After falling behind 6-0, Norfolk couldn't completely erase its deficit. Trailing by two in the ninth inning, the Tides closed the gap further when former Baltimore Orioles closer Jorge Julio couldn't record the final three outs. Eventually, Jonathon Rouwenhorst finished the job. Mike Costanzo popped a lazy fly ball into left field to end the game.
"We had the team on the ropes," Tides manager Gary Allenson said.
Early bird catches the worm
Several of the Tides problems are have been self-inflicted. One is their inability to generate momentum from victories. Their longest winning streak is three games. Norfolk (33-55) had won two in a row and had a chance to make it three for the fourth time this season.
But the Tides, who had won five of their past six games against Richmond, couldn't complete the sweep.
They fell behind early - a sure sign they won't win. Norfolk is 16-41 when the opposition scores first.
"We still showed some fight," said Tides designated hitter Scott Moore. "We didn't give up until the last out."
Pitchers duel?
Tides starter Craig Anderson entered the game 1-6 with an 8.83 ERA. His counterpart, lefthander Brian Lawrence, was 0-2 with an 8.85 ERA.
But the Braves scored early and often while the Tides struggled to reach base.
Anderson - a victim of careless defense as much as his own in consistency - left after four innings. He allowed six runs, three earned. Enrique Cruz hit a two-run home run in the fourth inning.
"I thought I made good pitches," said Anderson, who was tagged with another loss. "But that's the way my season has gone."
Allenson agreed.
"He's snakebitten," he said.
Lawrence, meanwhile, confounded the Tides, allowing only four hits. He yielded two runs and retired 11 in a row at one point.
"He kept the ball down and moved it in and out," said Moore. "He did a good job.
It was a strong performance by Lawrence, who had surrendered 18 runs in his last three starts - all of which didn't last beyond the sixth inning.
"He just kept everything down in the zone," Allenson said.
Rainer Sabin, (757) 446-2367 or rainer.sabin@pilotonline.com
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