Tides score six unanswered, sweep Chiefs

Norfolk, VA (May 28, 2015) - The Syracuse Chiefs lost a heartbreaker to the Norfolk Tides, 6-5, Thursday afternoon at Harbor Park, sweeping the four-game set. Syracuse held a 5-0 lead after four-and-a-half innings, but Norfolk scored six unanswered runs, and Henry Urrutia hit a walkoff home run to win the game for the Tides. Bruce Billings threw another quality outing in an outstanding month of starting pitching for Syracuse, the club's 19th quality start in 26 games. Dariel Alvarez hit two home runs for Norfolk in the win.

Syracuse (17-30) put the leadoff man on for the third game in a row as Darin Mastroianni singled to start the game. But on this day, the Chiefs rallied for a big inning. After a fielder's choice and a walk, Mark Minicozzi singled, which put runners on first and third. Matt den Dekker followed with a single to score Tony Gwynn, Jr. to give the Chiefs their second 1-0 lead of the series. A batter later, Jason Martinson doubled in two more runs to extend the lead to three after one inning.

The Chiefs added two more runs in the fifth. Gwynn, Jr. started the rally with a single. Emmanuel Burriss then tripled to left-center field, scoring Gwynn to make the score 4-0. Two batters later, den Dekker picked up his second RBI of the game, doubling to right to score Burriss and take the lead to 5-0.

Norfolk (27-21) began its comeback in the bottom of the frame. Alvarez hit his first home run over the wall in left to cut the lead to four. Two innings later, Alvarez did it again, hitting his second home run to nearly the same spot to trim the lead to three.

After a fly out, Michael Almanzar doubled to end Billings' day in the seventh. The right-hander hurled six and two-thirds innings, allowing three runs on six hits. Billings struck out two and did not walk a batter. The third run charged to Billings came in as an inherited runner, as Almanzar scored on a single by Julio Borbon off Chiefs reliever Manny Delcarmen to make the score 5-3 going to the eighth.

Norfolk completed the comeback in the ninth. Almanzar walked with one out and scored on a Borbon double to cut the lead to one. Norfolk pinch-hit Nolan Reimold, and Martin got him to strike out. However, Urrutia launched an opposite-field, two-run, walkoff home run to end the game and give the Tides the sweep. 

Syracuse hits the road and opens a three-game set Friday night in Durham. A.J. Cole is scheduled to start for the Chiefs opposite Matt Buschmann for the Bulls. First pitch from Durham Bulls Athletic Park is slated for 7:05 p.m.