Harvey Stars as Tides Stay Hot in Win

NORFOLK, Va. --- The Norfolk Tides (59-67) defeated the Lehigh Valley IronPigs (69-58), 5-3, on Friday at Harbor Park. The Tides have clinched the series split with their third win and have won five of their last seven.

Norfolk started with two runs in the first when Jacob Nottingham laced a two-run double. Their third run of the game came in the third inning when Joey Ortiz ripped an RBI double down the left field line to score Colton Cowser from first base to make the Tides lead, 3-0.

Matt Harvey had an excellent start for the Tides, tossing a quality start. He went 6.0 innings, allowing no runs on three hits and four walks while setting a season-high eight strikeouts. He earned his team-leading sixth win of the season, as Ryan Watson earned a hold and Logan Gillaspie shut it down for his first save of the season.

The Tides earned much needed insurance runs in the seventh when Kelvin Gutierrez ripped a two-run single with the bases loaded. Lehigh Valley threatened with three runs in the ninth, but the Tides prevailed with a 5-3 win.

Game five is set for tomorrow night at 6:35 p.m. The Tides will throw LHP Drew Rom (0-0, 1.86), while Lehigh Valley has yet to announce their starting pitcher.

POSTGAME NOTES

LET’S GET IT STARTED: It was another terrific outing by a Tides starting pitcher tonight, where Matt Harvey tossed a quality start...he went 6.0 innings, allowing no runs on three hits and four walks while setting a season-high eight strikeouts...through the first four games of the series, Tides starting pitching has not allowed an earned run (22.2 IP)...Bruce Zimmermann tossed 7.2 innings Tuesday, Mike Baumann threw 6.0 innings Wednesday, and Beau Sulser topped it off with 3.0 scoreless as an opener yesterday...in all, the starters have combined for 33 strikeouts to six walks.