By Josh Cook
The Louisville Bats rode the long ball to a 7-2 win over host Norfolk on Monday night.
They hit four home runs, three of the solo variety, to salvage a four-game split against the Tides at Harbor Park in Norfolk, Va.
Gary Matthews Jr., Zack Cozart, Todd Frazier and Wilkin Castillo each homered for Louisville as Jesus Delgado won his first start for the Bats.
However it was Norfolk (37-43) that got on the scoreboard first when Nolan Reimold led off the bottom of the second inning with a home run to left field off Delgado.
Louisville (36-43) tied the score in the third when recent addition Matthews homered to left-center field.
The Tides took the lead back in the bottom of the inning, scoring once. But their lead was short-lived.
Louisville scored six unanswered runs to salvage its sixth straight series split.
The Bats took the lead for good with two runs in the fifth when Matthews singled with two outs, then scored on Cozart's two-run homer.
That was all Delgado (1-1) would need. The right-hander, who had previously appeared 23 times in relief this season for the Bats, gave up five hits and two earned runs while walking one and striking out one in five innings. It was only Delgado's second start since the 2007 season. The pitcher, who was involved in the November 2005 blockbuster trade that sent Hanley Ramirez to the Florida Marlins and Josh Beckett and Mike Lowell to the Boston Red Sox.
Philippe Valiquette, Jared Burton and Carlos Fisher provided four innings of shutout relief for Louisville.
The Bats scored twice more in the seventh, both on home runs. Frazier led off the inning with his team-leading 12th big fly of the season and two batters later Castillo hit a one-out homer. The second chase Norfolk starter Chris George (3-3), who gave up eight hits and five earned runs while striking out nine over 6 1/3 innings.
Louisville added two more runs in the eighth when Yonder Alonso led off with a single, moved to second on Wladimir Balentien's single and scored on Juan Francisco's double. After Ryan Hanigan walked and Frazier hit into a fielder's choice, which resulted in Balentien being out at home, Chris Valaika hit a sacrifice fly to score Francisco.
Matthews, in just his third game with the Bats, led Louisville's 12-hit attack by going 3-for-5 with two runs scored. Alonso and Balentien added two hits apiece.
The Bats, the last-place team in the International League West, begin a four-game series at IL South-leading Durham at 7:05 p.m. Tuesday night.
