NORFOLK (Release via John Stanley, Norfolk Tides) – The Norfolk Tides (34-33) defeated the Memphis Redbirds (35-32), 9-2, on Friday night at Harbor Park. Norfolk held a 9-0 shutout into the ninth and finished off the Redbirds to get back in the win column.
Norfolk first scored in the first inning when Heston Kjerstad hit a double off the top of the wall that nearly cleared the fence. He later scored on the error to make it 1-0.
The Tides exploded for seven runs in the fourth to help blowout the Redbirds early. It started with back-to-back home runs by Billy Cook and Daniel Johnson to make it 3-0.
Following the back-to-back jacks, Anthony Servideo would get his first hit and RBI on the same play. It was his Triple-A debut after getting called up today. With the bases loaded, Kjerstad hit an automatic double to score two runs. Cook followed with another two runs on an RBI single to cap the seven run inning to go up 9-0.
That was more than enough for Tides starter Brandon Young to work with. He lasted 5.0 innings, allowing no runs on one hit and no walks while striking out four. He retired 15-of-16 batters.
Trey McGough continued the success of Young in relief. He tossed 3.0 innings, allowing no runs on three hits and two walks while striking out three. He earned his second hold of the season.
Memphis was able to scratch across two runs in the ninth but that would be all as the Tides won, 9-2. That ties the series up at 2-2. Tomorrow, RHP Julio Teheran (0-0, 15.75) will throw for Norfolk while LHP Michael McGreevy (3-6, 5.01) will pitch for Memphis. First pitch at 6:35 p.m.
POSTGAME NOTES
We Goin’ Back-to-Back: Billy Cook and Daniel Johnson hit back-to-back home runs in the fourth inning…that was the fourth time the Tides have done so this season…it was the second time Cook and Johnson went back-to-back this season (June 8 at Scranton/Wilkes-Barre…it was Cook’s fifth home run of the season, while it was the 12th for Johnson.