Ishikawa, Tides Walk Off against Syracuse
Travis Ishikawa delivered a one-out bases loaded RBI single in the bottom of the 11th inning as the Norfolk Tides walked off against the Syracuse Chiefs, 6-5, in front 4,011 fans Sunday afternoon at Harbor Park.
Norfolk struck first in the first inning off of Syracuse starter Chris Young as Ishikawa doubled home two runs as the Tides carried a 2-0 lead into the fourth.
Josh Stinson faced the minimum before Jeff Kobernus' infield single with one out in the fourth. He later scored on an RBI triple by Micah Owings and Zach Walters delivered a run-scoring single as the two teams were deadlocked after four innings.
Owings then led off the sixth against Stinson with a walk and later scored on a Mike Costanzo RBI single and the Chiefs held a 3-2 advantage.
Both starters worked into the sixth as Stinson would complete six-full innings, eventually departing as the would-be pitcher of record after allowing three runs on five hits and four walks with two strikeouts. Young exited after a one out single by Jonathan Schoop. Jeff Mandel emerged out of the Chiefs bullpen and allowed a two-out walk before inducing a ground out to end the inning. Young finished the day by allowing two runs on six hits and one walk while striking out four.
Alex Burnett entered to work the seventh inning for the Tides but Will Rhymes supplied a two-out RBI single to extend the Syracuse lead to 4-2.
After Burnett worked a scoreless eighth for Norfolk, Tanner Roark returned to the mound for Syracuse but ran into trouble after retiring the first two men to begin the inning. L.J. Hoes reached on a hit-by-pitch and Trayvon Robinson walked before J.C. Romero relieved Roark. Luis Exposito greeted Romero with a go-ahead three-run opposite field home run to give the Tides the lead heading to the ninth.
Norfolk closer Jairo Asencio, 8-for-8 in save chances entering Sunday, allowed a two-out RBI single to Rhymes to plate Eury Perez and the game headed to extra innings tied at 5-5.
The game remained tied through 10 innings and Norfolk's Adam Russell (3-0) loaded the bases in the 11th but struck out Owings to end the threat. That set the stage for a dramatic finish for the Tides. Pridie led off the frame with a single against Chiefs reliever Michael Crotta (3-3) and Navarro doubled down the right field line to put runners on second and third with no outs. Russ Canzler was intentionally walked to load the bases and following a strikeout by Danny Valencia, Ishikawa singled to right field to score Pridie and cap a 7-1 homestand and ninth win and their last 10 games.
The Tides travel to Buffalo Monday to begin an eight-game road trip with first pitch set for 7:05. Right-hander Steve Johnson (0-1, 5.06) will take the hill for Norfolk opposite Bisons right-hander Dave Bush (3-1, 1.61).
Notes: The Tides are now 9-0 is series finales this season…Norfolk is now 8-1 at home and 10-3 overall in one-run contests…The win improved the Tides record to 16-0 when leading after eight innings…Luis Exposito's eighth inning home run was his first of the season…Yamaico Navarro is now fifth in the International League with 19 runs scored…Navarro has reached base safely in 18 of his last 19 games.