Even by the Norfolk Tides’ lofty standards, Sunday’s 15-3 rout of Charlotte at Harbor Park before 6,712 was exceptional.
Cesar Prieto drove in four runs and had four of his team’s 19 hits on the 93-degree night as the Tides improved to 4-1 in the series and the second half of the International League season.
Joey Ortiz’s two-run double in the third inning put Norfolk ahead 2-1. He has an 11-game hitting streak and a seven-game streak of providing at least one RBI.
Later in the third, the first-half champion Tides made it 4-1 on Prieto’s two-run single.
Leading 5-2, Norfolk amassed seven runs in the sixth to run away from the Knights.
Colton Cowser had two hits and scored twice, as did Ortiz, Heston Kjerstad, Daz Cameron and Lewin Diaz. Kjerstad drove in two runs, and Ryan Mountcastle capped the rout with a three-run homer in the eighth.
Noah Denoyer (2-0) earned the victory, pitching three innings of relief after starter Ryan Watson pitched three. Darwinzon Hernandez, whose appearance Saturday was his first since serving a three-game suspension for his part in a bench-clearing incident, pitched one inning before Morgan McSweeney worked the final two.
Charlotte left-hander John Parke (1-5) took the loss, surrendering five earned runs and seven hits in 4 2/3 innings. His teammate Victor Reyes had three hits, including a home run, and three RBIs.
In the series finale at 6:35 p.m. Monday, Grayson Rodriguez (4-0, 2.51 ERA) is expected to pitch for Norfolk against fellow right-hander Chase Solesky (0-2, 6.75).
