The beautiful BB&T Ballpark was abuzz for the opener of tonight’s doubleheader, as Dylan Cease took the mound for this first Triple-A start. The way he pitched, it’s easy to imagine him on the Michael Kopech track to Chicago this season.
Norfolk led off the game with an infield single from Stevie Wilkerson and a safety to center from DJ Stewart, but Cease coaxed a 6-4-3 double-play grounder from Anthony Santander and lineout from Chance Sisco to escape the early jam.
It would be the biggest rally the Tides would muster against Cease in the game. In the second inning, Cease punched out Ryan Mountcastle for his first strikeout of the season:
His second strikeout came on some 98 mph cheese:
And the big fella ended his outing strong, with two straight strikeouts, giving him five for the night:
Alcides Escobar (SS): 2-for-3, 2B (2), 2 RBI (5), R, K, .