Tides Drop Final Game in Memphis

MEMPHIS, TN --- The Norfolk Tides (8-9, 44-48) fell to the Memphis Redbirds (9-9, 47-46), 8-5, on Sunday afternoon at AutoZone Park. Nick Maton launched his third home run in two days, while Jackson Holliday paced all batters with three hits, but the Tides couldn’t come back from a six-run sixth inning and fell to the Redbirds in the final game of the road trip.

Memphis got on the board first on Sunday, taking an early 2-0 lead in the bottom of the first on Thomas Saggese’s 10th home run of the season. Coby Mayo led off the top of the second with a single, and after a Daniel Johnson ground out, Nick Maton stepped to the plate. He took the third pitch he saw 410 feet over the right field fence for his 10th home run of the season with the Tides and third in two games to tie the score at 2-2.

In the top of hte third, Holliday roped a double with out out, and Connor Norby worked a walk. After Holliday stole third base, a wild pitch from Gordon Graceffo allowed him to score and give the Tides a 3-2 advantage. The Tides tacked on another run in the top of the fourth in an RBI double from Blake Hunt that scored Maton to make it 4-2 Norfolk. Holliday capped off the inning with an RBI single to bring home Hunt and extend the Tides lead to 5-2.

After being held scoreless through the next four innings, Memphis collected back-to-back home runs thanks to Cesar Prieto and Thomas Saggese in the bottom of the sixth to cut their deficit to 5-4. The Redbirds then loaded the bases following an RBI single by Gavin Collins and retook the lead four batters later with a sacrifice fly out from Victor Scott II. Prieto’s fly ball brought home two more runners to cap off Memphis’s six-run sixth inning and gave them an 8-5 advantage.

Holliday reached on a double in the seventh, but the Tides could not bring him home. The Tides saw just two more runners reach base, with neither of them scoring.

The Tides will head into the All-Star break four games under .500 overall and with an 8-9 record in the second half. They take on Nashville for the first of three games at Harbor Park on Friday.

POSTGAME NOTES

Maton Mashes: Nick Maton finished 2-for-4 with a home run, two RBI and two runs today...Maton has now launched 10 homers this season, with three coming in the last two games...he has now collected a home run in back-to-back games twice this season, with the first time coming from May 7 - 8 at Memphis...the long ball marked the 40th of his minor league career...through 16 games this year against the Redbirds, Maton is batting .333 (20-for-60) with two doubles, six home runs and 17 RBI.

Holliday Season: Atop Norfolk’s lineup, Jackson Holliday paced all hitters today, going 3-for-5 with two doubles, an RBI and a run...it marked his 15th multi-hit game of the season and first three-hit outing since May 8 at Memphis...Holliday has reached base safely in all 10 games this month and is batting .297 (11-for-37) with six runs, six doubles, a home run, three RBI and 12 walks.