Four of the Orioles’ best prospects helped Norfolk rally back from a 3-0 deficit with six unanswered runs.
Triple-A: Norfolk Tides 6, Durham Bulls (Rays) 3
The Tides evened the series with a well-played 6-3 victory, using some timely hitting and solid pitching to upend Tyler Glasnow and the Bulls. Not that the Tides did any damage against Glasnow specifically; the rehabbing Rays ace pitched 2.2 brilliant innings, striking out six, with a walk as his only blemish.
Tyler Glasnow struck out the side in order on 15 pitches in his 1st frame tonight
lol just look at these pitches pic.twitter.com/zq5EsOZCeZ
— Durham Bulls (@DurhamBulls) September 23, 2022
Once Glasnow left the game, though, the Tides were able to get the offense going. They erased a 3-0 deficit by scoring three runs in the sixth, Connor Norby — who else? — got the rally started with a leadoff double. Norby is off to an 8-for-19 (.421) start in his first week at Triple-A, and has reached base in 15 straight games dating back to his stint at Bowie. Jordan Westburg also singled in the inning, part of a 3-for-5 night that raised his OPS to .893. An error and a passed ball plated two runs before Tyler Nevin tied the game with an RBI single.
Westburg delivered again with a go-ahead single in the seventh, and Colton Cowser added insurance with a home run in the eighth, his fourth for Norfolk. After a slow start at Triple-A, Cowser certainly seems to be getting acclimated to the level. He has hits in 11 of his last 12 games, batting .327 in that stretch. Joey Ortiz had a pair of hits as well and is now slashing .345/.404/.560. The top of the Tides’ lineup has an embarrassment of riches in prospects.
On the mound, Chris Vallimont gave a valiant effort (Valli-ant effort?) with 6.2 innings, giving up three early runs but settling down after that. Ryan Watson followed with 1.1 hitless frames, and relief ace Nick Vespi retired the side in order in the ninth for his eighth save. With just five games remaining in the season, Vespi still carries a perfect 0.00 ERA in 25 games for Norfolk, stretching across 27.1 innings.
Saturday’s scheduled game:
Norfolk: at Durham, 6:35 PM. Starter: Bruce Zimmermann (5-2, 3.71)