Norfolk Tides offense explodes against Durham in season opener

Published 10:34 pm Friday, March 29, 2024

By: John Stanley — Norfolk Tides

NORFOLK, VA — The Norfolk Tides (1-0) defeated the Durham Bulls (0-1), 12-8, on Friday night at Harbor Park to kick off their 2024 season. In front of 10,265 fans, the defending Triple-A champions saw all nine hitters collect a base hit, while Chayce McDermott struck out six batters in 4.1 innings of one-run ball in his first start of the year.

MLB No. 1 overall prospect Jackson Holliday kicked off the season with a leadoff solo in the bottom of the first to get the Tides on the board. Then to kickstart a seven-run second inning, Holliday drove in Billy Cook on a sacrifice fly, bringing in his second of four RBI on the day. Norfolk went on to bat around that inning, with Heston Kjerstad and Kyle Stowers each collecting RBI hits before Peyton Burdick socked a two-run homer to center field in his first at bat with the Tides. Shortstop Errol Robinson capped off the scoring avalanche with an RBI single in his first Norfolk at bat to drive in Cook to go up 8-0.

Holliday continued the onslaught in the bottom of the fourth with a two-run single that drove in Cook and Maverick Handley, giving the Tides a 10-0 advantage. Meanwhile, McDermott was slicing through Durham hitters in his first start of the year. He finished 4.1 innings with six strikeouts, allowing just one run on a hit and five walks.

After the Bulls responded with seven runs in the top of the sixth, Norfolk returned fire in their half of the inning. Connor Norby notched his fourth hit of the evening, a two-run RBI double that gave the Tides a 12-8 lead. The score would stay there as Luis González, Wandisson Charles, and Bryan Baker closed out the final innings, with González notching his first win.

Norfolk returns to action Saturday evening for the second game of their three-game homestand against the Bulls, with LHP Bruce Zimmermann (0-0, -.–) slated to face off against RHP Nathan Wiles (0-0, -.–).