Series Finale Ends in Loss For Tides at Memphis

MEMPHIS, Tn --- The Norfolk Tides (35-15) fell to the Memphis Redbirds (27-24), 8-2, on Sunday night at AutoZone Park. The Tides finish the road trip with a 4-2 record. They return to Harbor Park on Tuesday to host Gwinnett for a seven-game, six-day series.

Norfolk controled their only lead of the game from the top of the second through the middle of the third. With one out, Lewin Díaz knocked a double, then traded places with Joseph Rosa with a double himself to break open the game’s scoring.

Memphis scored in four straight innings from there. To tie the game, Ivan Herrera hit an RBI double in the third. Luken Baker knocked in the go-ahead run in on a sacrifice fly and Jordan Walker capped the third with an RBI single to put the game at 3-1.

The Tides did get a run back in the fourth when Connor Norby hit an RBI single. But Memphis added two more runs in the bottom-half when Matt Koperniak hit a two-run single to put them up 5-2.

The Redbirds scored a run in each of the fifth and sixth inning. Moises Gomez hit a solo home run in the fifth, his 10th of the season. Koperniak knocked in his third run of the game in the sixth on an RBI single to put his team up 7-2.

One more run was added by Memphis in the bottom of the eighth. Baker capped the game for them with an RBI single, giving the Redbirds an 8-2 victory in the series finale.

After a scheduled off day tomorrow, the Tides return to Harbor Park on Tuesday to start a seven-game, six-day homestand vs. Gwinnett. First pitch Tuesday is 6:35 p.m., with neither team announcing their probables yet.

POSTGAME NOTES

Loading...33%: The Tides played their 50th game tonight, putting them one-third of the way through the 2023 season and two-thirds of the way through the first half of the season...the Tides are 35-15, which leads the International League...they lead Durham in the East division by 8.0 games, while leading Iowa by 5.0 games in the entire league.

Norby Knocks: Going 2-for-5 with a double and an RBI was Connor Norby...it was his 19th multi-hit game of the season, which ties him for the team lead with Jordan Westburg...he’s hit safely in12 of his previous 15 games (since May 12), batting .299 (20-for-67) with 14 runs, seven doubles, two home runs, 10 RBI and eight walks while slashing .373/.493/.866.

Rosey Rosa: Getting another multi-hit effort for the Tides was Joseph Rosa, who went 2-for-4 with a double and an RBI...it was his second straight game with multiple hits and his third overall with Norfolk this season...in five games during the series at Memphis, he batted .381 (8-for-21) with four runs, five doubles and two RBI while slashing .381/.619/1.000...his five doubles during the week ranked tied for first in the league.