Tides drop series with loss, rainout
Molina returns behind the plate for Memphis in victory vs. Norfolk
Catching legend Yadier Molina was out of the game for Memphis by the eighth inning Saturday night, but that’s when the Redbirds rallied past the Norfolk Tides 5-2 Saturday night before 6,763 fans in Tennessee.
The Tides and Redbirds planned to play their series finale Sunday, but it was postponed because of weather and rescheduled as part of a Sept. 7 doubleheader on Norfolk’s next trip to Memphis.
The Tides (46-52) went 2-3 in the series, finishing with two losses in a row to Memphis (54-44). The Redbirds’ four-run eighth proved decisive Saturday.
Molina, one of baseball’s top catchers of the 21st century, was playing that position in a game for the first time since a knee injury sent him to the injured list about six weeks ago. He was 1 for 2 with a walk before heading to the bench after five innings, ending his rehabilitation assignment for the night.
He likely will return to the St. Louis Cardinals, Memphis’ parent club, Tuesday against the Chicago Cubs.
The Tides had seven hits, but their only scoring came in the third inning. Richie Martin led off with a walk from Grant
Black, and Cadyn Grenier followed with a two-run homer to left-center field.
Norfolk’s 2-0 lead stood up as Bruce Zimmermann pitched five shutout innings. Blaine Knight followed with a shutout sixth, but Memphis pounded Logan Gillaspie (3-3) for six hits in 1 innings to move ahead.
In the seventh, Roberto Baldoquin walked before Ben DeLuzio and Conner Capel singled to load the bases. Pedro Pages, who replaced Molina at catcher, singled home Memphis’ first run, but Gillaspie struck out Moises Gomez and induced a flyout to right by Ivan Herrera to end the inning.
In the eighth, singles by Luken Baker, Cory Spangenberg and Baldoquin tied the game, prompting Tides manager Buck Britton to bring in reliever Morgan McSweeney. DeLuzio socked his first pitch to center field for a go-ahead RBI single. After Capel walked to reload the bases, Baldoquin scored on Pages’ groundout, and DeLuzio capped the outburst by scoring on a wild pitch.
The Tides are off today before playing a six-game series at Harbor Park starting Tuesday against the league-leading Nashville Sounds, Milwaukee’s top affiliate.
Sunday, the Tides saw two left-handed pitchers return to their roster: Nick Vespi, who was optioned down from Baltimore, and Zac Lowther, who was reinstated from Norfolk’s development list.