Norfolk drops Durham 7-2, force decisive game 3

Norfolk, Va. — Bulls designated hitter Logan Driscoll smashed a solo home run, while Tides right fielder Kyle Stowers clubbed three hits, including the back end of back-to-back home runs with third baseman Coby Mayo, and reliever Austin Voth set down each of the first eleven batters he faced, including nine strikeouts, as Norfolk defeated Durham 7-2 in Game Two of the International League Championship Series on Wednesday evening at Harbor Park.

The Tides got their first two scores in the second, courtesy of the back-to-back solo shots from Mayo and Stowers. 2B Joey Ortiz would then double the margin to 4-0 with his two-run single to center in the fifth, while Norfolk would plate two more tallies on wild pitches in the sixth to make it 6-0.

Ortiz would later drive in his third run of the evening by ripping an RBI double down the left field line in the seventh. Driscoll would then end Norfolk’s shutout hopes in the eighth with his solo blast to right before 1B Evan Edwards came across on a Norfolk fielding miscue. Durham would threaten in the ninth with two runners on base yet were unable to erase the deficit any further.

Stowers recorded a game-high three hits and reached base four times, with Ortiz (2-3, 1 2B, 3 RBI, 1 BB) and SS Jackson Holliday (2-3, 1 BB) each recorded multi-hit efforts for the Tides as well.

Voth (4.0 IP, 2 H, 9 SO) fired four scoreless innings of relief, fanning nine of the 14 batters he faced, to earn the victory. Bulls righty Carlos Garcia (2.0 IP, 2 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 2 BB, 1 SO), meanwhile, suffered the defeat.

The two teams are slated to face off in the third and decisive game of their best-of-three series on Thursday evening at Harbor Park, with first pitch scheduled for 6:35pm.