DATE: Thursday, May 22, 1997                TAG: 9705220697

SECTION: SPORTS                  PAGE: C1   EDITION: FINAL 

SOURCE: BY ED MILLER, STAFF WRITER 
DATELINE: NORFOLK                           LENGTH:   69 lines

HOMER IN 10TH HANDS TIDES 3RD LOSS IN ROW

No BP? No infield practice?

No problem.

Not for the Toledo Mun Hens, who beat the Norfolk Tides 5-3 in 10 innings Wednesday night at Harbor Park.

Toledo arrived in town Wednesday morning. Their equipment didn't arrive until Wednesday evening - about an hour before game time.

Deprived of batting practice, and coming off a two-day layoff, Toledo (27-18) nonetheless banged out nine hits, three for extra bases.

``We hadn't swung for three days,'' leftfielder Bubba Trammell said. ``But a lot of times when you don't take batting practice, you can concentrate and get hits.''

Trammell had the biggest one, a two-run home run in the top of the 10th that provided the margin of victory.

And the Tides (25-21) had their third loss in a row, one that may stick in the craw of manager Rick Dempsey for a while.

``We threw it away, we just threw it away,'' Dempsey said. ``We seem to be making a lot of stupid mistakes, and it's costing us ballgames.''

Dempsey was referring to a bizarre play in the top of the ninth that turned the momentum for Toledo.

With no one out, Toledo's Glen Barker was on third when Tim Hyers popped out to third baseman Scott McClain in foul territory.

McClain threw the ball to pitcher Mike Welch, who turned his back and headed for the mound. Catcher Todd Pratt then walked toward the mound, to talk to Welch.

When Pratt walked, Barker ran. He slid home safe, beating Welch's throw to a backpedaling Pratt, and Toledo led 2-1.

Barker, who had been inserted as a pinch runner, said he didn't know if Pratt had called time. He just took a chance and ran.

``I figured the worst they could do was call me back,'' he said.

Dempsey said Pratt apparently forgot to call time.

``We just fell asleep, and it made us look stupid,'' he said.

The play was scored as a fielder's choice, but Dempsey and Toledo manager Glenn Ezell said Barker should have been credited with a steal of home.

Toledo scored again in the inning - on a sacrifice fly by Ray Holbert, to make it 3-1.

The Tides tied it in the top of the ninth on a two-run homer by Jason Hardtke before Trammell's shot decided things.

``We let em back in with a two-run homer, so it was good to come right back at em,'' he said.

Through eight innings, the game was a pitcher's duel. Norfolk's Juan Acevedo worked eight solid innings scattering four hits and striking out 11. Toldeo starter Mike Drumright scattered eight hits through 6 1/3 before giving way to Rick Greene.

Acevedo was lifted in the ninth in favor of Welch. Dempsey said Acevedo had thrown 130 pitches, and Welch needed the work.

``He just didn't have his good fastball tonight,'' Dempsey said. ``I don't know why.''

Welch gave up four runs and five hits in 1 1/3 innings as Toledo began finding its groove at the plate.

BP or no BP.

``We were cold turkey,'' Ezell said. ``I didn't know what to expect.'' ILLUSTRATION: [Color Photo]

HUY NGUYEN/The Virginian-Pilot

Benny Agbayani's night got off to a painful start when he was hit by

a pitch in the first inning.

HUY NGUYEN/The Virginian-Pilot

Norfolk's Shawn Gilbert hits the wall chasing a Toledo double

Wednesday night at Harbor Park.

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