Jones' Heroics Spoiled By Gwinnett Walk-Off

LAWRENCEVILLE, Ga., --- The Norfolk Tides (11-8) fell to the Gwinnett Stripers (7-12), 7-6, on Tuesday in walk-off fashion. It is the first such defeat the Tides have suffered this season.

Trailing 6-5 heading into the ninth, Jahmai Jones kept the game alive for the Tides by launching a solo shot, his first home run since April 7, to tie the contest.

But Phil Gosselin led-off the home half of the ninth with a double and would advance to third on an error, which set up Pat Valaika’s game-winning sacrifice fly two batters later.

Norfolk jumbed out to an early 2-0 lead in the first, with Tyler Nevin driving home Richie Martin with a two-out double and Brett Cumberland drawing a walk with the bases loaded. The Tides have now drawn a walk with the bases loaded in three-straight games.

Gwinnett responded with three runs their first time up, but Kyle Stowers immediately took the lead right back with a two-run shot of his own to make it 4-3. The Stripers would then score three more times in the fifth to take a 6-4 lead. Robert Neustrom kick-started the late rally with a solo shot in the seventh to halve the deficit. He has now homered in consecutive games for the first time this season.

Game two of this six game set is tomorrow night, with first pitch scheduled for 7:05 p.m. RHP Kyle Bradish (2-0, 1.20) is slated to take the mound for Norfolk. He will be facing RHP Touki Toussaint (0-0, 1.42), who is tabbed to make the start for Gwinnett.

POSTGAME NOTES

• EARLY EXITS: In the last three games, the Norfolk offense has not let the opposing starter work more than 1.0 innings, including chasing the starter out of the game before the end of the first in two of those games. Tides hitters have gone a combined 5-for-10 (.500), with one home run, eight walks and six runs scored against starters during that span.
• TIDES DIG THE LONG BALL: Kyle Stowers and Robert Neustrom each homered in today’s game, bring the Tides season total to 27. They are on pace to hit 213 this season, which would shatter the franchise record of 151, set in 1971. Norfolk has had at least two home runs in five-straight games, the longest such streak in the International League this season.
• NASTY NICK VESPI: Nick Vespi has yet to allow an earned run this season in his first 8.2 innings pitched, spanning seven games. He has struck out 12 batters and walked one during that span, with opposing hitters going 4-for-28 (.143) against.