Tides clinch road series victory by outslugging Jacksonville

Though Jacksonville kept fighting back Saturday night, the Norfolk Tides continued to show why they’re the International League’s best team.

The Tides clinched a series victory in Florida by holding off the Jumbo Shrimp 13-10 before a crowd of 8,673.

Using eight pitchers for no more than five outs each, Norfolk (28-9) improved to 4-1 in the series in Florida. It will conclude with a Sunday afternoon game against Jacksonville (18-18).

Winner Kyle Dowdy improved to 5-0, though he gave up two earned runs, two hits and three walks in 1 1/3 innings while striking out three.

The only Tides who pitched who were not charged with an earned run in the 3-hour, 20-minute game were Keegan Akin, who was just sent down by Baltimore, and Richmond-area native Reed Garrett.

The top four hitters in the Tides’ order combined for 12 runs, 11 hits, five walks and eight RBIs. Colton Cowser scored four runs and had three hits, Connor Norby had two runs and two hits, Josh Lester drove in four runs, tripled, homered and scored three runs, and Jordan Westburg doubled, homered, singled, scored three runs and drove in three.

The Tides needed almost all of them against a Jacksonville team that threatened to erase a 10-2 deficit. Jerar Encarnacion and C.J. Hinojosa hit home runs, and Hinojosa and Brian Miller drove in three runs apiece.

With the potential tying run on deck, Logan Gillaspie retired Jake Mangum on a groundout to Norby at second to end the game. That kept Norfolk’s East Division lead at eight games over second-place Durham.