Charlotte Rallies Back to Defeat Norfolk in Series Finale

CHARLOTTE, NC --- The Norfolk Tides (4-5) fell to the Charlotte Knights (6-3) 9 -8 on Sunday afternoon in the series finale at Truist Field. Norfolk split their first road trip 3-3 as every game was decided by three or fewer runs.

Charlotte scored three in the bottom of the eighth to take their first lead of the game and ultimately win the game 9-8. A two-run go-ahead triple by Tristan Gray, that was just out of the reach of center fielder Jordyn Adams, helped the Knights complete their comeback.

Norfolk opened the scoring in the first inning as the first three batters all reached safely and Emmanuel Rivera recorded his first RBI as a Tide with a backside single to make it 1-0. Jud Fabian hit a two-run homer in the top of the second to break it open and give the Tides a 5-0 lead. Fabian, who hit his third home run of the week in Charlotte, finished the game 2-for-4 and on the week 7-for-21 with nine RBI. Vimael Machín followed up two batters later with a towering solo shot over the home run porch in right field for his first home run as a Tide. Machín finished the game 2-for-3 with two RBI, including a two-out RBI single in the top of the sixth to extend the Tides’ lead to 8-4. Machín’s single plated Coby Mayo who delivered an RBI double the at-bat prior and made it to third with his first stolen base of the season.

Charlotte made it interesting with a two-run bottom of the fifth where their No. 6 prospect by MLB.com, Edgar Quero, hit a two-run homer for his first of the season. They answered again in the sixth with a two-run home run by Chase Meidroth, who finished the game 3-for-3 with two walks and a triple shy of the cycle. The Knights came within one run in the bottom of the eighth with an RBI single by Tim Elko to make it 8-7. The would score two more runs to complete the comeback.

Kyle Brnovich (0-0, 5.19 ERA) struck out six over 4.2 innings where he allowed four runs (three of them earned) on seven hits and two walks. Nick Richmond (0-0, 0.00 ERA) entered with one on and one out in the bottom of the fourth; where he was able to escape a bases-loaded jam after walking the first hitter he faced and hitting the second. Richmond was reinstated off the Development List prior to today’s game as Justin Armbruester was placed on the Injured List. Kade Strowd (1-0, 2.25 ERA) picked up two strikeouts in his lone inning of work, including a strikeout of Greg Jones in the seventh inning for Norfolk’s 10th punchout of the game. The Tides’ staff recorded 10 or more strikeouts in all six games in this series at Charlotte.

Norfolk will have an off-day tomorrow as they travel back to Hampton Roads before beginning a six-game series vs. Gwinnett at Harbor Park starting Tuesday at 6:35 P.M. EDT.