THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT 
              Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: Sunday, May 26, 1996                  TAG: 9605260199
SECTION: SPORTS                  PAGE: C8   EDITION: FINAL 
SOURCE: BY ED MILLER, STAFF WRITER 
DATELINE:    IN FOUR OF HIS FIVE LOSSES THIS SEASON, PITCHER RICK REED COULD
HAVE SUED HIS NORFOLK TIDES TEAMMATES FOR NON-SUPPORT. THE TIDES SCORED JUST
EIGHT RUNS IN  THOSE FOUR OUTINGS.   BUT ON SATURDAY NIGHT, THE TIDES GOT REED
FIVE EARLY RUNS, AND THE VETERAN PITCHER TOOK ADVANTAGE, AS NORFOLK BEAT
RICHMOND 8-4 AT HARBOR PARK.                LENGTH:   46 lines

REED GETS SUPPORT AS TIDES ROLL TO 5TH STRAIGHT VICTORY 5-RUN 2ND INNING HELPS THE HARD-LUCK PITCHER GET HIS 1ST WIN SINCE APRIL 10

The win was the fifth straight for the Tides (26-20), their longest streak of the season.

But it was the first since April 10 for the 30-year-old Reed.

``I got the monkey off my back, and I hope he stays off for a while,'' Reed said.

The Tides used a five-run second inning to help Reed. The big blow was a three-run homer by Benny Agbayani, his first since joining the Tides on May 16. A two-out single by Jason Hardtke brought in two more runs.

The Tides added three more in the seventh, on a three-run homer by Roberto Petagine. Petagine went 3 for 4, as did rightfielder Andy Tomberlin. The Tides have scored 35 runs in the last five games.

Reed was happy to get his share of them.

``It was great getting those runs,'' he said.

Reed said he worked with pitching coach Bob Apodaca and roving pitching instructor Al Jackson to slow down his motion.

``I worked real hard between starts this time,'' he said.

``I was putting a little too much pressure on myself. I went out there and took my time, and made my pitches, and came out with a good result.''

Reed lasted until the middle of the seventh, when Pedro Swann belted a three-run homer. Pedro Martinez came on and shut down Richmond the rest of the way.

Good thing, too, because the Tides' bullpen has been stretched thin in recent outings. The Tides used five pitchers in Friday night's 5-3 win over Richmond, and manager Bobby Valentine has had to turn to his bullpen often throughout the five-game winning streak.

``It's always good for a starter to rise to the occasion,'' Valentine said.

NOTES: The Tides face Richmond again today at Harbor Park, at 1:15. The first 5,000 fans will receive a poster of pitcher Mike Gardiner. ILLUSTRATION: Photo

VICKI CRONIS/The Virginian-Pilot

Norfolk Tides centerfielder Gary Thurman goes to the fence to pull

down a long Richmond drive Saturday night at Harbor Park. by CNB