Nashville second baseman Josh VanMeter’s redemption brought the Norfolk Tides frustration.
VanMeter atoned for a costly error by socking a two-run go-ahead homer in the ninth inning of a 94-degree Saturday night at Harbor Park, giving the Sounds a 5-4 victory over the Tides before 6,710.
Norfolk starter Drew Rom had been in line for the victory. He threw a career-high 105 pitches, lasting 5 2/3 innings. The left-hander gave up eight hits but just two runs, striking out six and walking two.
Nashville (54-45, 14-11 in the International League’s second half) ended the Tides’ two-game winning streak and went ahead 3-2 in the six-game series, whose finale is at 4:05 p.m. Sunday.
The Sounds went ahead in the first as VanMeter scored when Skye Bolt blooped a single to right.
Norfolk (62-37, 14-11) quickly tied the game on Connor Norby’s home run to left in the botttom of the first.
Nashville went up 2-1 in the fourth as Bolt crossed the plate on Monte Harrison’s single to center. But again, the Tides answered in the bottom of the fourth.
Kyle Stowers led off with a double and went to third with one out on Cesar Prieto’s infield single. Josh Lester grounded a tying RBI double to center field. Norfolk went ahead 4-2 when VanMeter mishandled a Lewin Diaz batted ball, allowing Prieto and Lester to score.
Relievers T.J. McFarland and Nick Vespi contained Nashville, preserving the lead. But Logan Gillaspie wasn’t so fortunate in the ninth, when the Sounds went ahead without making an out.
Harrison led off with a double to right, and Luis Urias doubled to left to cut Norfolk’s lead to 4-3. VanMeter belted a 2-0 pitch over the wall in left-center, scoring the go-ahead run.
Gillaspie avoided further damage, but Thyago Vieira retired the Tides 1-2-3 in the ninth for a save. Harrison made a leaping catch of a Diaz drive on the warning track in center field to end the game.
