Epic Losing Streak Snapped With Norfolk Loss

ROCHESTER, NY. --- The Norfolk Tides (50-57) lost to the Rochester Red Wings (48-60), 5-4, Thursday at Frontier Field. Rochester snapped their 19-game losing streak with the victory.

Right off the bat, Norfolk scored in the first inning on a solo home run by Jordan Westburg. Rochester responded immediately with a run in the bottom-half when Jake Noll knocked an RBI single, putting the game at 1-1.

The Tides were able to pull ahead in the fourth with two runs. DJ Stewart knocked in the first run on a fielding error, followed by a sacrifice fly later in the inning by Shayne Fontana to make it 3-1, Norfolk.

One more run was added by the Tides in the top of the sixth when Yusniel Diaz hit an RBI double in the top of the sixth. Norfolk starter Bruce Zimmermann exited the game as the pitcher of record after that, finishing with 5.0 innings and allowed the one run in the first on four hits and a walk while striking out two.

Rochester completed their comeback with four runs in the bottom of the sixth off of Tides reliever Denyi Reyes, who fell to 0-3 with the loss. Noll hit a tworun homer to bring the Red Wings within one. The game was tied on a sacrifice fly by Jake Alu. Rochester took the lead when Adrian Sanchez knocked an RBI single to finalize the Red Wings’, 5-4, win.

Game four of the series is set for tomorrow night at 7:05 p.m. RHP Mike Baumann (1-5, 4.57) is scheduled to start for the Tides while Rochester will throw RHP Franklyn Kilome (1-3, 6.27).

POSTGAME NOTES

STOWERS POWERS: Staying hot Thursday was Kyle Stowers, who went 1-for-4 with a run and a double..since July 10, Stowers has hit safely in 19 of 22 games, batting .341 (28-for-82) with 11 runs, seven doubles, three triples, four home runs, 29 RBI and 10 walks (.415 OBP)...the double was his 28th of the season and his 50th extra-base hit...he ranks among International League Leaders in RBI (76, 1st), extra-base hits (50, 1st) doubles (28, 2nd), slugging (.552, 2nd) and OPS (.918, 5th)...Stowers has 322 at bats this season, 28 away from qualifying as a single-season leader in franchise history, where he’d currently lead Orioles affiliate players (since 2007) in slugging and OPS.

WILD WILD WEST: Today, Jordan Westburg went 1-for-4 with a solo home run in the first...he carries a 13-game on-base streak, the longest active such streak for the Tides...in that span (since July 26), he’s hitting just .174 (8-for-46) with 10 runs, a double, two home runs, five RBI, 10 walks and a hit-by-pitch (.333 OBP).

INVADER ZIM: Tides starter Bruce Zimmermann has been great since the end of the All-Star Break...in four appearances (three starts) since July 23, he’s 1-0 with a 1.59 ERA (3 ER, 17.0 IP) and has 12 strikeouts to four walks...his ERA is tied for third in the International League during that span...Zimmermann has three straight outings with at least 5.0 innings, yet hasn’t surpassed 78 pitches in those starts.