Coby Mayo hit a two-run double to highlight a seven-run seventh inning and finished with three RBIs in his Triple-A debut, leading the Norfolk Tides to an 11-3 rout of the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders before 6,873 fans Friday night at Harbor Park.
The Tides (56-30, 8-4 in second half) returned from a four-day break by scoring three runs in the first inning, then responding in a big way after the RailRiders (41-44, 7-4) tied it at 3 in the top of the seventh inning.
Connor Norby led off the bottom of the first with his 12th homer of the season, and the next four Tides also reached base. After Heston Kjerstad got hit by a pitch, Joey Ortiz singled and Kyle Stowers walked to load the bases for Mayo, who drew a walk to drive in a run in his first Triple-A at-bat and make it 2-0. Cesar Prieto followed with a run-scoring groundout to cap the first-inning burst.
First at bat out of the break, @norby_connor blasts his 12th home run of the season!#RisingTide pic.twitter.com/b5mZOQrTdR
— Norfolk Tides (@NorfolkTides) July 14, 2023
Meanwhile, left-hander Drew Rom started for the Tides and tossed a scoreless inning with two strikeouts. Justin Armbruester replaced him and pitched three hitless innings to keep Scranton/Wilkes-Barre blanked.
The RailRiders trimmed their deficit to 3-2 in the top of the sixth on Carlos Narvaez’s two-run homer off Tides reliever Noah Denoyer and tied it on Jesus Bastidas’ solo shot off Wandisson Charles in the top of the seventh.
Charles (1-0) picked up the victory thanks to Norfolk’s seven-run barrage in the bottom of the seventh.
With one out, Maverick Handley walked and Norby singled. Kjerstad followed with an RBI single to center and Ortiz then hit an RBI double to right to make it 5-3. After Stowers struck out, Mayo doubled on a sharp liner to left for his first Triple-A hit to score Kjerstad and Ortiz and make it 7-3.
The Tides EXPLODE for seven runs in the 7th, including @cobymayox‘s first Triple-A hit! It was a two-run double.
Norfolk up 10-3 into the 8th.#RisingTide pic.twitter.com/upZQKERF7r
— Norfolk Tides (@NorfolkTides) July 15, 2023
Prieto followed with an RBI double to right to score Mayo, Ryan McKenna walked and Josh Lester — batting for the second time in the inning — hit an RBI single to right to make it 9-3. Norby capped the inning with a bases-loaded walk.
RailRiders reliever Aaron McGarity (4-2) took the loss, allowing four runs on three hits in two-thirds of an inning.
Joey Krehbiel pitched a scoreless eighth inning and Easton Lucas followed with a perfect night to close it out for Norfolk.
Ortiz finished with three hits and Norby had two for the Tides, who had nine hits and walked eight times.
The three-game series continues at 6:35 p.m. Saturday for a Fireworks Night game.
