THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Wednesday, May 31, 1995 TAG: 9505310630
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C3 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY CLYDE HUGHES, CORRESPONDENT
DATELINE: MAUMEE, OHIO LENGTH: Medium: 55 lines
Norfolk Tides batters didn't hit any home runs, but they continued to pounce on Toledo pitchers in an 8-2 victory over the Mud Hens last night.
The Tides have outscored Toledo, 20-7, in the first two games of the series. Norfolk also has picked up 28 hits in the series.
Norfolk didn't match its five-home run performance of Monday, but banged out 12 hits, including three doubles.
``We've been swinging the bats very well,'' said Norfolk manager Toby Harrah. ``We've been playing together for a while and starting to feel comfortable with each other. I think the way we're hitting now is indicative of the talent we've got on this team.''
Four players had multihit nights with Carl Everett leading the way, going 3 for 4, scoring one run and collecting an RBI.
Norfolk starter Jason Jacome held Toledo to two runs over six innings, striking out seven.
``I'm not really a strikeout pitcher,'' Jacome said. ``I try to get a lot of ground ball outs. They started sitting on my changeup. In the last two innings, I think I only threw about three changeups. Most of my pitches were fastballs.''
The Tides took a 1-0 lead in the second inning when Everett scored on Aaron Ledesma's fielder's choice.
Norfolk added three more runs on one hit in the third inning. Toledo starter Ken Carlyle served up four walks to help the Tides.
Bill Spiers scored when Rickey Otero reached on an infield error and John Orton scored on Rey Ordonez's sacrifice to centerfield. Everett's single drove in Otero for a 4-0 lead.
Carlyle walked six batters in the loss.
Jacome blanked Toledo over the first three innings before giving up two-out back-to-back home runs to Joe Hall and Terry McGriff to slice Norfolk's lead in half, 4-2.
He limited the Mud Hens to one hit over the next two innings.
``He made the pitches he needed when he had to,'' said Toledo manager Tom Runnells. ``He mixed up his speeds well and kind of kept us off balanced.''
Norfolk added to its lead with two runs in the sixth. Orton scored from third on a double steal and Ordonez's single scored Otero.
NOTES: Outfielder Jarvis Brown was released by the Tides despite hitting became expendable when Ricky Otero, also a centerfielder, was sent down by the Mets. ... Butch Huskey's three-home run performance Monday was the first time a Norfolk player hit three home runs in a game since Gary Rajsich did it twice during the 1981 season. Huskey went 2 for 4 with a double Tuesday. ... The bad news about Monday's game was Norfolk's five errors, one short of the team record. by CNB