The Tides use a pair of 3-run homers to beat Rochester, 7-3.
NORFOLK, VA. — Drew Dosch and Caleb Joseph each hit three-run home runs to help power the Norfolk Tides to a 7-3 victory over the Rochester Red Wings in front of 8,083 fans Saturday night at Harbor Park.
The contest was tied at 1-1 entering the fifth inning before Norfolk’s offense erupted for six runs on five hits to take a 7-1 lead. Dosch gave the Tides the lead with a three-run blast off of Nick Anderson (2-1), and Joseph later added a three-run shot of his own to extend Norfolk’s lead to 7-1.
The offensive outburst snapped a five-game losing skid for the Tides, over which Norfolk had plated just seven total runs while batting .170 as a team. The Tides matched that run total Saturday night, registering 12 hits en route to evening the series at a game apiece.
The offense made a winner out of Jimmy Yacabonis (2-1), who limited the Red Wings to a run on one hit and two walks over five strong innings of work. Yacabonis struck out two while throwing 38 of his 65 pitches for strikes, lowering his ERA to 3.03 through 10 starts this season.
The 5.0 innings pitched also gave Yacabonis 100.0 career innings pitched with the Tides, qualifying him among the franchise’s career leaders. Yacabonis owns a 1.98 ERA in 51 career games with Norfolk, placing him second behind Oliver Drake’s 1.85 career ERA on the Tides all-time list.
Garabez Rosa had three hits and an RBI to help pace Norfolk’s offense, while Steve Wilkerson registered two hits for his first multi-hit game at the Triple-A level. Adrian Marin chipped in with a single, walk, stolen base and run scored.
The Tides will wrap up their homestand on Sunday afternoon, with first pitch slated for 1:05. Tim Melville (5-2, 4.17) will make the start for Norfolk and be opposed by left-hander Stephen Gonszlvez (4-1, 4.00).
*NOTES — The start of Saturday’s game was delayed by an hour and 39 minutes due to heavy rain in the Norfolk area…Scheduled Rochester starter Zack Littell was scratched as the Wings had to use their bullpen for the entire game.