Tides Clinch Playoff Berth As International League First-Half Winners

NASHVILLE, Tn --- The Norfolk Tides (46-23) defeated the Nashville Sounds (37-32), 8-3, Wednesday night at First Horizon Park. The victory clinched Norfolk the first-half winners of the International League, boasting the best record for the first 75 league games. It’s the first playoff berth berth for the Tides since 2015.

Norfolk will host the International League Championship Series at Harbor Park in a best-of-three series. After the Tides finish their regular season on the road at Buffalo on September 24, they return to Harbor Park to begin the playoffs on Tuesday, September 26. The winner of the International League Championship Series will play against the winner of the Pacific Coast League Championship Series in a winner-take-all Triple-A National Championship Game on Saturday, September 30 at Las Vegas Ballpark in Nevada.

Colton Cowser broke out the scoring for Norfolk, belting his ninth home run of the season in the first inning. That would hold the lead for the Tides until the bottom of the third, where Nashville took the lead on a two-run single by Brice Turang. This came after a lead off walk, followed by an error and a sac bunt to put runners on second and third with one out.

The Tides took the lead right back in the fourth. Cowser walked and Jordan Westburg singled to lead the inning off. They both scored on a two-run triple by Connor Norby to take the lead. He scored on a sac fly by César Prieto to put Norfolk up, 4-2.

Nashville was able to get a run back in the sixth. Tyler Naquin singled, then reached second on a fielding error to lead off the inning. He scored on a double by Alex Jackson, who ended up being thrown out at third trying to stretch the hit into a triple.

Four more insurance runs were added for the Tides in the ninth. Heston Kjerstad led off with a double and advanced to third on a wild pitch. He scored on a Norby sac fly for the first run. Prieto knocked his first career Triple-A hit and scored after stealing second followed by an RBI single by Maverick Handley. Cedric Mullins capped the scoring on a two-run homer, putting the game at 8-4. Nick Vespi entered to close the game in the final frame to clinch Norfolk as the first-half winners.

Game two and three are tomorrow in a doubleheader of seven-inning games. First pitch of game one is at 6:35 p.m. Eastern Time tomorrow, with game two starting roughly thirty minutes after the conclusion of game one. LHP Drew Rom (5-4, 4.64) starts for the Tides in game one and will face Nashville’s LHP* Thomas Pannone* (2-1, 2.89). RHP* Justin Armbruester* will make his Triple-A debut as the starter in game two for the Tides, with the Sounds yet to announce their probable.

POSTGAME NOTES

First-Half Champs: With the victory, the Tides clinched their first playoff appearance since 2015...Norfolk won the South Division with a 78-66 record, which was also the most recent season the Tides have finished with a winning record...it will be the first time the Tides have hosted a home playoff game since September 9 - 11, 2015 vs. Columbus...Norfolk played a five-game series that year, losing game five, 5-0.