Pérez Home Run Not Enough to Hold Off RailRiders

NORFOLK, Va --- The Norfolk Tides (7-5) fell to the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders (7-4), 4-3, on Thursday at Harbor Park. Despite a three-run home run from Michael Pérez in the bottom of the fourth, the Tides couldn’t hold off the RailRiders, who came back in the top of the ninth to hand Norfolk their fourth straight loss.

Scranton/Wilkes-Barre struck first, when Jeter Downs mashed a solo home run in the second inning. They followed with another run in the third when Everson Pereira knocked an RBI double down the right field line to go up, 2-0.

That would finished the day for Tides starter John Means, who made his third start on Major League rehab. He went 3.0 innings, allowing two runs on two hits (one home run) and two walks while striking out three. He threw 61 pitches, 35 for strikes. Means tossed 35 pitches in his first start, then 50 pitches in his second start.

The Tides battled back in the bottom of the fourth, with the bats waking up following a leadoff double by Kyle Stowers and a single from Daniel Johnson. Then on a 2-1 pitch, Pérez clobbered his first home run with the Tides over the right field wall to give Norfolk a 3-1 lead.

It wouldn’t be enough to keep the RailRiders at bay, however. Scranton/Wilkes-Barre reclaimed the lead in the top of the ninth when Brandon Lockridge doubled in two runners. Norfolk would see Errol Robinson and Noelberth Romero reach safely on a pair of walks, but were unable to bring home either runner and ultimately fell to the RailRiders 4-3.

RHP Albert Suárez (1-0, 4.09) will start on the hill for the Tides tomorrow in his first start in affiliated baseball since July 14, 2018 (Game 2), while the RailRiders will throw RHP Will Warren (0-0, 12.46) in the fourth game of the series. First pitch is set for 6:35 p.m.

POSTGAME NOTES

Sit ‘Em Down: The Tides pitching staff combined for 10 strikeouts today, with three coming from John Means, one from Nolan Hoffman, and six from Bruce Zimmermann...Norfolk is only in the International League to start the season with at least nine strikeouts in the first 12 games of the season...Norfolk carries and active 14-game streak with at least nine strikeouts by their staff, dating back to September 23, 2023 at Buffalo...since 2005, that’s the longest such streak in franchise history.

Magic Michael: Collecting his first home run of the season was Michael Pérez...the Tides catcher finished the day 2-for-4 with a run and three RBI in his first multi-hit game since September 20, 2023 against Scranton/Wilkes-Barre with Syracuse...his single in the bottom of the third marked his 600th career minor leauge hit...Pérez’s long ball marked the first home run where he drove in at least three runners since he collected a grand slam on September 26, 2022 against Lehigh Valley with Syracuse...his home run marked the eighth go-ahead long ball by a Tides hitter this season.