Neustrom Walk-Off Homer, Game 2 Shutout Highlight Tides Doubleheader Sweep

The Tides hit their first walk-off home run of the 2021 season, courtesy of Robert Neustrom, and received a clutch performance from reliever Nick Vespi en route to a sweep of a doubleheader against the Durham Bulls on Wednesday evening at Harbor Park.

Like all doubleheaders in Minor League Baseball since 2018, Wednesday’s twin bill was played in the form of two seven-inning games.

GAME ONE:

Tides right fielder Robert Neustrom capped off a three-run rally in the bottom of the seventh inning by launching a walk-off home run, giving Norfolk a 4-3 victory in game one.

Norfolk starter Kyle Bradish (5.1IP, 4H, 1R, 2BB, 1K) and Durham starter Brent Honeywell each posted scoreless first and second innings. Though Bradish was able to hold the Bulls of the scoreboard in the top of the third, Honeywell surrendered a solo home run to Tides shortstop Mason McCoy in the bottom half of the frame to give Norfolk an early 1-0 lead.

With the Tides still clinging to their one-run lead in the sixth inning, Durham’s first two hitters reached base on an error and a single. Though Bradish was able to coax a pop-up for the inning’s first out, Bulls right fielder Josh Lowe slapped a ground-rule double over the wall in left-center field to tie the game. Bradish intentionally walked the next hitter, first baseman Dalton Kelly, before he was relieved by right-hander Evan Phillips.

Phillips immediately induced a 5-4-3 double play to get the Tides out of the inning with the game still tied. When Phillips returned to the mound in the seventh, however, he was greeted by a leadoff double and an RBI triple that put Durham up 2-1. A wild pitch added a third run and sent the Bulls to the bottom half of the inning with a two-run lead.

Durham reliever Phoenix Sanders entered in the bottom of the seventh seeking the final three outs. His hopes for a quick end to the game were dashed after a leadoff walk to first baseman J.C. Escarra and an error by Bulls third baseman Miles Mastrobuoni put the first two Tides hitters aboard. Sanders responded by striking out Stevie Wilkerson, then got Neustrom in an 0-2 count. The Durham righty’s two-strike pitch was a hanging breaking ball that Neustrom ripped over the wall in right field for a three-run walk-off homer and Norfolk’s second win of the homestand.

GAME TWO:

Reliever Nick Vespi worked out of a bases-loaded, two-out jam and earned the win in his Triple-A debut, helping the Tides tightrope their way to a 2-0 victory in game two.

The Tides struck first once again in the nightcap, as center fielder Zach Jarrett hit a double into shallow left field in the second inning to plate shortstop Kelvin Gutierrez.

Left-hander Kevin Smith received the start for Norfolk in game two. He fired 4.2 shutout innings, working around a single, four walks and a hit batter in the process, and struck out four.

With Smith still pitching to begin the fifth inning, Durham loaded the bases with two outs on an error, single and walk. Tides manager Gary Kendall opted to lift Smith from the game in favor of Vespi. The newest lefty on the Tides roster managed to get Bulls designated hitter Dalton Kelly to lift an easy fly ball to center field for the third out. He remained in the game in the top of the sixth, throwing a 1-2-3 inning with two strikeouts.

With Virginia Beach native and Cape Henry Collegiate product Sean Poppen on to pitch the seventh for Durham, the Tides scratched across a second run on a pair of base hits, including an RBI infield single from first baseman J.C. Escarra.

Vespi took the mound to begin the seventh inning and struck out Kevin Padlo for the first out. The next hitter, Nathan Lukes, appeared to leg out an infield hit and advance to second base after a wild throw from Vespi. Home plate umpire Randy Rosenberg, however, called Lukes out, ruling that the Durham center fielder interfered with the play while running to first base. A strikeout of catcher Rene Pinto finished off the Tides’ doubleheader sweep and gave Vespi his first Triple-A victory.