DATE: Monday, July 21, 1997                 TAG: 9707210157

SECTION: SPORTS                  PAGE: C1   EDITION: FINAL 

SOURCE: BY AARON PORTZLINE, CORRESPONDENT 

DATELINE: COLUMBUS, OHIO                    LENGTH:   63 lines

HARNISCH PITCHES WELL, BUT TIDES FALL AGAIN

The news was again bad for the Norfolk Tides Sunday night. But the story within the story - Pete Harnisch's continued recovery from depression - must have the New York Mets smiling.

The Columbus Clippers beat Norfolk 5-0, completing a three-game sweep, their first of the Tides since June of 1991. The Tides' lead in the International League West Division has withered to one game.

But the parent club Mets are more concerned with the well-being of Harnisch, who made just one start for New York before leaving the team because of depression.

Three months later, it seems Harnisch is raring to go.

The righthander appeared overpowering at times last night, although the stats don't show it. In 6 1/3 innings, he allowed six hits and five runs, four earned. He struck out six and threw 99 pitches, 57 of them strikes.

Afterward, he proclaimed himself fit - both physically and mentally. Depression, caused by breaking a nicotine habit, sidelined him for over three months.

``Physically, I'm fine. I felt great all-around,'' Harnisch said. ``I've got the same stuff I've always had. It's just a question of when the big club calls for me.''

``I thought he looked real good the first five or six innings,'' Norfolk manager Rick Dempsey said. ``He had good stuff. It's just a matter of building up the arm strength.''

The game was scoreless until the fourth inning, when Columbus' Shane Spencer blooped a two-out single to center, scoring Matt Howard from second.

Columbus went ahead 2-0 in the fifth, when Andy Fox walked, took second on a wild pitch and scored on Ron Brown's triple.

Harnisch retired the next six batters, but then seemed to run out of gas. With one out in the seventh, Fox walked and Mike Figga hit an opposite field home run to make it 4-0. The next batter, Brown, smoked a single to right, signaling the end for Harnisch.

``I might have hit the wall there in the seventh,'' Harnisch said. ``I probably should have paced myself better early in the game, but that arm strength will come as the season goes on. This only gives me 30 innings all season, so I'm pleased with the way I threw.''

Harnisch (0-1), who has now made four starts on his comeback, is scheduled to pitch Friday against Syracuse at Harbor Park.

``The numbers don't always say how well a guy throws,'' Dempsey said. ``I was encouraged. I thought he looked real solid.''

The same cannot be said for the Tides in general. The Norfolk offense has produced just two runs in the last 26 innings.

In the fourth inning, Benny Agbayani hit a lead-off single, extending his hit streak to 15 games.

But Agbayani was thrown out trying to go from second to third when Columbus centerfielder Clay Bellinger booted a fly ball by Roberto Petagine. Bellinger scooped up the ball and easily nailed Agbayani at third.

Two pitches later, Petagine was caught napping off first by Figga, Columbus' catcher.

``We certainly haven't gotten any breaks here,'' Dempsey said. ``I think we're all ready to get home. Let's hope things go better for us there.''

NOTE: The Tides called up Chris Roberts from Double-A Binghamton to replace Brian Bohanon, who has been recalled by the New York Mets and will make a Wednesday start. Bohanon will temporarily fill Armando Reynoso's spot in the Mets' starting rotation.

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