Norfolk Bats Fall Quiet in Loss to Gwinnett

NORFOLK, VA --- The Norfolk Tides (29-27) fell to the Gwinnett Stripers (27-29), 10-2, on Saturday night at Harbor Park. Gwinnett hung six runs on the Tides in the top of the first and cruised to a series-clinching win over Norfolk.

Gwinnett struck first once again Saturday night, taking an early lead in the top of the first thanks to six hits. They scored on an RBI double from Yuli Gurriel and an RBI single by Phillip Evans. The Stripers then took a 6-0 lead when Luke Waddell launched a grand slam to cap off the opening frame.

The Tides quickly responded thanks to a walk and single to open their half of the inning. Then, Billy Cook brought home Jackson Holliday on a ground out to make it 6-1 Gwinnett.

Gwinnett added back a run in the top of the third when Phillip Evans launched a solo home run, but Norfolk once again tacked on a run in the bottom half of the inning when Cook brought home Holliday on an RBI single to make it 7-2.

The Stripers made it 8-2 in the top of the sixth when Luke Williams hit his fifth home run of the season, a solo shot off Luis González.They tacked on another run in the top of the eighth when Forrest Wall roped an RBI double off the right-center field wall and added another on an RBI single by Yuli Gurriel to make it 10-2 Stripers.

The Tides will take on the Stripers tomorrow night in the final game of their six-game series. RHP Chayce McDermott (1-3, 4.02) will be on the mound for Norfolk, while Gwinnett will start RHP Bryce Elder (2-1, 5.23). First pitch is 1:05 p.m.

POSTGAME NOTES

Holliday Season: In the loss, Jackson Holliday went 1-for-3 with a double, a walk and two runs...he extended his hitting streak to nine games, which ties a career long he set in 2023, while also extending his on base streak to 16 games...Holliday’s hitting streak is tied for the second-longest active streak in the International League, while his on-base streak is tied for seventh...since the start of his on-base streak on May 15 (Game 2) against Lehigh Valley, Holliday is batting .278 (17-for-61) with 18 runs, five doubles, three home runs, nine RBI and 15 walks.

Let Him Cook: Finishing 1-for-4 with two RBI tonight was Billy Cook...his RBI in the bottom of the first marked Cook’s 200th career minor league runner driven in...he registered a multi-RBI game for the fifth time this season with the Tides and for the first time since May 17 against Lehigh Valley when he also drove in two runners.

Terrin the Cover Off: Going 1-for-3 with a double on Saturday night was Terrin Vavra...the second baseman also hit a two-bagger in last night's win and now has five extra base hits (three doubles, two home runs) in 14 games with the Tides this season and has posted a .386 on-base percentage with nine runs, nine walks and a hit by pitch...it’s the first time Vavra has collected doubles in back-to-back games since July 16 - 22, 2022 with the Tides against Worcester and Durham.