Diamond, Red Wings blank Norfolk
Scott Diamond fired a complete-game five-hit shutout, pitching the Rochester Red Wings past the Tides 5-0 Sunday night at Harbor Park.
In his second start with Rochester after being optioned from Minnesota, Diamond (1-0) allowed just four singles and a double in the complete game effort, striking out four without walking a batter. The 27-year-old southpaw, who was 5-10 with a 5.52 ERA in 20 starts for Minnesota this season, threw 73 of his 106 pitches for strikes as he helped Rochester snap a three-game losing skid.
The nine-inning, complete game shutout was the first against the Tides since the 2010 season, when Diamond also turned the trick for Gwinnett against Norfolk on August 30 at Coolray Field. It was the first nine-inning complete game shutout against the Tides at Harbor Park since June 14, 2008, when Daniel McCutchen accomplished the feat when pitching for Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.
Eddie Gamboa (1-3) took the loss after yielding four runs on seven hits in 4.2 innings of work. Gamboa yielded all four runs in the fourth frame, as Rochester collected six singles while batting around in the inning. The 28-year-old knuckleballer walked one and struck out one while throwing 57 of his 98 pitches for strikes.
Eduardo Escobar led Rochester's offense with four hits, an RBI and a run scored. Deibinson Romero and Ray Olmedo each added two hits and an RBI for the Red Wings, who maintained their 2.5 game lead in the IL North with the victory.
With the loss, Norfolk fell into a tie with Buffalo atop the IL Wild Card standings. Buffalo defeated Scranton/Wilkes-Barre 8-5 earlier Sunday.
The Tides will wrap up their 11-game homestand Monday afternoon at Harbor Park with a 12:05 contest against the Red Wings. Tsuyoshi Wada (4-5, 4.70) will make the start for Norfolk against Rochester southpaw Logan Darnell (3-3, 5.08).
Notes: The start of the game was delayed one hour due to rain…Diamond retired 13 consecutive batters from the fifth through ninth innings…Norfolk's loss was the first by a home team over the first seven games of the season series…Chris Jones tossed 2.2 shutout innings of relief to lower his season ERA to 2.54…The loss left Tides manager Ron Johnson one win shy of earning his 1,400th managerial victory (Johnson is 1,399-1,391)…The five runs allowed were the most the Tides had allowed since July 30, a span of 12 games.