The Virginian-Pilot
                             THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT 
              Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: Friday, July 26, 1996                 TAG: 9607260645
SECTION: SPORTS                  PAGE: C6   EDITION: FINAL 
SOURCE: BY RICH RADFORD, STAFF WRITER 
DATELINE: NORFOLK                           LENGTH:   46 lines

COLUMBUS PULLS INTO TIE WITH TIDES

The Norfolk Tides' game with Columbus Thursday started 94 minutes late because of rain and ended in a drizzle.

Somewhere in between, the Tides lead in the International League West Division evaporated.

The Tides, who had held the outright lead in the division since May 16, were never able to solve Columbus pitcher Ramiro Mendoza, who went eight-plus innings scattering six hits before Dave Pavlas came on for his IL-leading 21st save in a 3-1 Columbus victory.

The Tides and Clippers, who share the lead now with identical 58-44 records, end their regular season series tonight with a prospective pitchers' duel. The Tides' Mike Gardiner, second in the IL in ERA at 2.36, faces the Clippers' Brian Boehringer, second in the IL in strikeouts with 104.

The Clippers opened the scoring with two runs in the second against Shannon Withem, who was making his first Triple-A start on short notice. Withem was called up from Double-A Binghamton after a stress fracture was discovered Wednesday in scheduled Tides starter Juan Acevedo's right tibia.

Jorge Pasada's opposite-field double down the leftfield line was followed by Ivan Cruz's to the wall in right. Tracy Woodson's grounder over the third base bag made it 2-0.

The Tides scored in the third when Luis Rivera led off with a single down the third-base line, moved to third on Alberto Castillo's hit-and-run single to center and scored on Shawn Gilbert's sacrifice fly.

Withem went 6 2/3 innings, giving up eight hits and no walks while striking out five.

The Clippers added another run in the eighth. Matt Luke singled through the right side to open the inning. When Jorge Posada grounded to the hole at shortstop, Luis Rivera's off-balance throw to second sailed over Shawn Gilbert's head, with runners moving to second and third. Roberto Petagine booted Cruz's slow roller to first for his second error of the evening, allowing Luke to score.

The Tides threatened in the ninth, getting runners to the corners on a Benny Agbayani leadoff single and a two-out hit-and-run single by Jay Payton. But Rivera grounded into a force play to end it. ILLUSTRATION: Photo by VICKI CRONIS/The Virginian-Pilot

Norfolk Tides catcher Alberto Castillo prepares to field a pop fly

in front of the Columbus dugout Thursday at Harbor Park. by CNB