
                         THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
                 Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: MONDAY, June 27, 1994                    TAG: 9406270247 
SECTION: SPORTS                     PAGE: C3    EDITION: FINAL  
SOURCE: BY PAUL WHITE, STAFF WRITER 
DATELINE: 940627                                 LENGTH: NORFOLK

LEAGUE-LEADING PAWTUCKET IS CAUGHT IN NUMBERS GAME

{LEAD} Pawtucket came to town Thursday as the runaway leaders in the International League's East Division, and, despite losing three of four to the Tides, the Red Sox left Norfolk the same way.

On the field, however, even the PawSox admit they've hardly looked like league leaders recently.

{REST} ``All I know is, it's a good thing we built up such a big lead at the beginning of the year,'' PawSox first baseman Mike Twardowski said. ``We're not hitting the ball well at all.

Pawtucket opened the season by winning 27 of their first 33 games, but has gone 21-23 since and have to consider themselves fortunate that the rest of the division has been unable to capitalize while Pawtucket treads water. The Red Sox' lead in the standings, which peaked at 12 1/2 games in early May, is still in double-digits.

No one's gloating in Pawtucket, though, as the Red Sox, losers of five of their last seven games, struggle to regain their early season form.

It won't be easy. Thirteen of the players on Pawtucket's orginal roster have been promoted to Boston, including four members of the initial five-man pitching rotation.

``With all the changes, the chemistry just isn't there anymore,'' Twardowski said. ``But there's no complacency. We had a meeting about that today. Everybody's running ball out and playing hard. We just don't have the same talent on the field anymore.''

VALENTINE UPDATE: Tides interim manager Marlin McPhail said he spoke to Bobby Valentine Sunday and reports that the Norfolk skipper can hardly wait to get back on the field.

``He's in good spirits,'' McPhail said of Valentine, hospitalized since Thursday with an intestinal ailment.

Valentine could be released as early as today. The Tides have gone 3-1 in his absence.

SHORT HOPS: The Tides have won seven of their last 10 games, and all three of the losses have been by one run. Two of the defeats have come in extra innings. Norfolk is now 6-19 in one-run games this season. ... Doug Dascenzo saw his hitting streak snapped at 11 games Sunday. He went 0-for-5. ... The Tides wasted solid efforts from starter Kevin Morton, who gave up just four hits and one unearned run in seven innings, and reliever Jonathan Hurst, who struck out three and allowed only two hits in three innings.

by CNB