CHARLOTTE, N.C. — The Norfolk Tides (3-1) defeated the Charlotte Knights (1-3), 10-6, on Tuesday night at Truist Field. The Tides open up their first road trip with a win along with the help of six home runs and a stellar performance by Tides starter Cade Povich.
It didn’t take long for the home runs to take place. Jackson Holliday blasted his second home run home run to lead off the game, then Connor Norby followed him to go back-to-back to start the game. Charlotte starter Johan Dominguez wouldn’t allow another run until the fifth inning when Heston Kjerstad blasted a two-run shot to put the Tides up, 4-0.
Norfolk didn’t stop their. Kyle Stowers led the sixth inning off with a home run, his second of the season. Another run would cross for them in the seventh when Errol Robinson doubled, reached third base on a wild pitch, and scored on a Norby sac fly. In the eighth, the Tides would take an 7-0 lead after taking advantage of a Charlotte error.
A big factor in maintaining the shutout was Norfolk starter Povich. He earned a quality start in his 2024 debut, going 6.0 innings and allowed no runs on one hit and no walks while striking out five. Povich threw 75 pitches, 49 for strikes.
Robbie Grossman broke up the shutout in the eighth with a solo home run. The Tides hit their fifth and sixth home runs in the ninth, starting with Robinson’s first of the season, then Kjerstad’s second of the night to go up 10-1.
The Knights put together a rally in the ninth, scoring five runs. Max Stassi knocked an RBI single for the first run, then Grossman launched a grand slam for his second homer of the night. That would be all though as Norfolk won, 10-6.
Game two of the series is scheduled at 6:35 p.m. tomorrow night. The Tides are scheduled to throw RHP Justin Armbruester (0-0, -.--), while the Knights will have Jonathan Cannon (0-0, -.--) on the hill.