The Norfolk Tides scored an astounding 100 runs in their first nine games this season, but their offensive production has hit a wall ever since.
Despite a three-run rally in the eighth inning Tuesday afternoon, the Tides gave up a walk-off single in the bottom of the ninth inning to open a six-game series at Jacksonville with a 4-3 loss before 6,360 fans at 121 Financial Ballpark in Florida.
It was the eighth straight loss for Norfolk (7-9), which has scored only 20 runs in its past seven games and has surpassed three runs in only one contest in that span.
The Tides’ first four hitters in their lineup — Connor Norby, Heston Kjerstad, Coby Mayo and Kyle Stowers — have combined for 22 homers and 73 RBIs this season. But on Tuesday, they went a combined 1 for 17 with a run and no RBIs.
Mayo saw his 11-game hitting streak come to an end.
Jacksonville (9-7) — the Triple-A affiliate of the Miami Marlins — got single runs in the fourth, fifth and sixth innings on Victor Mesa Jr.’s solo homer, Jonah Bride’s RBI double and Jonathan Davis’ RBI single to take a 3-0 lead.
Norfolk tied it in the eighth on Ryan McKenna’s RBI single and Livan Soto’s two-run homer. It was Soto’s Tides debut after he played his first nine games this season with the Salt Lake Bees of the Triple-A Pacific Coast League.
But in the bottom of the ninth, Dane Myers hit a one-out double off Tides reliever Wandisson Charles (1-2) and Mesa followed with a sharp liner to right to score Myers and end it.
Norfolk got a solid start from Chayce McDermott, who gave up two runs on four hits in five innings with six strikeouts and two walks. Reliever Nick Vespi allowed a run in two innings.
Jacksonville starter Patrick Monteverde tossed five scoreless innings, allowing four hits and fanning six. Eli Villalobos gave up all three runs in the eighth, but Anthony Maldonado (3-0) pitched 1.1 scoreless innings for the victory.
No. 8 hitter Maverick Handley went 3 for 3 for the Tides, while No. 7 hitter Soto had two hits and two RBIs.
The teams are set to play again at 7:05 p.m. Wednesday.
