Jordan Westburg hit a three-run homer to highlight a seven-run first inning and the Norfolk Tides coasted to a 10-2 victory over the Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp in the opener of a six-game series Tuesday night in Florida.
The Tides (25-8) have won three straight and nine of 10 while increasing their International League East Division lead to seven games over Durham. They reached double digits in runs for the seventh time this season and boosted their run differential for the season to +116. The next closest team is Columbus at +46.
Eight Tides batters had at least a hit, and the team finished with 11.
Norfolk jumped all over Jacksonville starter Jeff Lindgren (3-2) from the outset as its first nine batters reached base. Colton Cowser led off with a double and Connor Norby singled, putting runners at the corners. Josh Lester reached on a throwing error to extend his on-base streak to 15 games. Cowser scored on the play.
Westburg then hit his three-run shot for his team-leading ninth homer of the season to make it 4-0.
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The Tides weren’t done. Joey Ortiz doubled, Lewin Diaz walked and Daz Cameron hit an RBI double to make it 5-0. After Shayne Fontana walked to load the bases, Maverick Handley walked to bring in the sixth run and Cowser hit a sacrifice fly to conclude the scoring.
Lindgren left after the ninth batter, failing to record an out and giving up five hits and three walks.
Norfolk used five pitchers, with starter Noah Denoyer giving up both of Jacksonville’s runs in three innings. Morgan McSweeney (1-0), the first reliever, picked up the victory with two scoreless innings. Cole Uvila followed with two more scoreless innings, while Nick Vespi and Phoenix Sanders closed it out with an inning each.
The Tides added three more runs in the third when Lester hit a two-run triple and Westburg reached on a fielding error, which scored Lester.
Lester joined Westburg with three RBIs apiece, while Cowser, Norby and Diaz had two hits apiece.
Xavier Edwards and Charles Leblanc each had three hits for the Jumbo Shrimp (17-15), but the rest of the lineup went a combined 3 for 27.
The two teams will meet again at 12:05 p.m. Wednesday.