Tides lose lead, then rally for 13-9 win

Norfolk let an early eight-run advantage slip away but rallied with five runs in the ninth to top the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders 13-9 Thursday night.

The Tides plated five in the first and three more in the second to jump out to an 8-0 lead. The big blow of the first inning was a three-run home run by Buck Britton, his fourth home run with Norfolk this year. 

The RailRiders responded by plating nine unanswered runs against Tides starter Suk-min Yoon and Nick Additon to take a 9-8 lead after five innings - an advantage they held until the ninth inning. That's when the Tides put together a rally of their own, plating five runs on six hits (all singles) to retake the lead. 

Heath Bell (2-0) earned the win with two scoreless innings of relief for the Tides, who upped their season-best winning streak to six games.

Norfolk has now plated 33 runs on 56 hits over the first three games of the series.  

The Tides will look for the sweep Friday night from PNC Field, with first pitch slated for 7:05. Mike Wright (1-3, 5.61) will make the start for Norfolk against right-hander Bruce Billings (3-1, 5.02).