Tides rally late to win extra-inning thriller
A ninth-inning rally for the Tides led to a tie game and another come-from-behind rally in the 11th inning resulted in a walk-off single from catcher Austin Wynns for Norfolk’s first home victory of 2021. In a rematch of starters from game one of the series, Watkins (6.0 IP, 0
A ninth-inning rally for the Tides led to a tie game and another come-from-behind rally in the 11th inning resulted in a walk-off single from catcher Austin Wynns for Norfolk’s first home victory of 2021.
In a rematch of starters from game one of the series, Watkins (6.0 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 1 BB, 4 K) twirled six hitless innings for Norfolk, but was matched nearly every step of the way by Jacksonville’s Elieser Hernandez (4.2 IP, 2 H, 0 BB, 8 K) and Parker Bugg (2.1 IP, 0 H, 1 BB, 4 K). Though Watkins did not allow a runner to advance past first, the Jumbo Shrimp were able to strand all four Tides who reached base.
Norfolk manager Gary Kendall lifted Watkins before the start of the seventh in favor of righty Hunter Harvey (2.0 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 2 K), playing with the Tides on a major league rehab assignment from Baltimore. With one out, Jumbo Shrimp third baseman Eddy Alvarez hit a fly ball down the right field line that stayed inside the foul pole for a home run. A Jesus Sanchez double, a Luis Marte single and a safety squeeze bunt from Brian Miller extended the Jacksonville lead to 2-0 entering the home seventh.
With the Tides down by two to begin the bottom of the ninth, shortstop Mason McCoy led off the inning with a triple off of the wall in center field. A groundout from second baseman Ramon Urias scored McCoy, and center fielder Ryan McKenna followed by blasting a long home run to tie the game.
Ryan McKenna ties the game with one swing! 💥 @Ry_mac35
— Norfolk Tides (@NorfolkTides) May 23, 2021
We're heading to extras at Harbor Park.
Tides 2 - Jacksonville 2 | Top 10 pic.twitter.com/XeMFsa1oIi
Tides reliever Cody Carroll (1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 BB, 1 K) entered in the top of the tenth with Jacksonville’s Brian Miller starting the inning at second base as the designated runner. With two strikes on the first hitter of the inning, Miller broke for third base. The batter, Brian Navarreto, swung at the pitch for strike three, while Wynns fired a strike to third base from behind the plate to catch Miller stealing. A fly out marked the end of the inning with the game still knotted at two runs apiece.
With the Tides unable to push across a run in the bottom half, the game moved to the 11th inning. A double from Jacksonville’s Monte Harrison scored the designated runner and put the Shrimp up 3-2.
WYNNS FOR THE WIN!!! Tides complete the comeback win in the 11th!
— Norfolk Tides (@NorfolkTides) May 23, 2021
FINAL (11): Tides 4 - Jacksonville 3 #TIDESWIN pic.twitter.com/1jh2myENo8
In the bottom of the 11th, Norfolk loaded the bases with no outs for Seth Mejias-Brean, who entered the game as a pinch runner in the ninth. A 2-1 pitch from Jumbo Shrimp pitcher Brett Eibner ran inside and hit Mejias-Brean, bringing home the tying run and keeping the bases loaded. Wynns followed with a bouncing grounder that made its way past the drawn-in Alvarez at third base and into left field, scoring Urias and giving the Tides (4-14) their first home win.
The Charlotte Knights will visit Harbor Park for a six-game series beginning Tuesday night at 6:35 p.m. All seating capacity restrictions will be lifted starting with Friday night’s game, and the first postgame fireworks show is scheduled for Saturday night.