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

DATE: TUESDAY, June 28, 1994                    TAG: 9406280456 
SECTION: SPORTS                     PAGE: C2    EDITION: FINAL  
SOURCE: BY KARL PETRAROJA, CORRESPONDENT 
DATELINE: 940628                                 LENGTH: CHARLOTEE

TIDES' RALLY FALLS SHORT AT CHARLOTTE

{LEAD} After the Tides' season-high five-game winning streak was snapped Sunday at Harbor Park, Norfolk didn't relish the prospect of trying to start a new winning streak against their nemesis, the Charlotte Knights.

The Knights have had the Tides' number, winning nine of 11 meetings this year. They made it 10 wins Monday with a 5-4 victory at Knights Castle, scoring four runs in the first and then hanging on.

{REST} The Tides felt good going into the game with lefthander Jason Jacome (7-4, 5-0 on the road) set to start. But Jacome was scratched because of a possible call-up to the New York Mets, leaving righthander Frank Seminara to start, something he hadn't done since April 26.

Seminara struggled in the first, hitting two batters, walking one and allowing two singles as the Knights sent nine batters to the plate.

Tides manager Bobby Valentine, just back from an intestinal ailment that caused him to miss four games, felt Seminara did a good job in a tough situation.

``He had a rough first inning, but then he pitched real well and kept us in the game. We were able to edge our way back.'' Seminara pitched seven innings, allowing nine hits, four walks and striking out two.

The Tides, who came into the game with seven wins in their last 10 games, could do little against lefthander Chris Nabholz. Nabholz was tough in his rehab start for the Knights, holding Norfolk to two runs on three hits in six innings.

The Tides narrowed the score to 5-2 in the fifth when Omar Garcia singled and came around on a single to center by Rick Parker.

The Tides kept chipping away, adding two runs in the eighth off Bill Wertz. But Calvin Jones entered and got Jim Vatcher to foul out to end the inning.

Jones retired the Tides in order in the ninth for his 12th save.

NOTE: Infielder Pablo Martinez was sent to Double-A Binghamton, N.Y. on Monday and Parker came down from the Mets to replace him. Martinez will replace former Tide Doug Saunders, who could be lost for the rest of the season with a knee injury. by CNB