Shut down for 6 2/3 innings, the Norfolk Tides erupted for five runs in the seventh and went on to defeat Nashville 8-4 on a 95-degree Friday night before 5,707 at Harbor Park.
Kyle Stowers broke a tie with a two-run homer, and Norfolk expanded the margin in the eighth on Lewin Diaz’s two-run homer to right-center field. Joey Ortiz had three hits and three RBIs, and Connor Norby was 3 for 5 with two runs.
The Tides (62-36 overall, 14-10 in the International League’s second half) won their second consecutive game to level the series at two victories apiece. Nashville fell to 53-45, 13-11.
Wandisson Charles (2-2) gained the victory with two hitless innings of relief after fellow reliever Eduard Bazardo shut out the Sounds on one hit for 2 2/3 innings. Morgan McSweeney and Joey Krehbiel each pitched one inning, completing the Tides’ 6 2/3 shutout frames of relief in a combined five-hitter.
Norfolk left-hander Cade Povich, just promoted from Double-A Bowie, was making his Triple-A debut. He shut out Nashville for two innings before disaster struck in the third. Three walks and a wild pitch preceded Keston Hiura’s grand slam to center field, putting the Sounds ahead 4-1. Tides manager Buck Britton removed Povich after the next batter, Alex Jackson, reached on an infield single.Povich surrendered four earned runs, four walks and two hits in the 2 1/3-inning start.
Nashville starter Janson Junk held that 4-1 lead but was taken out after 92 pitches, the last of which enabled Anthony Bemboom to walk with two out in the seventh.
When reliever Jake Cousins (1-2) replaced Junk, the onslaught began. Norby singled before Heston Kjerstad hit an RBI double to right. Ortiz then lunged at a breaking pitch to line a two-run single to left, tying the score at 4.
Sounds manager Rick Sweet then summoned reliever J.B. Bukauskas, and Stowers slugged his first pitch for a two-run, opposite-field homer into the picnic area beyond left field. That made him the sixth Tides player to reach 30 home runs since Norfolk became a Baltimore affiliate.
The six-game series’ fifth contest is at 6:35 p.m. Saturday. Left-hander Drew Rom (7-6, 5.49 ERA) is Norfolk’s probable starter, while Nashville is expected to open with right-hander Justin Jarvis (0-2, 10.80).
