Mayo Notches Walk-Off Win for Norfolk

NORFOLK, VA --- The Norfolk Tides (11-15) beat the Gwinnett Stripers (12-13), 5-4, on Saturday night at Harbor Park. Daniel Johnson powered the Tides early, while Coby Mayo collected a walk-off single to win the game for Norfolk.

Gwinnett struck first Saturday night, taking a 1-0 lead after a two out ground rule double and four straight walks.

After the two clubs continued for the next three innings in a pitcher’s duel at the a 1-0 score, Billy Cook started off the bottom of the fifth with a single. Then on the first pitch he saw, Daniel Johnson launched his third home run of the season 410 feet over the right-center field wall to give the Tides a 2-1 lead.

Then following a one out double from Hudson Haskin in the bottom of the seventh, Johnson roped an RBI double that one-hopped the right field wall and extended Norfolk’s lead to 3-1. The next batter, Michael Pérez, brought Johnson home on an RBI single to give the Tides a 4-1 advantage.

Gwinnett responded in the top of the eighth, cutting the lead to 4-3 after stringer together a walk and a hit by pitch. J.P. Martinez then plated both runners on an RBI double before Luis Liberato knotted the game up in the next at bat on another RBI double.

The two teams headed into extras tied at 4-4, and Nolan Hoffman worked a perfect top of the 10th inning. Then with Shayne Fontana on second as the automatic runner, Errol Robinson moved him over to third on a sacrifice bunt. Following an intentional walk issued to Jackson Holliday, Coby Mayo launched a walk-off single, lifting Norfolk to a 5-4 victory.

The Tides will wrap up their six game series with the Stripers tomorrow, with first pitch scheduled for 1:05 p.m. RHP John Means (0-2, 13.89) is the listed probable for Norfolk, while Gwinnett will start RHP Allan Winans (1-1, 3.00).

POSTGAME NOTES

He Gets on Base: Extending his team-leading active on base streak to 12 games tonight was Connor Norby after he went 1-for-4 on the night...Norby’s streak is the second longest by a Tides hitter this season, one game behind teammates Errol Robinson and Coby Mayo, who reached base safely for 13 games...since the start of his streak (April 14 vs. Scranton/Wilkes-Barre), Norby is hitting .260 (13-for-50) with two doubles, two home runs, four RBI and six walks and posts a .339 on-base percentage.

Heasley Handles Business: In his first career appearance at Habor Park, Jonathan Heasley worked 3.1 scoreless innings in relief of Chayce McDermott, striking out a pair of batters while allowing a walk...tonight marked his longest relief outing without allowing an earned run since April 10, 2019 with Lexington against West Virginia...through three outings with the Tides this season, Heasley posts a 1.29 ERA (1 ER, 7.0 IP) with six strikeouts on just five hits and one walk.

The Jet Takes Off: Launching his third home run of the season tonight was Daniel Johnson, who finished the evening 3-for-4 with a double, three RBI and two runs...two of Johnson’s three home runs have traveled 410 feet, including tonight's, while his fifth inning long ball was his first go-ahead homer since September 15, 2023 with El Paso against Albuquerque...after a seventh inning double, Johnson collected his first multi-extra base hit game since September 24, 2023 with El Paso at Sugarland, which is also the last game he collected three hits.