DATE: Friday, August 8, 1997                TAG: 9708080810

SECTION: SPORTS                  PAGE: C1   EDITION: FINAL 

SOURCE: BY RICH RADFORD, STAFF WRITER 

DATELINE: NORFOLK                           LENGTH:   65 lines

TIDES' RALLY FALLS SHORT AS HENS WIN NORFOLK HAD RUNNERRS ON 1ST AND 2ND IN THE 9TH, BUT FLY-BALL OUTS ENDED IT.

While the rest of the Toledo Mud Hens were heading home following a 3-2 victory over the Norfolk Tides on Thursday night at Harbor Park, pitcher Greg Keagle was detouring to Detroit.

The 25-year-old righthander is expected to be part of the Tigers' starting rotation for the season's remainder. His next start will come against the Cleveland Indians.

The befuddled Tides wish he'd have taken off a little sooner.

Keagle (11-7) went 6 2/3 innings Thursday, scattering six hits and giving up two earned runs while improving to 5-0 over his last six starts.

``He was pretty tough out there,'' Tides manager Rick Dempsey said. ``How many did he strike out? Just seven? It looked more like 15.''

``He's a complete pitcher,'' Toledo manager Gene Roof said. ``He has a lot of savvy and competes, and that's what he'll have to do in the bigs.''

Norfolk (68-51) trailed all the way in this one. But their lead in the International League West Division remained at 2 1/2 games, as the Columbus Clippers fell to Richmond 5-3.

The Mud Hens scored an unearned run in the first when Norfolk starting pitcher Chris Roberts (0-3) walked Jimmy Hurst with two out, third baseman Jose Lopez booted Bubba Trammell's grounder to leave runners at first and second, and Ira Smith delivered a run-scoring single up the middle.

In the sixth, Toledo chased Roberts when it loaded the bases with one out on singles by Ray Holbert and Scott Bream, a walk to Marcus Jensen and Kimera Bartee up the middle to score two more runs, making it 3-0.

The Tides finally put together a rally in the seventh when Wes Chamberlain and Lopez singled, then Benny Agbayani tripled to the gap in left with two out to plate both runners and end Keagle's night. Toledo's Dean Crow struck out Shawn Gilbert to end the seventh, and Eddie Gaillard pitched the eighth and ninth innings for his league-leading 28th save.

The Tides had a chance in the ninth with runners at first and second with one out, but Steve Bieser flew out to center and Agbayani to right to end it. Otherwise, the Tides' opportunities were limited.

``I can't complain too much, I guess,'' Dempsey said. ``We've won our share (10) of come-from-behind games in the last inning.''

Norfolk's offense has been suspect of late, however, even though it had won six of seven prior to Thursday. Dempsey will have second baseman Jason Hardtke (.297) and shortstop Kevin Morgan (.332) again at his disposal tonight against Pawtucket and guarantees that they will be in the lineup.

``Hardtke was delivering some big hits before he went to New York (last week),'' Dempsey said. ``And Morgan's been very consistent. We need those bats in there.''

Notes: When Columbus comes to town Monday, it'll start multi-million dollar pitcher Hideki Irabu, who is expected to make one more appearance for the Clippers before the New York Yankees recall their much-publicized Japanese acquisition. ... Tides reliever Ricardo Jordan was recalled by the New York Mets on Wednesday; Hardtke was optioned back to Norfolk to make room. ... Morgan is expected to clear waivers today after being taken off the Mets' 40-man roster Tuesday. ... Roberto Petagine, the league leader in homers and RBIs, missed his fourth consecutive start and is still nursing a sore right wrist. He irritated the wrist on a check swing in Charlotte on Sunday and isn't expected to play today. ILLUSTRATION: L. TODD SPENCER

Steve Bieser makes it back to first base safely during the Tides'

loss to Toledo. Mud Hens starter Greg Keagle had Norfolk off balance

all evening.

Send Suggestions or Comments to webmaster@scholar.lib.vt.edu