Charlotte downs the Tides 7-3

NORFOLK, VA (wavy) - The Tides committed four errors and were held to just four hits as they fell to Charlotte 7-3 in front of 8,640 fans Friday night at Harbor Park.

Norfolk starter Troy Patton (7-10) took the loss in his first game action since July 28. Patton, who was promoted to Baltimore on August 1 but did not appear in a game for the O's before being optioned back to Norfolk on Sunday, yielded four runs - two earned - on five hits in four innings of work. Patton walked one and struck out five, throwing 43 of his 69 pitches for strikes.

Patton was stuck with two unearned runs in a four-run second inning after center fielder Jeff Salazar couldn't handle a shallow fly ball off the bat of Brent Morel. Two unearned runs scored on the two-out miscue, allowing Charlotte to extend its lead to 4-1.

The error was Salazar's first in 166 chances this season.

Charlotte pitchers Carlos Torres (9-7), Randy Williams and Ryan Braun combined to hold Norfolk to just four hits, although the Tides did register six walks in the contest. Williams and Braun combined to keep the Tides scoreless over the final four frames as Norfolk fell to 2-8 in its last 10 games.

Tyler Flowers doubled and tripled to lead Charlotte's offense, while Brent Morel, Jeremy Reed and Josh Kroeger each added two hits apiece.

Michael Aubrey had an RBI double and a single to lead the Tides offense, and Paco Figueroa added a single and two runs batted in.

The Tides and Knights will continue their three-game set Saturday night, with first pitch scheduled for 7:15. Zach Britton (1-2, 3.57) will take the mound for the Tides.