Wynns powers Tides to series win

Austin Wynns homered as part of a four-hit game and Keegan Akin worked five strong innings as Norfolk knocked off the Charlotte Knights 6-1 Sunday afternoon at Harbor Park. 

Wynns got the Tides on the board in the third inning with a solo home run off of Héctor Santiago (0-1), and Norfolk took the lead for good one batter later when Ryan Mountcastle went back-to-back with a solo homer of his own. Wynns also added two singles and an RBI double in the contest as he matched his career-high for hits in a game, last accomplished during the 2018 campaign. The four hits also tied a Norfolk season-high. 
Making his first start since being named to the International League All-Star Team earlier this week, Akin (4-2) earned the win after allowing a run on two hits over five innings of work. The 24-year-old southpaw scuffled a bit with his control - walking five while throwing 54 of his 90 pitches for strikes - but he turned in his 13th start this season in which he's allowed three earned runs or fewer. Akin struck out six in the victory to up his total to 89 punchouts this season - most in the International League. 
Mountcastle's homer was his team-leading 15th of the season and gave him 50 runs batted in this year. The 22-year-old, who leads the International League with 94 hits, has now hit safely in nine of his last 10 games - including three home runs over his last five contests.  
Jesús Sucre extended his hitting streak to 10 games with a two-hit effort, including an RBI single in the fourth inning. Over that 10-game hitting streak, Sucre has batted .432 (16-37) with six multi-hit contests, and he's now registered eight more multi-hit games (15) than single-hit games (7) with Norfolk this season. 
Hunter Harvey made his Triple-A debut in the contest, firing two shutout innings of relief. Harvey, rated as the #12 prospect in the Orioles system by MLB.com, struck out one and hit 99 mph on the stadium radar gun. 
With the win, the Tides have now won four of their last five games while capturing back-to-back series victories. 
The Tides will continue their homestand on Monday night by welcoming the Gwinnett Stripers to town for a three-game set. RHP Luis Ortiz (2-7, 6.75) gets the start for Norfolk and will be opposed by RHP Patrick Weigel (1-1, 3.86).  
Notes: Hunter Harvey is the 51st player the Tides have used this season…Cedric Mullins stole home in the fifth inning, the second time he's swiped home this season…Jay Flaa ended the contest with two shutout innings of relief, his fourth straight scoreless appearance…Mason Williams doubled and scored in the fourth inning, giving him hits in seven of his last eight games.