Stripers held to one hit in loss at Norfolk

NORFOLK, Va. — A bunt single by Delino DeShields Jr. in the third inning proved to be Gwinnett’s only hit of the game as the Stripers were shut out 2-0 by the Norfolk Tides on Friday night at Harbor Park.

Tides’ pitchers DL Hall and Chris Vallimont combined on the one-hitter.

Norfolk (37-39) scored the decisive run in the first two at-bats against Kyle Muller in the first inning. Terrin Vavra was grazed in the helmet by a pitch and scored on a double by Jordan Westburg. The Tides extended the lead to 2-0 in the fourth as Kelvin Gutierrez launched a solo home run (4) to left-center off Muller.

Muller (L, 4-5) saw his five-game quality start streak snapped as he worked 5 1/3 innings with two runs on four hits for Gwinnett (36-40). For the Tides, Hall pitched four one-hit innings and struck out eight, and Vallimont finished the game with five no-hit innings and six strikeouts. Westburg went 2-for-4 with a double and one RBI.

Joe Dunand, Braden Shewmake and Pat Valaika combined to turn a 5-4-3 triple play in the bottom of the second inning, Gwinnett’s first triple play since June 5, 2021 vs. Jacksonville (Johan Camargo-Jason Kipnis-Travis Snider turned it 5-4-3). Seth Elledge pitched 1 2/3 scoreless innings in relief, extending his scoreless innings streak to 7 1/3 spanning his last seven outings.

Gwinnett and Norfolk play again Saturday at 6:35 p.m. at Harbor Park. Right-handed pitcher Bryce Elder (3-4, 5.86 ERA) will start for the Stripers vs. righty Blaine Knight (1-2, 6.70 ERA) for the Tides.

Jamie Spaar/Gwinnett Stripers