The International League season is winding down, and the Norfolk Tides are already assured of a playoff spot via their first half win of the Eastern Division.
As the second half winds down, the Tides are looking to steal the division again. Currently, they sit at 33-24 (81-50 overall), just two games out of first.
The Tides took on the Worcester Red Sox and showed why they are one of the top teams in the International League. Norfolk would win five of the six games, as they improved on their push towards the top.
Balanced attacks on offense and key moments in the pitching department would allow Norfolk to win and keep the Red Sox from gaining any ground in their push for the postseason. With the series victory, the Tides also leap-frogged the Red Sox in the standings.
Let’s see who stood out in the series for the Tides:
HESTON KJERSTAD – OF/1B
The next big prospect for the Orioles is Heston Kjerstad. An above-average contact hitter with plus power, Kjerstad is showing why he might be in line for a big league debut to start next season.
In Sunday’s Tides’ 5-4 defeat, Kjerstad collected three hits in five plate appearances. He would hit a home run (9) while picking up two RBIs and scoring a run.
Against the Red Sox, Kjerstad would pick up hits in five of the six games and end with back-to-back three-hit games.
Kjerstad is now slashing .305/.373/.523 across 69 games for Norfolk and has hit nine home runs while picking up 30 RBIs and scoring 52 runs as well.
COBY MAYO – INF
Coby Mayo continues to develop into a more rounded hitter, instead of just fearing his power, his keen eye and knowledge of the strike zone, which is one reason he carries a .357 on-base percentage.
Against Worcester, Mayo would collect hits in five of the six games, including three home runs, while reaching base multiple times in four of them.
In Friday’s 4-3 victory, it was Mayo who made the biggest impact. He would go 1-for-3 at the plate with a three-run home run while picking up a walk and a run.
Since being promoted to Norfolk, Mayo is slashing .240/.357/.507 across 44 games. He has hit nine home runs and has driven in 41 runs while scoring 21 runs and walking 26 times.
CHAYCE MCDERMOTT – RHP
Chayce McDermott keeps on shining and showing the potential he has to be a future part of the Orioles’ rotation.
This week, he continued to flash his arsenal as he pitched seven innings in the Tides’ 6-4 victory Saturday. He would allow one run on just two hits while striking out seven. He threw 92 pitches in the outing, with 58 of them being strikes.
For the season, McDermott is now 3-2 in Norfolk over nine games (seven starts) while pitching to a 2.56 ERA and a 0.99 WHIP. He has totaled 45.2 innings with 57 strikeouts, holding opponents to a .157 average against.
It was announced that Major League Baseball’s No. 1 prospect will be finishing the year at the Triple-A level. At 19 years of age, Jackson Holliday ascended four levels in his first full season of minor league ball.
Norfolk will host the Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp at Harbor Park starting Tuesday with a game time of 6:35 p.m. EST. Will the Tides pull the Jumbo Shrimp under, or will Jacksonville force the Tides out?
Who stood out to you for Norfolk this week? Let us know in the comments below! Make sure to follow The Baltimore Battery on Facebook, Twitter (X) and TikTok, and use the hashtag #baltimorebattery when sharing our content!
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