DATE: Wednesday, May 7, 1997                TAG: 9705070721

SECTION: SPORTS                  PAGE: C4   EDITION: FINAL 

SOURCE: BY CLYDE HUGHES, CORRESPONDENT 

DATELINE: MAUMEE, OHIO                      LENGTH:   54 lines

TIDES COOLED OFF BY RED-HOT TOLEDO KEAGLE STRUCK OUT 10 IN LEADING THE MUD HENS TO THEIR EIGHTH STRAIGHT WIN.

Toledo starter Greg Keagle managed to cool off Norfolk bats for one night, striking out 10 to lead the Mud Hens to a 4-1 victory over the Tides Tuesday night at Ned Skeldon Stadium.

The loss snapped a modest two-game win streak for Norfolk and the Mud Hens continued their red-hot play, winning their eighth consecutive game.

After scoring 12 runs in a 12-9 victory over Richmond the night before, the Tides could score only one run off Keagle and relievers Rick Greene and Eddie Gaillard.

``I really can't be upset with the offense the way we've been hitting lately,'' said manager Rick Dempsey. ``In this instance, you have to give credit to the pitcher. Keagle kept us off balance most of the night and shut us down. Not too many people have been able to do that to us lately.''

The loss also overshadowned an impressive Triple-A and Tides debut of Brian Edmondson. Edmondson was called up from Double-A Binghamton as a reliever.

In Binghamton, the righthander was 2-0 with three saves and a 1.23 ERA, all in relief.

But he was pressed into starting Tuesday and looked like he had been doing it all season, giving up one run and three hits while striking out six over five innings.

``I was just so pumped about being here, I think the adrenalin just took over,'' Edmondson said. ``Getting a chance to start was an added bonus. Rick told me to take it one inning at a time and that's been my attitude all season.''

Edmondson left the game after five innings with the score tied 1-1.

``He had thrown about 60 pitches and that was almost double what he's been throwing,'' Dempsey said. ``He felt strong but I didn't want to take a chance and hurt him or set him back.''

Reliever Keith Shepherd, though, failed to keep Toledo in check when he came on the sixth inning, giving up two runs.

Jimmy Hurst singled to left and Shepherd walked Bob Hamelin. Then Shepherd bobbled a high-chopping bunt by Frank Catalanotto, which was ruled as a single, to load the bases with no outs.

With the infield drawn in, the Tides forced two runners out at home on ground balls by Dave Hajek and Tim Hyers. Scott Makarewicz, though, drilled a Shepherd pitch up the middle to score Catalanotto and Hajek for the lead.

Norfolk tied the game in the fifth inning with help from a Toledo miscue. Todd Pratt doubled to left and scored on a Ramon Espinosa single and throwing error by third baseman Hajek.

NOTES: Shawn Gilbert was activated from the disabled list Tuesday and went 2 for 4. Outfielder Angel Jaime was optioned to Class A St. Lucie. ... Luis Lopez's 10-game hitting streak was snapped when he went 0 for 4. ... Shepherd signed a free-agent contract Tuesday. Shepherd had been with Triple-A Calgary earlier in the season, where he was 0-1 with a 7.64 ERA in 10 games. Last season with Rochester, he was 4-7 with a 4.01 ERA and nine saves.

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