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Late homers push Tides past Bats

NORFOLK, Va.- Home runs by Audry Perez and Sharlon Schoop broke open a tie game and powered Norfolk to an 8-3 win over the Louisville Bats Saturday night at Harbor Park. The score was tied at 3-3 entering the bottom of the seventh frame before the Tides exploded for five runs off of former O's farmhand Ben Rowen (0-2). Perez and Schoop both hit two-run homers in the frame, as Norfolk matched its highest scoring inning of the season - tying a five-run frame that also came against Louisville in the series opener.

In just four games since being promoted from Double-A Bowie on April 27th, Pérez has hit .545 (6-11) with three home runs and six runs batted in. He continued a torrid start to the season for Norfolk's catchers, as Tides backstops have combined to hit .354 (35-99) with six home runs and 27 runs batted in.

Rubén Tejada had two hits and two RBI to help pace Norfolk's 11-hit attack, as Norfolk knocked off the Bats for the third straight night. Tejada now has nine RBI in May after registering just one run batted in during the month of April. Jonathan Schoop, appearing in his first rehab contest with Norfolk, went 1-for-5. He struck out in the first and third frames, singled in the fifth, grounded out in the sixth and flew out in the seventh.

Norfolk starter Yefry Ramirez did not factor in the decision after yielding two runs on four hits over 5.1 innings of work. Ramirez struck out a season-high nine batters in the contest, the most for a Tides pitcher this season. He walked a pair while throwing 64 of his 96 pitches for strikes. Andrew Faulkner (2-0) earned the win by throwing a perfect inning of relief. He continued an impressive start to the season, lowering his ERA to 1.46 through 10 appearances thus far.

The Tides will go for a series sweep on Sunday afternoon at Harbor Park, with first pitch set for 1:05. Tim Melville (3-0, 3.22) will make the start for Norfolk and be opposed by right-hander Robert Stephenson (1-3, 4.94).

Notes: Jonathan Schoop is the second player to appear with Norfolk on an MLB Rehab Assignment this season, joining outfielder Mark Trumbo… Joey Rickard saw his eight-game hitting streak snapped, but he walked to extend his on-base streak to 20 consecutive games…Louisville committed five errors that led to four unearned runs…Alex Presley singled to extend his hitting streak to 10 games, one shy of Norfolk's season-high...The win moved Norfolk (15-11) a season-high four games over the .500 mark.

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