DATE: Monday, June 9, 1997                  TAG: 9706090127

SECTION: SPORTS                  PAGE: C8   EDITION: FINAL 

SOURCE: BY KEITH CANNON, CORRESPONDENT 

DATELINE: FORT MILL, S.C.                   LENGTH:   48 lines

TIDES USE 2 BIG INNINGS TO WIN PRATT LED NORFOLK'S 17-HIT ATTACK, GOING 3 FOR 4, INCLUDING A TWO-RUN HOME RUN.

When the Norfolk Tides have scored lately, it's been in bunches.

So after one night without a big inning, manager Rick Dempsey was glad to get that weapon back Sunday night.

The Tides (37-25) rocked Charlotte for five runs in the third inning and three in the fourth on the way to a 10-6 victory over the Knights before 3,415 fans at Knights Castle.

``We've been in the habit of putting up some huge innings, and I hope we're going to get back on that roll again,'' Dempsey said. ``Offensively, we're getting some pretty good chemistry. I'm excited about it and I know the pitchers are.''

Catcher Todd Pratt led a 17-hit attack, going 3 for 4, including a two-run homer in the fourth inning.

``He's letting people know he can play in the big leagues,'' Dempsey said.

Wes Chamberlain and Kevin Morgan were both 3 for 5 with a pair of RBIs.

The Tides, 4-2 losers on Saturday night, came up with five hits and five runs in the third inning to take command of a game that had been tied 1-1.

Highlights were Scott McClain's two-run double off the leftfield fence and RBI singles by Chamberlain and starting pitcher Keith Shepherd (4-2).

In the fourth, Benny Agbayani led off with a single and Pratt followed with his eighth home run of the season to left centerfield. After two out, consecutive singles by McClain, Jim Martin and Morgan produced another run for an 8-3 lead.

Meanwhile, the Knights scratched out single runs in the second, third, fourth, sixth and seventh innings.

Charlotte got RBI singles from Russ Morman, Todd Dunwoody, Chris Clapinski and Lou Lucca in that stretch. The Knights were also helped by a pinch-hit double by Alex Cole and some aggressive base-running.

Cole's double with one out in the sixth preceded Clapinski's RBI single. Steals by Dunwoody and Clapinski helped set up two of the three runs.

But the Tides' defense kept the Knights from putting together a big inning. Norfolk turned three double plays, the most important one in the seventh.

Down 9-4, the Knights got a leadoff single from Morman and Chris Daubach drew a walk. But reliever Jimmy Myers got Billy McMillon to ground into a double play. The Knights went on to score a single run in the inning, but the Tides had turned back what proved to be Charlotte's last serious threat.

``Morgan and McClain were all over the infield,'' Dempsey said. ``We had a couple of great double plays and that helped us out a lot.''

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