The Norfolk Tides came into their latest series with a chance to get to, and even surpass, the .500 mark on the season.
Instead, they find themselves in the same spot as they did entering the series, two games from .500 and chance to reach and surpass it again.
With a roster that welcomed back Richie Martin and Nick Vespi and saw Cody Sedlock traded over the weekend, the Tides are seeing new faces show up and some old ones return and/or head out.
With an upcoming draft and the trade deadline approaching, the Tides could see more players come and go over the next few weeks.
Sedlock, who has been traded to the Tigers for cash considerations, had a strong series for the Tides before his trade.
Though he didn’t factor into the decision on Independence Day, Sedlock would pitch five shutout innings in the 1-0 loss. He would follow that up with five innings of one-run ball, picking up his fourth win in the Tides’ 5-1 victory Sunday.
Sedlock’s final stats for the season with the Tides are a 4-1 record with a 5.47 ERA across 54.1 innings with 62 strikeouts. We wish Sedlock well on his next journey.
Speaking of changing players, another player who could be moving on from the Tides soon is D.L. Hall, and by moving on, we mean moving up to the bigs.
Hall turned in one of his most effective outings this year. In Wednesday’s 6-1 victory, Hall dominated, tossing a season-high six innings of work.
Hall would strike out 14 batters, allowing only three hits and giving up one run in picking up his second victory. He threw 98 pitches, 68 of them going for strikes.
On the season, Hall moves to 2-4 on the season. He has pitched 56 innings across 14 games with an eye-popping 93 strikeouts. Those stats will find Hall gracing Camden Yards before too long.
Terrin Vavra, who is pushing for his own promotion, turned in a strong series, as he batted .350 across the five games he appeared in.
In the Tides’ 7-5 victory Thursday, Vavra would have his strongest game of the series. He would go 3-for-5 at the plate, collecting a double, two runs, an RBI and a stolen base.
For the season, Vavra, the Orioles No. 12 prospect, is now batting .315 with two home runs, 14 doubles, 16 RBIs and six stolen bases.
Robert Neustrom returned from the injured list and played the final three games of the series, leaving his mark in his return.
In Saturdays 5-1 win, Neustrom would power the offense in leading the team to victory. He would go 3-for-4 on the day, hitting a home run, collecting three RBIs and scoring a run. To top the day off, he would also steal a base.
On the year, Neustrom is now batting .245 with 10 home runs, 37 RBIs, 25 runs and seven stolen bases. He is slugging .451 and is a big addition back to the Tides’ lineup.
As the Tides continue their pursuit of .500, the team is sure to see changes abound in the next few weeks. Whether it be from promotions for players such as Hall, Matt Harvey, Bruce Zimmermann, Kyle Stowers, Jordan Westburg and/or Gunner Henderson, the Tides will be sure to keep fighting.
Norfolk starts a series with the Worcester Red Sox Tuesday. Game time is 6:35 p.m. EST at Harbor Park.
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