THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Wednesday, August 9, 1995 TAG: 9508090576
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C3 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY TOM ROBINSON, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: NORFOLK LENGTH: Medium: 76 lines
After the first two starts of his pro career, the Norfolk Tides' Phil Stidham must admit he could get used to that radical concept. A side-winding righthanded reliever, Stidham was pressed into service as a starter again Tuesday against the Syracuse Chiefs, as he was Friday in Columbus.
The results of those performances are so neat and clean that Stidham, who was demoted to Double-A for 12 days less than a month ago, has to be wondering if there's more where they came from.
Alas, it's most likely back to the bullpen now for Stidham. But not before he made his mark in the rotation and helped strong-arm the Tides to a 5-1 victory to halt a three-game losing streak.
Stidham piled 6 1/3 shutout innings, the longest outing of his career, on top of the 4 1/3 innings in which he blanked the Clippers last week in his career debut as a starter. Combined with his three relief appearances before that, Stidham has not allowed an earned run in 15 innings.
Aided by a two-run home run by Jay Payton in the first inning and Butch Huskey's 28th home run, a bases-empty blast over the power alley in left-center that left him one shy of the club record, Stidham improved to 3-1 and lowered his ERA to 3.35.
Lefthander Joe Crawford, just off the plane from Double-A, worked the final 2 2/3 innings and gave up a two-out run in the ninth inning in his Triple-A debut.
``I really wanted to help the team out, the (tired) bullpen especially,'' Stidham said. ``I ran out of gas, but I was happy with the way I pitched. I'd like another opportunity to start, but I understand my role on this team. We've got five quality starters. The next time they need a spot starter, though, maybe they'll call on me again.''
Tides manager Toby Harrah knows where to find him.
``He looks real good as a starter,'' Harrah said. ``He got the opportunity, he was really anxious to start, and he grabbed hold of it.''
Syracuse (46-68) actually had a runner on against Stidham in every inning but the first, but he kept inducing ground-ball outs and received solid backing in the field.
Second baseman Ed Alicea threw out Felipe Crespo at third base from shallow rightfield to end the third inning, and centerfielder Payton, playing fairly shallow, turned and sprinted to the warning track to flag Howard Battle's drive in the seventh.
Stidham walked the next batter following Battle's out, but Crawford got out of the inning thanks to Huskey's leaping grab at third of Tilson Brito's line drive.
``(Stidham) was starting to max out,'' Harrah said. ``He probably could've finished the inning, but I didn't want to ruin an outstanding pitching performance. I wanted to get him out on a positive note.''
Ricky Otero and Payton helped make sure the Tides (73-45) finished positive when Otero singled off Huck Flener to start the game and Payton tomahawked an eye-level pitch over the leftfield wall for his second home run and the league-high 19th allowed by Flener.
After an unearned run in the third inning, in the sixth Huskey greeted Mike Timlin, down from the Toronto Blue Jays on a rehabilitative assignment, by driving his first pitch out of the park to extend his league home run lead.
If this season has been a major redemption for Huskey, who hit only 10 home runs as a Tide last year, Stidham has tasted a bit of that the last two weeks.
``When I was sent down, I was pretty upset,'' he said. ``But I know that's part of the game. Since I've been back, it's helped to get a lot of innings and get into a groove. I might've opened up some eyes.'' ILLUSTRATION: BOX SCORE
STANDINGS
STATISTICS
[For a copy of the charts, see microfilm for this date.]
by CNB