Josh VanMeter hit a go-ahead two-run homer in the eighth inning and four relievers combined for six shutout innings as the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders defeated the Norfolk Tides 7-3 on Wednesday night before 3,552 fans at Harbor Park.
The RailRiders (6-4) took a 2-0 series lead, handed the Tides (7-4) their third straight loss and dropped them out of first place in the International League’s East Division. Buffalo moved a half game ahead of Norfolk and Jacksonville with a 12-11 victory over Rochester.
It was Norfolk’s first game without top MLB prospect Jackson Holliday, whom the Baltimore Orioles called up to the majors on Tuesday.
The Tides managed only six hits. They took a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning on Coby Mayo’s RBI double.
After Scranton/Wilkes-Barre took a 2-1 lead in the second inning, Norfolk regained the lead at 3-2 in the bottom of the third on Peyton Burdick’s sacrifice fly and Maverick Handley’s RBI single.
The Tides, though, managed only one more hit the rest of the night as RailRiders relievers Phil Bickford, Oddanier Mosqueda, Duane Underwood Jr. (1-0) and Ron Marinaccio shut the door. Marinaccio picked up his first save of the season with two hitless innings.
Scranton/Wilkes-Barre tied the game at 3 in the fourth on Jordan Groshans’ RBI single. VanMeter’s first homer of the season put the RailRiders ahead to stay in the eighth, and they added two more runs in the ninth.
Tides starter Chayce McDermott continued to struggle with control, walking five batters in his third straight start. He allowed three runs on five hits in 4.1 innings. Norfolk relievers Wandisson Charles and Bryan Baker gave up two runs apiece in the eighth and ninth innings.
Norfolk has averaged 2.3 runs a game during its three-game skid after averaging 13.8 runs in its previous five games.
The teams are scheduled to play a 12:05 p.m. game Thursday at Harbor Park.
