7, on a cold, windy and rainy night at Harbor Park.
Despite the loss, the fans that braved the conditions were treated to some Norfolk history. Ryan McKenna homered three times in the contest, matching the franchise record, becoming the first Tides hitter to collect a trio of long balls since Ryan Mountcastle on June 2, 2019. McKenna becomes the eighth player in franchise history to homer three times in a game.
The first of his three homers came in the first, as he led off the game with a solo shot, the third Norfolk lead-off home run of the season. He blasted a another solo shot in the seventh and then a two-run blast in the eighth.
But McKenna’s efforts were not enough, as Memphis scored early and often, scoring three runs in each the third and fourth inning and another two in the fifth to take what was at the time an 8-4 lead. The Redbirds collected nine hits, three of them going for extra bases, during that span.
Brett Cumberland also had a three-hit game, going 3-for-4 with an RBI for his second three-hit game of the season and Yusníel Diaz went 2-for-5 with an RBI for his second-straight multi-hit effort.
Tomorrow’s game between these two clubs is “MLB Pipeline’s Game of the Month” for May. The contest will be available to watch for free on MLB.tv. Matching up are the top ranked pitching prospects in both the Baltimore and St. Louis systems. RHP Grayson Rodriguez (2-1, 3.33), the No. 6 prospect in MLB.com’s Top 100 list, is slated to take the mound for Norfolk. He will be facing LHP Matthew Libratore (3-3, 4.24), ranked No. 43 on the Top 100 list, is scheduled to start for Memphis.
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