DATE: Sunday, June 1, 1997                  TAG: 9706010225

SECTION: SPORTS                  PAGE: C4   EDITION: FINAL 

SOURCE: BY RICH RADFORD, STAFF WRITER 

DATELINE: NORFOLK                           LENGTH:   49 lines

TIDES WIN FOR 7TH TIME IN 8 GAMES

As far as the Norfolk Tides are concerned, the more the merrier.

The Tides treated a season-high crowd of 11,187 at Harbor Park to a 3-0 victory over the Syracuse SkyChiefs Saturday night, winning for the seventh time in eight games.

Seems any time the Tides see the seats filled, they win. So far, they've treated their four largest home crowds to victories.

That pattern isn't limited to just home games. They've won in front of the five largest crowds they've had on the road too.

``We notice when there are people in the stands and there were a lot tonight,'' said Tides second baseman Jason Hardtke. ``There's more excitement when there are more people.''

This victory was highlighted by lefthander Brian Bohanon, who went seven strong innings before giving way to relievers Jimmy Myers and Yorkis Perez.

Bohanon, who has been in the major leagues for parts of the last seven seasons, including this season with the New York Mets, improved to 3-1 and gave up five hits. The first four of those hits didn't leave the infield.

``I was just trying to make them hit the pitch I wanted them to hit,'' said Bohanon.

It was the third consecutive shutout by the Tides' pitching staff, a club record.

``The pitching is really surprising me,'' Tides manager Rick Dempsey said. ``The starters are going long and strong and making real improvement.''

Norfolk (32-22) is now 10 games over .500 for the first time this season and lead the International League West Division by one game over Columbus.

The Tides struck fast in the third inning when Scott McClain singled sharply to left and Hardtke doubled to the gap in right to score McClain from first.

Luis Lopez followed with a double into the rightfield corner, stretching his hitting streak to 18 games, but Hardtke advanced just one base, thinking the ball might be caught.

``I really got fooled when the rightfielder put his glove up,'' Hardtke said. ``I told Luis afterward that he's a leadoff hitter and doesn't need the RBIs.''

Hardtke came home two outs later on a sacrifice fly to left by Benny Agbayani.

``Fortunately we got the run back with Benny's sacrifice,'' Dempsey said.

Notes: Pitcher Rudy Seanez has been sent to the Kansas City Royals' Triple-A affiliate in Omaha as the player-to-be-named, closing the deal that brought last year's IL pitcher of the year Mike Fyhrie to the Tides in March of 1996. Fyhrie is pitching this season for the Chiba Lotte Marines.

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