THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Thursday, June 8, 1995 TAG: 9506080574
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C3 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY TOM ROBINSON, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: MOOSIC, PA. LENGTH: Medium: 61 lines
A half-inning into their return to Harbor Park on Wednesday, the Norfolk Tides' chances of ending their three-game losing streak were down to ``slim'' and ``get real.''
Troubled offensively the last few games, the Tides this time were burned by ineffective starting pitching. Lefthander Chris Roberts was knocked around for six hits and six runs in the first inning as the Pawtucket Red Sox hung an 8-4 defeat on the Tides.
The four-game skid is the longest of the season for a team that still has the International League's best record at 36-24, yet is only one game ahead of Richmond in the West Division.
``Fortunately I have a short memory,'' Tides manager Toby Harrah said. ``One game back is about as far as I go.''
This one went in a hurry. Roberts struck out Juan Bell to start the game, then eight of the next Pawsox hitters reached base, six in a row on hits. Included were an RBI double by Mark Whiten, on a medical rehabilitation assignment from Boston, a two-run home run by Eric Wedge and an RBI-double by Jose Malave.
After Roberts got another strikeout, Tony Rodriguez bounced a ball off the glove of third baseman Butch Huskey that was ruled an error. That scored two more runs and finished the most productive inning by a Tides' opponent this season.
Roberts (4-4) lasted just 3 1/3 innings, the briefest of his 12 starts and one that continued his miserable fate at Harbor Park. The 23-year-old Triple-A rookie has a 6.95 ERA at home, in a stadium that is known for favoring pitchers. Roberts' road ERA is 3.26 in six starts.
In the meantime, Tim VanEgmond held the Tides to two hits and a run in five innings before leaving because of a pitch count. The Tides jumped on his successor, Joel Johnston, for three runs in the sixth, capped by Derek Lee's two-run home run, his eighth.
But that only made it 8-4. Pawtucket had scored twice more off newcomer Darrin Paxton in the top of the sixth on Eric Wedge's single over a drawn-in infield.
Still, that slight offensive glut was some consolation, said Harrah, who watched his team score a total of four runs in the previous three games. Roberts' effort, though, perplexed him.
``Sometimes he goes out there and makes it look easy,'' Harrah said. ``Sometimes he goes out and really struggles. When you don't throw real hard you to have to have good location and change speeds and you've really, really got to stay ahead in the count.
``He threw a lot of pitches and was getting behind a lot. They were putting the bat on the ball, so I have to think his location wasn't exactly where he wanted it.''
NOTABLE: The Pawsox batted 40 times and the Tides recorded only four assists, just two on ninth-inning ground balls. . . . Veteran major leaguer Cory Snyder was 1 for 5 in his debut with Pawtucket. . . . Righthander Jason Isringhausen goes for his fifth victory against no losses tonight against ex-Tide Dale Plummer. by CNB