East Carolina baseball alum Connor Norby had a big night with an even bigger hit as he helped the Miami Marlins win their series opener with rival Tampa Bay.
Norby had a bases-loaded double in the fourth inning that blew the game open for the Fish in a 9-4 victory over the Rays. MLB is fielding its Rivalry Weekend series with teams that are closest to each other in many cases (Philadelphia-Pittsburgh, Yankees-Mets). This one, while not as big, is still pretty interesting.
Norby played DH and batted third. He finished 2-for-5 with the three RBI. After hitting a single in the third inning, he ripped his sixth double of the season into the outfield to clear the bases and push Miami’s lead to 5-1.
THAT’S A MARLINS CITRUS SERIES W!
Connor Norby (@norby_connor) smacked a bases clearing double with the bases juiced in the 4th, and he joined me postgame to chat about the win @Marlins x @FDSN_Marlins 🎙️ pic.twitter.com/3UMYITQEab
— jeremy taché (@jeremytache) May 17, 2025
It made a winner out of manager Clayton McCullough, also an ECU baseball alum, and pushed Miami’s record to 17-26 on the season.
Josh Grosz
He pitched well enough to get the win but did not get the decision against the Aberdeen IronBirds in a 4-3 loss.
He started and gave up three runs on just three hits in five innings. He walked three and struck out six, marking the fourth time in his six starts this season he’s struck out six or more.
Fellow ECU alum Josh Moylan was 0-for-2 with a walk at first base.
Ryan McCrystal
Ryan McCrystal (Daytona Tortugas photo)
He was 2-for-3 with a run and two RBI in an 11-5 loss to St. Lucie.
He doubled in the fifth, walked in the seventh and tripled in two in the ninth. It was his first triple of the season and fourth double of the season.
See below for what the rest of the Pirates in baseball did on Friday.
Major League Baseball
- Connor Norby, Miami Marlins: See above
- Alec Burleson, St. Louis Cardinals: Did not play in 10-3 win over Royals
- Shawn Armstrong, Texas Rangers: Took the loss to fall to 1-1 with his second blown save of the season in a 6-3 loss to the Astros. Was brought on in the seventh and gave up four runs on two hits, one a three-run homer, with two walks. He did not record an out before being pulled.
- Gavin Williams, Cleveland Guardians: Did not pitch in 5-4 loss to Reds.
- Jeff Hoffman, Toronto Blue Jays: Did not pitch in 5-4 loss to Tigers
- Zach Agnos, Colorado Rockies: Did not pitch in 8-0 loss to Diamondbacks.
- Clayton McCullough, Miami Marlins (manager): See above
Triple-A
- Carson Whisenhunt, Sacramento RiverCats (San Francisco Giants): Did not pitch in 9-2 loss to Salt Lake
Double-A
- Carter Spivey, Akron Rubber Ducks (Guardians): Did not pitchin 3-2 loss to Chesapeake
- Trey Benton, Akron Rubber Ducks (Guardians): On season-ending disabled list
Single-A
- Trey Yesavage, Vancouver Canadians (Blue Jays): Promoted from Dunedin Blue Jays on Friday. Scheduled to pitch on Tuesday. More here.
- Carter Cunningham, Vancouver Canadians (Blue Jays): 0-for-4 in 7-6 loss to Everett
- Josh Moylan, Hudson Valley Renegades (Yankees): See above
- Josh Grosz, Hudson Valley Renegades (Yankees): See above
- Tyler Bradt, Peoria Chiefs (Cardinals): Did not pitch in 13-2 loss to Cedar Rapids
- Jacob-Jenkins-Cowart, Beloit Sky Carp (Marlins): 0-for-3 in 1-0 loss to Wisconsin
- Ryan McCrystal, Daytona Tortugas (Reds): See above
- Wyatt Lunsford-Shenkman, Modesto Nuts (Mariners): Placed on full-season disabled list on April 15.
- Erik Ritchie, Clearwater Threshers (Phillies): Gave up no runs and walked two in one inning in a 3-2 loss to Lakewood
Frontier League
- Danny Beal, Down East Bird Dawgs (Independent): Did not pitch in 8-3 win over New Jersey Jackals. It was the first-ever win for the Bird Dawgs (1-4).
Photo credit: Connor Norby (AP photo)
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