Despite two home runs and a double by Samuel Basallo, the Norfolk Tides lost 6-4 Tuesday night at Harbor Park to Jacksonville in an International League series opener before 3,648.
The Jumbo Shrimp (25-15), the Miami Marlins’ top affiliate, erased a 4-1 deficit with four runs in the eighth off reliever Grant Wolfram (0-2) before adding a run in the ninth off Corbin Martin. The six-game series is scheduled to continue at 6:35 Tuesday night.
Basallo showed why Baseball America rates him as the Baltimore Orioles’ top minor league prospect. In the first inning, he yanked a high fastball over the wall in right for a three-run homer and a 3-0 Norfolk lead.
In the third inning, another blast over the wall in right, his sixth home run of the year, put the Tides (14-25) ahead 4-0. In his third at-bat, Basallo smacked a 403-foot double off the wall despite a headwind.
Heriberto Hernandez singled home the Shrimp’s first run in the fourth. It was the only run allowed in five innings by Tides starter Cameron Weston, who struck out seven, walked none and gave up four hits.
Jacksonville went ahead in the eighth. Deyvison De Los Santos knocked in Andrew Pintar with a single to right before Troy Johnston doubled to left, scoring Joe Mack. Johnston doubled twice and tripled.
Jack Winkler then hit a go-ahead two-run single to center for a 5-4 lead.
Mack’s double to right in the ninth made it 6-4, and Seth Martinez struck out all three Tides he faced for a save.
Jacksonville starter Connor Gillispie, a former VCU star who began the season in the Marlins’ major league rotation, gave up four runs and six hits in five innings. He struck out five and walked two.
Shrimp relievers then combined for four scoreless innings to complete the three-hour game that started on schedule despite a rainy day. George Soriano pitched a scoreless sixth and seventh for the victory.