Lester Homers Three Times In Second Straight Tides Win
April 1, 2023 - International League (IL)
Norfolk Tides News Release
DURHAM, NC - The Norfolk Tides (2-0) defeated the Durham Bulls (0-2), 13-4, on Saturday at Durham Bulls Athletic Park. The Tides offense was led by Josh Lester who launched three homers, the 10th time it's happened in franchise history.
Lester's first home run came in the third inning. After Connor Norby broke the scoring open with an RBI single, followed by an RBI groundout by Jordan Westburg, Lester lasered a line drive that just made it over the right field wall. That put the Tides up, 4-0.
The second Lester home run came in the fifth, hitting a two-run fly ball over Durham's blue monster in left to make it 6-0, Tides. Durham did respond with their own two-run shot after Ruben Cardenas went yard off Tides starter Bruce Zimmermann, putting the score at 6-2 after five.
In his third straight at bat, Lester hit a home run in the seventh, a solo shot, to make it 7-2. After scoring one more run in the seventh on an RBI single by Cadyn Grenier, Durham responded again with Cardenas launching his second two-run shot of the game.
That would be all the Bulls would score, however. The Tides would score five more runs in the eighth and ninth innings, including a two-run single by Colton Cowser and a two-run shot by Hudson Haskin to finalize the score at 13-4.
The Tides look to start the 2023 season with a sweep at Durham, with first pitch at 5:05 p.m. tomorrow afternoon. Norfolk will throw RHP Spenser Watkins (0-0, -.--), while the Bulls have RHP Luis Patiño (0-0, -.--) going for them.
POSTGAME NOTES
THREE CHEERS FOR LESTER!: The three home runs by Josh Lester brings his season total to four in two games played...it was the 10th time in franchise history a player launched three home runs in a game...it happened twice last season, with Ryan McKenna did it on May 11 vs. Memphis and Kyle Stowers on May 22 at Charlotte...Lester finished the day 3-for-4 with four runs, three home runs, five RBI and a walk.
HASKIN HACKIN': Hitting his first career Triple-A home run was Hudson Haskin, reaching base safely six times in the meanwhile...in all he went 3-for-3 with three runs, a home run, two RBI, a walk and two hit-by-pitches...he now has 100 career professional RBI...the last time a Tide reached base six times in a game was Dariel Álvarez on June 2, 2016 vs. Pawtucket.
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