Whether it’s as the Tides or Red Stockings, Norfolk keeps on winning baseball games.
Joey Ortiz drew a game-ending, bases-loaded walk in the 10th inning Friday night to boost Norfolk to a 5-4 triumph over the Charlotte Knights before 8,535 fans.
Playing in charcoal-colored Red Stockings uniforms on Harbor Park’s Negro Leagues tribute night, the Tides improved to 3-0 in the International League’s second half and 51-26 for the season despite leaving 16 runners on base.
Both starters gave their teams solid outings on an 83-degree night. Charlotte left-hander Garrett Davila yielded three runs and seven hits in six innings, striking out five. Norfolk’s Justin Armbruester, in just his second Triple-A start, lasted 5 2/3 innings, giving up three runs (two earned) and six hits, striking out seven.
Heston Kjerstad’s sacrifice fly and Josh Lester’s RBI double off the right-field wall in the first put Norfolk ahead 2-0.
Yolbert Sanchez’s sacrifice fly cut the Knights’ deficit to 2-1, and they went ahead 3-2 in the fourth when Nate Mondou hit an RBI double after Oscar Colas homered off the right-field foul pole.
Lester doubled home Ortiz in the fifth, but Colas slugged another homer in the seventh to put Charlotte ahead 4-3.
But as they have done so often in Tides uniforms, the Red Stockings responded in the ninth. With one out against Bryan Shaw, who has appeared in 753 major league games, Kjerstad singled to center field and Ortiz doubled to right, putting runners at second and third.
Charlotte issued Lester an intentional walk to load the bases, but on an 0-2 count, Daz Cameron avoided a double play on his grounder to second as Kjerstad scored, extending the game.
The Knights couldn’t advance their gifted runner beyond second base starting the 10th as Tides reliever Joey Krehbiel (1-0) induced a pop fly, strikeout and groundout, completing his two hitless innings.
The Tides’ gifted runner was Maverick Handley, and Shayne Fontana bunted him to third. Charlotte reliever Nicholas Padilla intentionally walked Colton Cowser and Connor Norby to set up forces at every base, then retired Kjerstad on a pop fly to second. But on a 3-2 count to Ortiz, Padilla threw a breaking ball far outside and low, forcing Handley home with the winning run.
The six-game series continues with a 6:35 p.m. game Saturday. Chris Vallimont (2-5, 5.02 ERA) is scheduledto pitch against the Tides against left-handerJohn Parke (1-4, 7.00),
