Norfolk’s Nine-Run Sixth Buries Stripers 11-1

NORFOLK, Virginia – The Norfolk Tides (3-2) scored 11 unanswered runs on Saturday night – nine coming in the sixth inning – to the Gwinnett Stripers (2-3) an 11-1 loss at Harbor Park. Gwinnett trails the series 3-2 headed into Sunday’s finale.

Scoring Recap: The Stripers led 1-0 through four innings on a solo home run to center by Jurickson Profar (3), but the Tides’ offense opened the floodgates shortly after. An RBI single by Jorge Mateo capped a two-run fifth to put Norfolk ahead 2-1. In the sixth, the Tides scored nine runs against the combo of Enoli Paredes (L, 2-3) and Domingo Gonzalez to go up 11-1. Vimael Machin had a two-run double, Jacob Stallings followed with a two-run single, and Dylan Beavers cranked a grand slam (8) to right field.

Key Contributors: Profar went 2-for-4 with a double, homer, and RBI for the Stripers. Rolddy Munoz threw 2.0 scoreless innings (1 H, 1 BB, 1 SO) in his first career Triple-A start for Gwinnett. For Norfolk, Beavers (1-for-5, homer, 4 RBIs), Mateo (3-for-3, 2 RBIs), Machin (2-for-4, double, 2 RBIs), and Stallings (1-for-3, 2 RBIs) all had multi-RBI games to back starter Thaddeus Ward (W, 6-5), who pitched 5.2 one-run innings.

Noteworthy: Eddy Alvarez became the second position player to pitch for Gwinnett this season as he delivered a scoreless eighth inning, keeping his career ERA across Triple-A and MLB to 0.00 (0 ER in 2.1 IP over 3 games). Profar is now batting .366 with three doubles, three homers, nine RBIs, and a 1.101 OPS in 11 rehab games.

Next Game (Sunday, June 28): Gwinnett Stripers at Norfolk Tides, 1:05 p.m. at Harbor Park. Radio Broadcast: 12:50 p.m. on MyCountry993.com.

Next Home Game (Tuesday, July 1): Gwinnett Stripers vs. St. Paul Saints, 7:05 p.m. at Coolray Field. The first 500 fans to the ballpark can collect a Stripers Patriotic T-Shirt courtesy of Coolray Heating & Cooling (size XL only). Radio Broadcast: 6:50 p.m. on MyCountry993.com.