Cowser Grand Slam Lifts Tides to Triple-A National Championship

LAS VEGAS, NV --- The Norfolk Tides (3-1) defeated the Oklahoma City Dodgers (2-1), 7-6, on Saturday night at Las Vegas Ballpark. The Triple-A Championship win caps a tremendous season, and the second Triple-A title in franchise history.

Oklahoma City started Yency Almonte, who made his first Minor League appearance of the season on MLB Rehab. After he retired the first batter he faced, he walked Connor Norby and allowed a single to Colton Cowser to put runners on first and third. Almonte retired the next batter, but Cowser stole second to put runners on second and third. Almonte escaped the inning on a strikeout.

Norfolk kept threatening in the second, getting two runners on including a single by Anthony Bemboom. The Tides failed to score again, however. In the third, they were able to strike first. Norby knocked a single and then advanced to third on a pickoff throwing error. After Cowser was hit by a pitch, Norby tried to score on a Coby Mayo ground ball to third base but was thrown out at home. With runners on first and second with one out, the Tides attempted a double steal. Cowser was easily going to reach third, so Dodgers catcher Hunter Feduccia threw it down to second that forced Mayo into a run-down. Mayo was retired, but Cowser scored on the play to make it 1-0, Tides.

Justin Armbruester had a solid start for the Tides. He didn’t allow a run in the first four innings. However with two outs in the fifth, Feduccia hit a solo home run to tie the game at 1-1. Armbruester finished with 5.0 innings pitched allowing the one run on two hits (inclduing the home run) and three walks while striking out four. He threw 71 pitches, 46 for strikes.

The Dodgers scored again in the sixth, starting with a leadoff double by Miguel Vargas. He scored when Jonny DeLuca knocked an RBI single to the left side to give Oklahoma City a 2-1 lead.

The Tides started to get things cooking again in the 7th. With one out, Lewin Díaz laced a double off the left-center field wall to get the offense started. Maverick Handley pinch-hit for Bemboom and walked on four straight pitches. Jackson Holliday flew out for the second out of the inning, but Norby followed with a walk. With the bases loaded, Cowser fell behind 0-2 quickly. But he took the next pitch deep to center field that cleared the batters eye, bringing the score to 5-2. The grand slam went 455 feet., and produced a 53.9% win probability added. The Tides chances to win went from 34.8% to 88.7%.

Into the ninth, the Tides put across what would be very important insurance runs. Handley reached safely on a hit-by pitch, then scored on a two-run homer by Norby to go up 7-2. Norby finished the night 3-for-3 with two runs, a home run, two RBI and two walks.

Oklahoma City put up a fight in the ninth. Jorbit Vivas led off with a walk and reached second on defensive indifference. Drew Avans knocked an RBI single to follow to make it 7-3. Avans scored when Michael Busch launched a two-run homer to bring it to 7-5. Joey Krehbiel entered to pitch for the Tides to get the remaining out, but Vargas had other plans by launching a home run to make it 7-6. Krehbiel settled in and struck out Ryan Ward out on three pitches to clinch the Triple-A National Championship.

Cowser was named MVP of the Championship game. He went 2-for-4 including the clutch go-ahead grand slam.

The previous franchise Triple-A championship was won by the Tidewater Tides, winning the Triple-A World Series in 1983. The Tides (IL, 3–1) won the series against the Portland Beavers (PCL, 2–2) and Denver Bears (AA, 1–3). Tidewater first baseman Gary Rajsich was selected as the Triple-A World Series Most Valuable Player.