Tides Snap Three Game Skid
Thursday night’s game was one for the ages but not one for the faint of heart, as Norfolk and Lehigh Valley combined for 14 runs and 25 hits and featured a ninth inning come back for the Tides. Norfolk beat Lehigh Valley with a final score 9-5. Norfolk looks to continue their winning ways tonight as they finish a four game road series against Lehigh Valley.
If Norfolk wins tonight, they will have their first two-game winning streak since April 10th and 11th. Going into Thursday’s game, the Tides had lost five out of their last six.
Thursday’s game was an eventful one to say the least. Lehigh Valley took an early four to one lead in the fourth inning. Behind first baseman Maikle Franco who went three-for-four with one RBI, Lehigh Valley scored four runs on eight hits off Tides’ starting pitcher Mike Wright. Wright pitched 5.2 innings and allowed four earned runs but struck out six.
For Lehigh Valley, Sean O’Sullivan pitched seven masterful innings, allowing just three runs, two earned, on six hits, striking out two. However, the relief pitching was Lehigh Valley’s “Achilles’ Heel” Thursday night.
In 2.0 innings pitched, three pitchers combined to give up three walks, five hits, and six runs. The main culprit was Seth Rosin, who gave up five runs on five hits in just 0.1 of an inning pitched. Norfolk scored six runs on five hits in the top of the ninth, becoming the first International League team this season to win a game when trailing after eight innings.
Thursday’s ninth inning could just be the momentum booster Norfolk has been looking for. If Kevin Gausman (0-1 3.24) can beat Lehigh Valley’s Jonathan Pettibone (1-0 5.40) tonight, Gausman will become the first Tides’ starting pitcher to win a game this season.
