DATE: Thursday, August 7, 1997              TAG: 9708070785

SECTION: SPORTS                  PAGE: C1   EDITION: FINAL 

SOURCE: BY RICH RADFORD, STAFF WRITER 

DATELINE: NORFOLK                           LENGTH:   67 lines

TIDES TOPPLE TOLEDO IN THE 11TH CHAMBERLAIN'S BAT AWAKENS WITH AN RBI SINGLE AS NORFOLK EARNS ITS 6TH WIN IN 7 GAMES.

Wes Chamberlain's single to rightfield with one out in the 11th scored Tate Seefried from second base and gave the Norfolk Tides their sixth victory in seven games, 3-2 over the Toledo Mud Hens on Wednesday night at Harbor Park.

Chamberlain said the hits hadn't been falling for him of late and that it was a good time for one to find a hole, particularly since it was only the Tides' fourth hit of the night.

``Peaks and valleys, highs and lows, that's what a baseball season is about,'' said Chamberlain, who was 0 for 4 with two strikeouts before his game-winner. ``I wouldn't call what I've been in a slump, but I wasn't hitting the ball as hard as I did when I first got here.

``(Tides manager Rick Dempsey) has been on me about leaning over too much at the plate, so I'm standing a little more upright now, and it seems to be working.''

Seefried walked to lead off and moved to second on Scott McClain's sacrifice bunt. Phil Geisler was intentionally walked by Rick Greene to get to Chamberlain.

Jim Dougherty (10-1) pitched the 10th and 11th innings to become Norfolk's first 10-game winner of the season.

The Mud Hens scored in the first when Kimera Bartee led off with a drag bunt, stole second and came home with one out when Frank Catalanotto's ground ball went through second baseman Shawn Gilbert's legs.

Toledo took a 2-0 lead in the second when Ira Smith led off with a double off the fence in left-center, moved to third on a sacrifice bunt by Ray Holbert and scored on Scott Makarewicz's sacrifice fly to center.

Norfolk (68-50) tied it in the sixth on a one-out, two-run homer by McClain. It was his 19th of the season, and his first in three weeks.

The Tides got out of a big jam in the seventh after Holbert led off with a triple to right-center. Tides starter Shannon Withem coaxed Makarewicz into grounding out to third, then gave way to lefthanded relief pitcher Ricardo Jordan, who then walked Bartee. But Jordan got Steve Rodriguez to fly out to short right and Catalanotto to ground out to second to strand Holbert.

Norfolk was held hitless in the seventh, eighth, ninth and 10th innings. During the lull, Toledo's Ira Smith provided a sideshow, taking exception to a called third strike on the outside corner. Home plate umpire Pat Connors ejected Smith after hearing enough, and when Smith went back for more, Toledo manager Gene Roof had to restrain him, while first base umpire Brian Gibbons spun Smith by the shoulder to get him away from Connors.

Reliever Jimmy Myers hit the next two Toledo batters, Holbert and Makarewicz, but escaped the inning by striking out Bartee and getting Rodriguez to line out.

Toledo threatened again in the 10th. Catalanotto doubled to the gap in left to lead off, and the Mud Hens eventually loaded the bases when Dougherty walked Bubba Trammell, Tim Hyers moved the runners up on a sacrifice bunt, Jimmy Hurst popped up to short and Scott Bream walked. But Dougherty got Holbert to ground into a force out.

Norfolk looked poised to rough up Toledo starter Mike Drumright, who bounced four pitches in the first inning, when Benny Agbayani singled with one out, Shawn Gilbert walked and both advanced on a wild pitch. But Drumright calmed down and went 6 2/3 effective innings. ILLUSTRATION: A hard-fought victory

L. TODD SPENCER

The Tides' Scott McClain takes the low road into second base under

Toledo's Frank Catalanotto to break up a double play in the fourth

inning.

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