Tides 11, Richmond 1

FOR ONE NIGHT AT LEAST, everything coalesced for Norfolk. The Tides performed well at the plate, picking up 21 hits. They were great on the mound. Starter Radhames Liz lasted seven innings, yielding only one run. They were even stellar in the field. Chris Roberson made a diving catch in the eighth inning on a foul ball hit by Scott Thorman. And most importantly, they got the win – only their second in 14 games.

Winner, winner

The fact Liz had yet to earn a victory before Tuesday was a curious one. After all, he surrendered only one run in 13 innings during a stretch in late April.

But Liz can’t be removed from all culpability for his previously 0-5 record . He had a 5.12 ERA before Tuesday’s start and was not particularly strong in his past three outings, suffering losses in each while exhibiting seemingly paradoxical tendencies: wildness and predictability.

Liz, however, was sharp Tuesday while picking up the win. The hard-throwing righthander was deliberate, avoiding deep counts and minimizing the threat of potential rallies by keeping the Braves off the basepaths. He struck out six hitters and allowed one walk.

“I had command of everything,” Liz said. “I was trying to throw first-pitch strikes.”

Starting over

Liz’s performance came at a time when Norfolk’s starters have been unproductive.

This month, they have a combined 8.53 ERA for a team that had dropped 12 of its past 13 games .

Eleven of those losses have been tagged to the starters, whose outings have been short and ugly.

“Liz was the key tonight,” Tides manager Gary Allenson said. “We had a few games here recently where we have given away leads. Hopefully, what happened tonight is contagious.”

Gone, but not forgotten

He had the triple. He had added the home run, swatting the ball into the bushes beyond rightfield in the fourth inning.

In his first three at-bats, Scott Moore had completed two of the most difficult objectives on the way to hitting for the cycle.

Then he got ejected from the game in the fifth inning after disputing the location of the pitch that resulted in a strikeout for the Tides’ third baseman.

Moore flung his bat and home plate umpire Jason Klein took exception.

On the move

Before Tuesday’s game, the Orioles placed reliever Rocky Cherry on Norfolk’s roster for a major league rehab assignment.

Cherry went on the disabled list March 28 after suffering a right shoulder strain.

His arrival in Norfolk coincides with outfielder Sebastien Boucher’s departure. Boucher was demoted to Single-A Aberdeen after hitting .282 with five RBIs in 22 games for Norfolk.