DATE: Wednesday, April 16, 1997             TAG: 9704160729

SECTION: SPORTS                  PAGE: C1   EDITION: FINAL 

SOURCE: BY RICH RADFORD, STAFF WRITER 

DATELINE: NORFOLK                           LENGTH:   65 lines

ACEVEDO TAKES WIND OUT OF CLIPPERS' SAILS

Juan Acevedo pitched like the first three letters of his last name Tuesday night, limiting the hottest team in the International League to four hits over eight innings as the Norfolk Tides topped the Columbus Clippers 3-2 at Harbor Park.

The 26-year-old righthander, who was plagued by numerous injuries last season, walked one and struck out nine against a Columbus squad that was hitting at a .317 clip and had won five straight.

Most impressive was how Acevedo handled the top of the Columbus lineup. The first five Clippers entered with batting averages of .345 or better. Against Acevedo, they were a collective 1 for 13.

``He got better as the game went,'' said Columbus manager Stump Merrill. ``He's an experienced pitcher and he looked like a veteran tonight.''

Acevedo, however, would like to forget his experiences of last season.

Hamstring pulls, a groin injury and finally a stress fracture in his leg were much of the reason for his 4-8 record and 5.96 earned run average.

``It's been a long time since I've pitched like this and I'm really happy I did it against Columbus,'' said Acevedo, who was 0-3 against the Clippers with an 11.93 ERA a year ago. ``They had my number all year and kicked me while I was down. I was really looking forward to making a statement.''

Acevedo, who threw 114 pitches, 78 for strikes, retired the side in six of his eight innings. Mike Welch, who led all New York Mets minor leaguers with 29 saves a year ago, pitched a perfect ninth to pick up his second save of the season.

The Clippers (8-2) scored in the third when Andy Fox singled with one out, stole second and third, then came home on Scott Pose's single through the left side of the infield. Tim Barker had walked ahead of Pose, who caught Tides shortstop Luis Lopez leaning toward second on the hit-and-run play.

The other Columbus run came on a Shane Spencer home run on a 1-2 pitch to lead off the fifth.

``I dropped my elbow and hung it and he hit it,'' Acevedo said.

The Tides scored twice in the second when Roberto Petagine and Scott McClain walked to start the inning, Todd Pratt followed with a run-scoring single over short and Chris Saunders singled down the rightfield line with one out to plate the second run.

Norfolk, which broke a three-game losing streak, got their third run in the fifth when Saunders walked, took second on Lopez's sacrifice bunt, then scored on Jason Hardtke's two-out single over short that chased Columbus starter and loser Sal Urso.

Bunts and sacrifice flies: LHP Joe Crawford (first appearance) will start in place of Tides RHP Jason Isringhausen today against Columbus RHP Dave Eiland (2-0, 5.73 ERA) in the Business Person's Special at 12:15 p.m. Isringhausen, who bruised his pitching hand punching a trash can during his previous start, is being monitored and will be inserted into the rotation as soon as he's ready. . . .

Norfolk's game Thursday in Ottawa has been moved up to 4:35 p.m. to avoid conflict with the Ottawa Senators' first-ever NHL playoff game. The Tides will broadcast on WNOR 1230-AM Thursday beginning at 4:15 p.m. ILLUSTRATION: Color photo

D. KEVIN ELLIOTT/The Virginian-Pilot

Roberto Petagine of Norfolk slides into first base on a pickoff play

during the second inning Tuesday. The play was close, but Petagine

avoided the pickoff when Columbus pitcher Sal Urso was called for a

balk. Petagine later scored the game's first run in a 3-2 Tides

victory.

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