Tides' Lambin slugs three homers

Chase Lambin hit three solo homers to power the Norfolk Tides to a 7-1 victory over the Syracuse SkyChiefs in the first game of a doubleheader on Friday.

Lambin opened the scoring in the third inning against Syracuse starter Francisco Rosario (2-4) with his first Triple-A home run. The 26-year-old shortstop connected again off reliever Josue Matos in the fifth and followed Rodney Nye's two-run blast in the seventh with his third round-tripper of the day.

A switch-hitter, Lambin homered in three of his last four games at Double-A before he was promoted to the Tides on June 30. He has hit safely in each of his last five games, going 10-for-17.

The four long balls came in support of Eric Junge (7-5), who recorded his first win in six starts since June 5. He allowed one run on five hits in six innings with nine strikeouts, his highest total since fanning 11 in his first Triple-A start of the season on April 24.

Juan Padilla worked a 1-2-3 seventh for his 12th save, preserving Norfolk's third straight win.

Kevin Barker hit a solo homer for Syracuse, which has dropped three in a row.