THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Saturday, August 27, 1994 TAG: 9408270395
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C2 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY TOM ROBINSON, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: NORFOLK LENGTH: Medium: 56 lines
On a Friday night that the Norfolk Tides officially bowed out of the race for a West Division playoff spot, Jeromy Burnitz, at least, went down swinging.
The Tides' rightfielder blasted two home runs more than 400 feet apiece and added a single for three of his team's customary total of six hits. But the Tides fell to the Ottawa Lynx, 5-2, before a paid crowd of 13,005 for their seventh loss in the last nine games.
The crowd was the second-largest in Tides' history. They drew 13,069 last Saturday.
In six of their last seven games, the Tides (64-70) have scraped together just six hits.
It was the third three-hit game for Burnitz, who also added another assist to his defensive resume by throwing out ex-Tide Jeff Gardner at second base.
``I hit them both right on the screws,'' said Burnitz, who has 12 home runs and missed a 13th when he flew out to the leftfield wall. Harbor Park can terrorize lefthanded power hitters, but for a night when the cross-wind to left was still, Burnitz took advantage by doubling his home run output at home.
His first blast off Rod Henderson sailed out past the scoreboard in right-center, and his second left the park to dead center, one of the few to depart in that direction in Harbor Park's two seasons.
``I'd like to play in a park that's more conducive to putting up numbers,'' Burnitz said. ``I love it here, it's a beautiful place, but it's not good for a lefthanded hitter with power, especially for a guy who doesn't hit for a high average, because I count on some of those numbers. But it just isn't going to happen.''
For example, Burnitz might have hit a ball even harder to right-center last week, but the flags were rippling to left that night and the shot bounced off the fence for a double.
``I was disgusted,'' Burnitz said. ``I'm not used to hitting a ball hard and high that doesn't go over the fence.
``I've never done it, ever. But here you do it quite often. But you know, I still love it, it's a great park. It's just hard to hit here.''
STAR SEARCH? Fans were, ah, treated to the singing of pitcher Frank Seminara over the PA system between innings.
Seminara made a tape of himself singing the Red Hot Chili Peppers' ``Under the Bridge'' on Friday at a mall and played it in the clubhouse.
But before the game, Eric Hillman sneaked it upstairs to the sound booth.
The verdict?
A star, shall we say, was not born. by CNB