DATE: Thursday, April 17, 1997              TAG: 9704170600

SECTION: SPORTS                  PAGE: C1   EDITION: FINAL 

SOURCE: BY RICH RADFORD, STAFF WRITER 

DATELINE: NORFOLK                           LENGTH:   77 lines

TIDES ARE A HIT IN LOPSIDED WIN OVER COLUMBUS THEY USED A SEASON-HIGH 18 HITS AND GOT 8 SOLID INNINGS OF PITCHING FROM CRAWFORD.

Many of the 5,514 on hand took Wednesday afternoon off to attend the Harbor Park's first Business Person's Special of the season.

The Norfolk Tides didn't, though.

The Tides rapped a season-high 18 hits and got eight solid innings of pitching from lefthander Joe Crawford as they thumped the Columbus Clippers 13-4.

All nine Tides in the batting order had a hit and scored a run as Norfolk (8-5) took two out of three from the Western Division-leading Clippers (8-3).

The Tides also won their first game while wearing their new day-game red jerseys. When the jerseys were debuted on Sunday, Norfolk dropped both games of a doubleheader with Toledo.

``I still don't know about red on Sunday,'' Tides manager Rick Dempsey said. ``But red on Wednesday is real good.''

``You just can't knock those jerseys after the first try,'' said Jason Hardtke, who was used as designated hitter and went 3 for 5 with two RBIs. ``You've got to stay with them and give them another chance.''

Six of the Tides had multiple-hit games, with shortstop Shawn Gilbert (4 for 5, three runs scored) and catcher Charlie Greene (2 for 5, three-run home run) pacing the assault.

It was enough to make Crawford want to pick up a bat. The 6-foot-3, 225-pound lefthander hit .429 (9 for 21) for the Tides a year ago and was actually used as a pinch-hitter on occasion.

But in the International League, the designated hitter rule is in effect if either team is farm club of an American League franchise. The Tides pitchers will get their first official cuts today when Norfolk visits the Ottawa Lynx (Montreal Expos) to start a four-game series.

``I might not be pitching up there,'' Crawford said. ``But I'm taking a bat and I'm going to try to get Dempsey to dress me out for pinch-hitting rather than wear street clothes in the stands and do pitch charts.''

Crawford has bounced between the parent New York Mets and the Tides all spring. He was the last player optioned to Norfolk from the big-league club out of spring training, then was recalled to the Mets while they were on a West Coast swing when Pete Harnish was placed on the disabled list. On Tuesday, he was again sent to the Tides to make room for Armando Reynosa, who was coming off the disabled list.

Crawford got Wednesday's start because a frustrated Jason Isringhausen punched a trash can last Friday. Isringhausen was still wearing an ace bandage on his bruised hand Wednesday in the dugout.

``Eight innings is a lot,'' said Crawford, who gave up five hits and four earned runs, but retired the last 10 Clippers he faced. ``I hadn't gone more than two for the last two weeks. I'm going to be sore in the morning, but I was really fresh at the start.

``And that was actually a problem. I felt so fresh that I thought I could blow pitches by them and got a couple up in the strike zone. Once I tired a little, I went back to pitching.''

The Clippers had a 4-1 lead through the top of the fifth inning. Columbus (8-3) got a two-run triple from Scott Pose in the third and Matt Howard's grounder to short scored Pose. In the fifth, Andy Fox singled, stole second, took third on a wild pitch and scored on Ricky Ledee's single to left.

But the Clippers lost their fizz and the Tides got hot, scoring runs in each of their last four at-bats.

They were already ahead 6-4 when they sent 10 players to bat in the eighth.

Luis Lopez and Hardtke singled and Benny Agbayani walked, chasing Ken Edenfield, the Clippers' fourth pitcher of the afternoon.

After Dave Polley relieved, Chris Saunders drilled a two-run double to the gap in left with one out, Gilbert and Gary Thurman followed with run-scoring, two-out singles and Greene capped the afternoon's assault with a three-run homer into the picnic area in left.

Today's pitchers: Norfolk will send RHP Cory Lidle (2-1, 2.41 earned run average) against Ottawa LHP Neil Weber (1-1, 5.40) today at 4:35 p.m. ILLUSTRATION: [Color Photo]

L. TODD SPENCER

Columbus pitcher Dale Polley turns his back after giving up a

three-run home run to Charlie Greene of the Tides, who scored seven

runs in the eighth inning.

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