Tides Drop Series Opener to Durham

NORFOLK, V.A. --- The Norfolk Tides (16-18, 52-57) fell to the Durham Bulls (15-19, 51-58), 10-3, on Tuesday night at Harbor Park. Despite Norfolk taking an early 2-0 lead in the bottom of the first, the Tides just one base hit after the fourth inning and fell to the Bulls in their series-opening game.

The Tides took an early lead Tuesday night against the Bulls. Following consecutive singles from Terrin Vavra and Daniel Johnson to lead off the first inning, Niko Goodrum collected an RBI to bring home Vavra and give Norfolk a 1-0 lead. The Tides tacked on another run on a fielder’s choice hit by TT Bowens in his first Triple-A at bat to score Maton and make it 2-0 Norfolk.

After being held hitless through the first two innings, Durham got on the board one batter into the third. Nick Schnell launched his first career Triple-A home run on a 1-2 pitch off Tucker Davidson to cut the lead to 2-1. Following two straight walks, Junior Caminero tied the game on an RBI single that scored Tristan Peters. A sacrifice fly out from Osleivis Basabe brought home Ronny Simon and gave Durham their first lead of the night.

The Bulls extended their lead in the following inning on an RBI single by Ronny Simon that scored Bob Seymour to make it 4-2 Durham. Caminero followed with a ground ball that brought home Schnell to make it 5-2 Bulls. In the top of the fifth, Rob Brantly tacked on another run to Durham’s lead on an RBI single that scored Basabe to make it 6-2 Bulls.

Simon grounded out to lead off the top of the sixth, but the next three Durham batters reached base on two walks and a single. After the Bulls loaded the bases, Jake Mangum roped an RBI double that hit off the left-center field wall and scored all three runners to give Durham a 9-2 lead. The Bulls tacked on one final run in the top half of the ninth inning when Caminero doubled in Tristan Peters to make it 10-2 Durham.

The Tides managed just three more base runners after collecting two hits and a walk over the final eight innings. Goodrum led off the bottom of the ninth with a triple and scored two batters later on a sacrifice fly out from Bowens to cut the deficit to 10-3, but it was all Norfolk could muster, as they fell to the Bulls, 10-3, in their series-opening game against Durham

The Tides will face the Bulls in the second game of their six-game series tomorrow night. RHP Brandon Young (3-2, 3.80) will start for Norfolk, while Durham will throw LHP Joe Rock (4-5, 4.89).

POSTGAME NOTES

Niko Knocks: Niko Goodrum finished 2-for-4 with a triple, an RBI and a run as the lone Tides batter to record a multi-hit effort...it marked his third triple in just his 20th game with Norfolk this season...since July 27, Goodrum has reached base safely in seven of his last eight games and is batting .310 (9-for-29) with two runs, a double, three triples and six RBI during that span.

TT To the Tides: Tides first baseman TT Bowens finished his first career Triple-A game going 0-for-3 at the plate while driving in two runs...he is the second Tides player this season to collect an RBI in his Triple-A debut after Anthony Servideo also had an RBI in his Norfolk debut on June 14...Bowens is also the first Tides player since Coby Mayo to collect an RBI in his first Triple-A at bat with Norfolk.