Norfolk ends three-game skid with rally

Just when it looked like the Norfolk Tides might continue a rare skid in a dominant season, they bounced back for a 5-3 triumph over Nashville in a steamy Thursday matinée before 3,555 at Harbor Park.

Despite falling behind 3-0 in the top of the first, the Tides (61-36, 13-10 in the International League’s second half ) ended just their third three-game losing streak of the season.

Sixth-inning solo home runs by Robbie Glendinning and Heston Kjerstad turned the Tides’ one-run deficit into a one-run lead.

Norfolk pieced together the victory with five pitchers, four of whom have major league experience. The one who doesn’t, Chayce McDermott (2-0), pitched five shutout innings of relief, striking out seven and yielding two hits and two walks for the victory.

The Sounds (53-44, 13-10), Milwaukee’s top affiliate, won the series’ first two games and took an early lead Thursday against Austin Voth, who was on an MLB rehab start from Baltimore as he recovers from an elbow injury.

Norfolk immediately responded in the bottom of the first as Connor Norby singled and Kjerstad doubled. Two outs later, Coby Mayo’s single to left field brought both of them in to cut Nashville’s lead to 3-2.

That score held until the sixth, when reliever Ethan Small (1-4) replaced Nashville starter Robert Gasser. Glendenning led off with a tying home run to left-center. With two out, Kjerstad slugged a 1-0 pitch over the wall in center to put the Tides ahead to stay.

The fourth of the six-game series is set for 6:35 p.m. today.

On Wednesday night, Hiura and Urias each homered as Nashville won 5-3 in a rain-shortened game before 4,839 fans.