Charlotte 5, Tides 2

STILL ADJUSTING to all of the changes around them, the Norfolk Tides didn’t respond well in their first game at Harbor Park in 11 days. Twice they stranded three runners in an inning and their inefficiency with the bases loaded came back to haunt them. Like the primary pitch he throws, Charlotte knuckleballer Charlie Haeger danced around trouble, allowing only two earned runs. Tides starter Zach Clark couldn’t keep pace  and lasted only three innings.

The Revolving Door Norfolk has been  a team in flux all season. Players have been called up by  the Baltimore Orioles. They have been sent down to the organization’s lower affiliates. And the composition of the team has changed from one week to the next. Never was the impermanence of Norfolk’s roster made more obvious than Tuesday, when the turnover reached its peak this season before its series against Charlotte began. “I am just trying to figure out who is on the roster and who isn’t,” Norfolk manager Gary Allenson said. “But that’s just part of the game.” On the same day Orioles starter Steve Trachsel was designated for assignment, Norfolk reliever Bob McCrory was placed on the disabled list, infielder Oscar Salazar was promoted to Baltimore and Tides outfielder Adam Stern was handed his outright release. Meanwhile, Norfolk welcomed three players – all of whom have played for the Tides this season. Infielder Mike McCoy was recalled from Single-A Aberdeen, pitcher Craig Anderson was brought up from Double-A Bowie and lefthander  Alberto Castillo was activated after sitting out more than a month because of an oblique injury. But the moves didn’t end there. During the flurry of activity, the Orioles signed lefthanded pitcher Randy Keisler and then placed him on Norfolk’s temporary inactive list.

Outta here When  Salazar’s contract was selected by Baltimore , the Tides waved goodbye to the player who had appeared in the most games for them this season. Salazar’s name was penciled into 63 of the 64 lineup cards  Allenson filled out this year; he was a stable, productive presence on a team that was in constant upheaval because of the roster moves initiated by the Orioles. “It hurts when you don’t have a guy like that in the lineup,” Allenson said. Salazar, who was batting .311 with seven home runs and 44 RBIs, led the International League with 78 hits. He was the team’s most reliable slugger and, along with Luis Terrero, had been leaned on to supply the bulk of the Tides’ runs. With Salazar no longer in the picture, the Tides are struggling to find a replacement. Scott Moore, a third baseman, is a candidate. So is Mike Costanzo, whom Allenson moved up in the batting order to the fifth spot. But Costanzo’s output this season has paled in comparison to Salazar’s. Costanzo is batting only .239 and leads the team in strikeouts with 72. “We want to do what (Salazar) did,” Moore said. “Any time you lose, you need guys to step up.”