Tides spoil Gwinnett's first home game

Staff and wire reports

Nolan Reimold hit a grand slam Friday night and finished with five RBIs as the Norfolk Tides beat the Gwinnett Braves 7-4 to win the first regular-season game in Gwinnett (Ga.) Stadium before a sellout crowd of 10,427.

With the score tied 3-3 in the seventh inning, Braves reliever Jerome Gamble (0-1) loaded the bases with walks to Justin Christian, Steve Torrealba and Oscar Salazar. Reimold greeted new pitcher Manny Acosta with a drive over the left-field wall for a 7-3 Tides lead.

Reimold, who also singled home a run in the first inning, is hitting .382 (13 for 34) with three homers and 12 RBIs in his first eight Triple-A games.

Norfolk catcher Matt Wieters lined a ground ball down the right field-line in the top of the first inning but suffered a right hamstring cramp as he rounded first base. The 22-year-old prized prospect was replaced by Torrealba. Wieters is day-to-day.

Norfolk starter Dave Hernandez yielded one run on five hits in four innings. He struck out six but threw 87 pitches.

Hernandez was relieved by Fredy Deza (1-0), who allowed two runs on two hits in two innings to earn the victory. He was called up from Double-A Bowie earlier in the day.

Gwinnett County built a $64 million ballpark just 36 miles from Atlanta's Turner Field. The Braves moved their Class AAA team from Richmond after more than four decades in Virginia.

"This isn't a thing like Richmond," Gwinnett catcher Clint Sammons said before the game. "This place is beautiful and the fans were great."

The teams meet again at 7 tonight. Right-hander Chris Tillman (0-0, 0.00 ERA) will pitch for the Tides against Gwinett righty Kris Medlan (1-0, 0.00).