Fast start lifts Tides to victory

Terrin Vavra and Jordan Westburg each scored twice Thursday night as the Norfolk Tides beat Jacksonville 7-5, repelling a comeback by the Jumbo Shrimp before 4,635 fans at 121 Financial Ballpark in Florida.

Vavra stole a base and went 3 for 5 and Westburg was 2 for 5 for the Tides (40-41), who took a 2-1 lead in the six-game International League series with their second victory in a row.

After enduring a 61-minute pregame weather delay, they scored three runs in each of the first two innings to bolt ahead 6-0. Eight of their 12 hits and those six runs came off losing pitcher Bryan Hoeing (6-4), who lasted just 1 innings.

RBI singles by Gunnar Henderson and Rylan Bannon and a bases-loaded walk to Richie Martin gave Norfolk three first-inning runs. RBI hits by Vavra, Westburg and Kyle Stowers elevated the margin to 6-0.

Norfolk starter Chris Vallimont (2-1) gave up four runs, four hits and two walks in six innings for the victory. A two-run homer by Peyton Burdick in the fourth and a solo blast by Lewin Diaz in the sixth helped narrow the gap to 6-4.

In the ninth, Richie Martin singled home the Tides’ Yusniel Diaz for a 7-4 lead. But the Jumbo Shrimp (43-38) rallied off Norfolk closer Cole Uvila, with Burdick, Erik Gonzalez and Ryan Lavarnway hitting consecutive singles to put the potential tying runners on base. Uvila then induced Luis Aviles Jr. to fly out to Yusniel Diaz in right field to gain his seventh save.

The series continued Friday night and Game 5 was set for 6:35 p.m. today.