Tides follow walk-off with rout
Doubleheader sweep gives them series lead
The Norfolk Tides took the series lead against Worcester with a doubleheader sweep Thursday before 5,105 at Harbor Park, winning 2-1 in walk-off fashion on a Terrin Vavra RBI single before romping 11-4 in the nightcap.
The Tides have won two of three in the six-game set, which was set to continue Friday night and then at 6:35 tonight.
Former major league all-star Matt Harvey pitched a seven-inning complete game for the Tides (43-44) in the opener of the “Christmas in July” promotion, giving up five hits as he took a potentially big step toward returning to the majors on a Baltimore club that had won 10 games in a row heading into Friday night.Game 2 started looking like a pitchers’ duel, but turned into a rout.
Mike Baumann survived a three-walk first inning to shut out Worcester for five innings, gaining his first Norfolk victory this season against five losses. He departed with a 0-0 tie, but the Tides rocked WooSox relievers James Norwood (0-1) and Jake Thompson for seven runs in the fifth, then roughed up Durbin Feltman for four in the sixth.
With Beau Taylor at bat, the Tides broke the deadlock when Richie Martin and Jacob Nottingham scored on a fielding error by Worcester second baseman Grant Williams. Yusniel Diaz was plunked by a pitch with the bases loaded, and Kyle Stowers made it 6-0 by lining a three-run triple to center field. Martin’s infield single brought in Stowers to wrap up the sevenrun inning.
After the WooSox scored three in the top of the sixth, the Tides answered in the bottom half with Gunnar Henderson’s two-run triple and Rylan Bannon’s two-run double.
Stowers (2), Henderson (3). LOB-Worcester 5, Norfolk 3. SB-Norfolk, Nottingham (8). OF assist-Norfolk, Grenier (Castellanos at home). DP-Norfolk 2. WP-Worcester, Thompson, Feltman. HBP-Diaz (by Thompson). T-2:09. A-5,105.