THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Wednesday, August 21, 1996 TAG: 9608211217
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C1 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY RICH RADFORD, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: NORFOLK LENGTH: 66 lines
After giving up five runs in the first innings of his previous two starts, Shannon Withem walked to the mound Tuesday night at Harbor Park with trepidation.
He walked away from that same mound seven innings later with satisfaction.
Called up by the Norfolk Tides a month ago, Withem earned his first Triple-A victory in six starts as the Tides battered Pawtucket pitching for 16 hits in a 9-1 victory.
Withem went 7 1/3 innings allowing six hits, striking out eight and walking one. It was a sharp contrast to his starts against Rochester and Richmond, where he gave up a combined 14 hits and 10 earned runs in four innings, good for a two-game earned run average of 22.50.
``I was thinking, `I can't let it happen again,' '' Withem (1-3) said. ``Everybody tries to pinpoint what went wrong when something like that happens. But it was more a mental game. I just wasn't mentally ready. In Double-A you can get away with that. Here, they'll kill you.''
Although Withem was 0-2 after his first three starts for the Tides, he had pitched effectively and was carrying a 3.50 earned run average.
``I'd gotten overconfident and was thinking this is easy,'' Withem said of the Triple-A level. ``Those two outings were wakeup calls and let me know this isn't Double-A.''
Pawtucket's only run came in the first when Arquimedez Pozo, just down from the Boston Red Sox, singled up the middle, went to second when Bo Dodson walked and scored on Jose Malave's single to left.
The Tides evened matters in the bottom of the first when Matt Franco doubled with two outs, Benny Agbayani walked and Jason Hardtke followed with a run-scoring single to left.
Norfolk upped the lead when Shawn Gilbert hit Pawtucket starting pitcher John DeSilva's first pitch of the bottom of the third over the wall in left.
The Tides got two more runs in the fourth when Kevin Roberson singled and went to second when Eddie Zambrano bobbled the ball in right. Joel Chimelis singled and Gary Thurman walked to load the bases and Gilbert lifted a run-scoring fly ball to center. Franco followed with a run-scoring single to center.
Five Tides - Thurman, Franco, Agbayani, Hardtke and Roberson - had multiple-hit games with the latter going 4 for 4, scoring two runs and driving in two runs.
Norfolk eventually chased DeSilva in the fifth when Jay Payton drew a one-out walk and Roberson laced a run-scoring double to right. Roberson also came around to score as Eric Gunderson unleashed a wild pitch and Scott Hatteberg allowed a passed ball.
Norfolk added three more runs in the sixth on doubles by Franco and Hardtke and singles by Agbayani and Roberson.
The Tides (73-56) have won four of their last five while shrinking their magic number to clinch a playoff spot to six. They still trail Columbus by three games in the International League West Division race, but the top two teams advance.
``We're just trying to finish strong and end the season on some good, positive notes,'' said Gilbert. ``That was a great performance by Shannon. He pitched his butt off. He threw good his first two starts here and got no help. It was just a matter of time before he started winning.'' ILLUSTRATION: JIM WALKER/The Virginian-Pilot
Pawtucket's Arquimedez Pozo slides safely under the tag of the
Tides' Matt Franco on a pickoff attempt Tuesday. by CNB