Memphis blasts Norfolk 14-4, stays tied for first in International League

Memphis did its damage in one crushing burst at Harbor Park, scoring nine runs in the top of the third and rolling past Norfolk 14-4 on Sunday to finish a six-game road trip with authority. The Redbirds out-hit the Tides 14-7, scored 10 times before Norfolk had its first run in the third, and never gave back control after the inning that broke the game open.

That third inning was the turning point. Memphis had already scratched out a run in the second, then sent the frame into overdrive with a steady stream of traffic and pressure that forced Norfolk into emergency mode. The Tides made it worse on themselves with four errors in the game, and the official line shows the Redbirds kept adding from there, scoring again in the fourth and tacking on three more in the eighth. By the time the dust settled, Memphis had turned a competitive afternoon into a lopsided finish in front of 4,822 at Harbor Park.

César Prieto and Jordan each homered for Memphis, and six Redbirds reached base more than once as the lineup kept layering one productive at-bat onto the next. Hancel Rincón supplied 2.0 scoreless innings out of the bullpen, a useful bridge after the offense had already built a comfortable cushion. The box score credited the win to Pushard, who improved to 1-0, while Gibson took the loss for Norfolk.

The result carried more weight than a single Sunday win. Memphis finished the trip 4-1 against Norfolk and improved to 18-9, while the Tides fell to 10-17. The Redbirds also remained tied for first place in the International League with Gwinnett and had yet to spend a day outside at least a share of first place in 2026, a reflection of how often this club has paired run production with enough consistency to stay on top of the standings.

That is the larger story behind the nine-run third. Memphis did not just win a game at Harbor Park, it showed again that one loose inning can be enough to bury an opponent when the Redbirds find a vulnerable pitching staff. For a Triple-A club that has already climbed into first place and stayed there, that kind of burst is a reminder that this lineup can change a game, and a series, in a matter of minutes.