Nick Maton extended a recent surge by hitting a walk-off three-run homer in the bottom of the seventh inning and the Norfolk Tides rallied from a 5-0 deficit for a 6-5 victory over the Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp in the first game of a doubleheader Wednesday at Harbor Park.
The series opener, postponed due to rain on Tuesday night, was rescheduled as part of a doubleheader. The Jumbo Shrimp won the second game 1-0 to earn a split.
Maton has been on a tear. In his past four games going into the second game of the twinbill, he was hitting .428 with four homers, six runs and 11 RBIs.
In the first game, the Tides (47-50, 11-11 second half) trailed 5-3 going into the bottom of the seventh inning, but Shayne Fontana and Terrin Vavra both walked to reach base. Maton followed with his 11th homer of the season, a shot to right-center field.
DOWN FIVE…TWO MEN ON…MATON MASHES A WALK-OFF THREE-RUN HOME RUN
TIDES WWWWWINNN!!!!#DefendtheHarbor pic.twitter.com/J2FqKO4HQe
— Norfolk Tides (@NorfolkTides) July 24, 2024
Jacksonville (47-50, 12-10) led 5-0 after the second inning, getting to Tides starter Cade Povich early. Jhonny Pereda hit a two-run single in the first inning and Jose Devers’ double and three Tides errors capped a three-run second.
Povich settled down and pitched six innings, allowing all five runs on six hits. He struck out two and walked one.
Luis González (5-2) pitched a scoreless top of the seventh to earn the victory. Jacksonville reliever Anthony Maldonado (4-4) gave up four runs in a third of an inning.
Jacksonville’s 5-0 lead stood until the bottom of the sixth, when Norfolk’s Kyle Stowers hit a three-run homer for his 18th long ball of the season. Maverick Handley and Hudson Haskin both singled to reach base.
The Tides finished with only five hits, but got the most out of two big swings.
In the nightcap, Jacksonville starter Shaun Anderson (2-1) tossed six scoreless innings, allowing two hits with five strikeouts and one walk. Reliever Emmanuel Ramirez threw a scoreless seventh to complete the shutout.
Norfolk starter Tucker Davidson (3-4) pitched well, giving up one run on five hits in six innings. He got no run support, though.
Coby Mayo and Vavra had the Tides’ lone hits.
The teams are scheduled to play a 12:05 p.m. game Thursday.
Meanwhile, the Baltimore Orioles selected the contract of Tides right-hander Chayce McDermott, and he made his MLB debut Wednesday night against the Miami Marlins on the road. He allowed three runs on five hits in four innings, striking out three and walking two in 82 pitches.
The Orioles rallied for three runs in the top of the sixth inning to ensure McDermott wouldn’t take the loss, but Miami won the game 6-3.
Baltimore also optioned reliever Bryan Baker to the Tides and designated right-hander Jonathan Heasley for assignment.
The Orioles plan to add Tides second baseman Connor Norby to their taxi squad in case infielder Jorge Mateo has to go on the injured list. Mateo suffered an elbow injury in Tuesday night’s game.
