Colton Cowser fell just a triple short of the cycle Sunday as the Norfolk Tides won their third game in a row, earning a split of a six-game series at Memphis with a 6-5, 10-inning victory before 1,845 on a 96-degree day at AutoZone Park in Tennessee.
Shayne Fontana lined a single to right in the 10th, driving home automatic runner Kyle Stowers with the go-ahead run.
Cowser drove in two runs and scored two. Wandisson Charles (3-2) pitched two hitless innings of relief for the victory, striking out Matt Koperniak with a runner at third in the 10th and retiring Ivan Herrera on a weak grounder to end the game.
Tides starter Chayce McDermott struck out seven in six innings, giving up three earned runs, six hits and two walks.Memphis scored twice in the seventh off Austin Voth to pull even at 5, but relievers T.J. McFarland, Joey Krehbiel and Charles kept the Redbirds from pulling ahead.
Gomez scored twice for the Redbirds, and he and Moises Juniel Querecuto had two hits apiece.
The Tides (72-47, 24-21 in the International League’s second half), who finished 4-8 on their trip to Jacksonville and Memphis (59-61, 20-25), will return to Harbor Park for a 6:35 p.m. Tuesday series opener against Durham.
INTERNATIONAL LEAGUE SECOND-HALF STANDINGS
(1H refers to a team’s first-half record)
Team, W-L, Pct., 1H
Lehigh Valley (Phillies), 28-16, .636, -, 36-37
Durham (Rays), 28-17, .622, 0.5, 40-35
Worcester (Red Sox), 27-17, .614, 1.0, 39-36
St. Paul (Twins), 26-19, .578, 2.5, 43-31
Iowa (Cubs), 25-19, .568, 3.0, 43-30
Buffalo (Blue Jays), 24-19, .558, 3.5, 34-41
Jacksonville (Marlins), 25-20, .556, 3.5, 32-42
*Nashville (Brewers), 23-20, .535, 4.5, 40-34
Scranton/W-B (Yankees), 23-20, .535, 4.5, 34-40
c-Norfolk (Orioles), 24-21, .5330, 4.5, 48-26
Gwinnett (Braves), 22-21, .512, 5.5, 33-42
Louisville (Reds), 23-22, .511, 5.5, 40-33
Indianapolis (Pirates), 22-22, .500, 6.0, 33-41
Toledo (Tigers), 22-23, .489, 6.5, 33-41
Columbus (Guardians), 20-23, .465, 7.5, 33-41
Rochester (Nationals), 20-24, .455, 8.0, 34-39
Memphis (Cardinals), 20-25, .444, 8.5, 39-36
Syracuse (Mets), 16-27, .372, 11.5, 33-41
Omaha (Royals), 14-29, .326, 13.5, 38-34
*Charlotte (White Sox), 8-36, .182, 20.0, 35-40
c-clinched first-half title and berth in best-of-three IL championship series in September.
*Does not include Sunday’s result.
