DATE: Tuesday, April 15, 1997               TAG: 9704150457

SECTION: SPORTS                  PAGE: C5   EDITION: FINAL 

SOURCE: BY RICH RADFORD, STAFF WRITER 

DATELINE: NORFOLK                           LENGTH:   57 lines

TIDES ROUGHED UP IN 3RD STRAIGHT LOSS

The Columbus Clippers came to Harbor Park Monday night with a team batting average of .323 and they kept swinging those hit-loaded bats, opening a three-game series with an 11-3 victory over the Norfolk Tides.

``We didn't do a lot to slow them down, did we?'' said Tides manager Rick Dempsey.

Actually, the Clippers' average fell six percentage points.

Their International League-leading record continued to rise however, while Norfolk fell to 6-5 with its third consecutive loss.

Columbus (8-1) was not the team Tides pitcher Bill Pulsipher needed to face in his second Norfolk start while on a 30-day, major league rehabilitation stint. Coming off elbow surgery that sidelined him all of 1996, the lefthander has struggled to find a consistent release point, but said he found it in the fourth and fifth innings. The Clippers still managed to get base hits.

``I threw some good pitches and they got hits regardless,'' Pulsipher said.

Columbus scored three runs in the second on a Mike Figga home run. But with a runner at first, the Tides had an opportunity to escape the inning when Shane Spencer grounded to third baseman Scott McClain. McClain, however, misplayed the ball for an error and Figga homered into the picnic area in left.

``A double play gets us out of that inning,'' Dempsey said. ``As it turns out, we had to get five outs and (Pulsipher) isn't ready to get five outs in an inning.''

``I gave up three or four of the hits tonight with two strikes on the guy, including the home run,'' Pulsipher said. ``I tip my hat to them. But I think if I throw the ball consistently like I did in the fourth and fifth inning, the majority of the outs are going to go my way.''

In the fifth, Tim Barker led off with a double to the gap in right, then Scott Pose, Matt Howard and Clay Bellinger followed with singles as Columbus scored three more runs for a 6-2 lead.

The Clippers touched Tides reliever Rudy Seanez for five more runs.

Clippers pitcher Ray Ricken, coming back from elbow surgery, went six strong innings to earn the victory.

Norfolk scored twice in a bizarre first inning. After Luis Lopez singled, Jason Hardtke chopped one back to Ricken, who then hit umpire Mickey Irving on his attempted throw to second. Roberto Petagine's bloop to shallow left bounced off the heel of Spencer's glove as Lopez came home. Benny Agbayani, who had reached on a fielder's choice, scored from second on a Pose throwing error after McClain flew out to center and Pose's throw to third got away from Andy Fox and bounded into the dugout.

Norfolk added its other run when Hardtke doubled in the fifth, advanced on a wild pitch and scored on Petagine's groundout to first.

Today's pitchers: Norfolk will start RHP Juan Acevedo (1-0, 3.09 ERA) against Columbus LHP Sal Urso (0-0, 1.93). ILLUSTRATION: Photo

IAN MARTIN/The Virginian-Pilot

Tides shortstop Luis Lopez ends up on his back after taking a throw

to get Tim Barker of Columbus stealing second base. Barker was safe.

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