Tides Bats Stifled In Series Finale

NORFOLK, VA --- The Norfolk Tides (31-13) fell to the Syracuse Mets (19-26), 9-1, on Sunday afternoon at Harbor Park. The Tides collected only three hits in the loss, splitting the series at three games apiece with the Mets.

Making his first start since September 5, 2022 was Keegan Akin. He started off strong for the Tides as he tossed three perfect innings with five strikeouts to open the game this afternoon as the game was kept at a scoreless tie through the first few frames.

A scheduled bullpen day, Akin was relieved after the third inning by Kyle Dowdy who faced the minimum in the fourth. Dowdy retired two in the fifth, but the combined perfect game bid was broken up by Jonathan Araúz as he hit a double in the left-center gap.

Araúz would come around to score on a Lorenzo Cedrola base knock, giving the Mets a 1-0 lead. Carlos Cortes put two more Syracuse runs on the board in the fifth with a blast that cleared the bullpen in right field, and the Mets jumped ahead 3-0.

With the bases loaded and two away in the seventh, Syracuse tacked on their fourth run of the game with Nick Meyer drawing a walk. Extending the inning was Danny Mendick, who punched a single through the left side of the infield to give the Mets a 6-0 lead. A Ronny Mauricio double extended the Syracuse lead to eight as the game turned over to the bottom of the seventh.

Meyer launched a solo home run in the ninth to put the Mets up by nine runs, but Connor Norby matched him with a solo shot of his own in the bottom half of the inning. That would be all the Tides could manage however, and they dropped the series finale by a score of 9-1.

Norfolk gets the day off tomorrow and will resume play on Tuesday in Memphis with first pitch scheduled for 7:45 p.m. against the Redbirds. Probable starters for both sides have yet to be announced.

POSTGAME NOTES

Norby Knocks: Driving in the game’s only run today was Connor Norby who went 1-for-3 with a home run and a walk...since April 28, he’s hit safely in 16 of his previous 22 games, batting .276 (27-for-98) with 16 runs, 11 doubles, two home runs, 10 RBI, six walks and two hit-by pitches while slashing .330/.449/.779...overall, Norby ranks among league leaders in runs (2nd, 38), doubles (T-3rd, 13) and hits (T-8th, 49).

Wild, Wild West: While most Tides were left out of the hit column this afternoon, Jordan Westburg was undeterred as he checked in with a multi-hit game, going 2-for-3 at the dish with a walk...it was his second in as many games and his 17th multi-hit performance of the season, the most on the team...he is currently tied for 6th in the International League with 50 hits on the year.