For the first time this season, the Norfolk Tides have lost four straight games.
Jerar Encarnación hit a pair of two-run homers and the Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp defeated the Tides 5-1 before 4,162 fans Thursday night at 121 Financial Ballpark in Florida.
Jacksonville (53-57, 21-15 in second half) took a 3-0 series lead and held Norfolk (68-42, 20-16) to two or fewer runs for the fourth straight game.
The Tides, who lost their series finale at Charlotte on Sunday, are in jeopardy of losing their first series since dropping four of six games to Worcester at home on June 13-18.
Heston Kjerstad accounted for the Tides’ lone run in the top of the first inning, hitting an RBI single to left to score Connor Norby. Norby led off the game with his 30th double of the season.
Encarnación hit the first of his two-run shots in the bottom of the second inning off Norfolk starter Cade Povich (0-1). That was Povich’s only mistake as he went five innings, allowing the two runs on four hits.
Jordan Groshans made it 3-1 in the bottom of the sixth with an RBI single off Tides reliever Mychal Givens, who then gave up Encarnación’s second two-run homer.
Jacksonville starter Daniel Castano (2-0) allowed the lone run in 5.1 innings, scattering seven hits. He and three relievers held Tides slugger Joey Ortiz hitless for only the third time in the past 18 games. Ortiz went 0 for 4.
Norby, Kjerstad, Kyle Stowers and Anthony Bemboom each had two hits for Norfolk.
The teams are set to play again at 7:05 p.m. Friday, with right-hander Justin Armbruester (1-1, 4.50) slated to start for Norfolk and Jacksonville expected to counter with lefty Ryan Weathers.
