Tides shut out Knights

NORFOLK, Va. -- Tim Kester and Victor Moreno combined on a four-hit shutout, lifting the Tides to a 3-0 win over the Charlotte Knights in front of 9,790 fans Monday night.

Kester allowed just two hits and three walks in six innings, striking out one. The right-hander is now 2-0 with a 0.75 ERA in two starts against the Knights this year.

Moreno relieved Kester in the 7th inning and turned in three scoreless innings to help complete the shutout. Moreno retired the final seven batters of the game in route to picking up his first save of the year.

Tides' knuckleballer Charlie Haeger (3-9) pitched well for the Knights, but the Tides finally touched him up for a run in the bottom of the 6th.

The Tides and Knights will square off again tonight, with left-hander Garrett Olson (4-6, 3.75) set to take the mound against right-hander Vladimir Nunez (1-8, 5.59). First pitch is scheduled for 7:15 p.m.

• NOTES: On Saturday, the Knights will honor former Charlotte O's infielder Cal Ripken Jr. with a number of giveaways in which every fan will leave the ballpark a winner.

Fans who attend Cal Ripken Jr. day will have a chance to win a Ripken bobble head doll, hologram cards, magnets or a general admission ticket to a future game for the Knights. Scratch off cards will be given to fans in attendance to determine which prize they will receive.

• Brandon Watson's International League-record hitting streak was snapped at 43 games Monday night after he went 0-for-5 with three strikeouts in Columbus' 6-0 victory over Rochester.

Watson singled off J.D. Durbin in the sixth inning Sunday at Ottawa, extending his streak to 43 games and breaking the league mark set in 1912 by Jack Lelivelt of the Rochester Hustlers.

This story was originally published June 19, 2007 at 12:07 AM with the headline "Tides shut out Knights."