DATE: Wednesday, June 18, 1997              TAG: 9706180754

SECTION: SPORTS                  PAGE: C1   EDITION: FINAL 

SOURCE: BY RICH RADFORD, STAFF WRITER 

DATELINE: NORFOLK                           LENGTH:   54 lines

ROCHESTER USES LONG BALL TO ROCK TIDES

For years, ``Luzinski homers in victory'' was a common headline in Philadelphia.

Tuesday night, the second generation did it at Harbor Park.

Ryan Luzinski's ninth-inning home run off reliever Jimmy Myers off the scoreboard in left gave the Rochester Red Wings a 4-2 lead and put a little added pressure on the Norfolk Tides going into the bottom of the ninth.

The Tides got a runner to second when pinch-hitter Phil Geisler doubled with one out, but they couldn't capitalize as two streaks came to an end - Norfolk's six-game winning streak and Rochester's five-game slide.

Luzinski is hitting .480 after only 10 games with the Red Wings. Tuesday's was the first Triple-A home run for the big chip off the equally big block. And it's distance - approximately 405 feet - reminded why he was the Los Angeles Dodgers' first-round pick in the 1992 supplemental draft (he's since been traded to the Orioles organization).

Oh yeah, and the Red Wings, who ran five pitchers to the mound against the Tides to secure the win, really needed it.

``We couldn't worry about how many pitchers we threw,'' Rochester manager Marv Foley said. ``We needed to win and get that feeling back, whatever it took. But if we'd gone extra innings, we'd have thrown in the towel.''

The Red Wings staked a 3-0 lead with the first two runs coming on solo home runs by Danny Clyburn in the fourth and Tommy Davis in the fifth off Tides starter Shannon Withem. Rochester added an unearned run in the fifth when Lou Frazier walked, took second on an errant pickoff throw by catcher Charlie Greene and scored on a two-out single to right by Francisco Matos.

``Other than the homers, Shannon pitched a very good game,'' Tides manager Rick Dempsey said. ``We played good, they played better. ``What hurt us most was the interference call.''

In the third inning, Benny Agbayani led off with a single and appeared to steal second and take third on an errant throw by Luzinski.

But Jesus Azuaje, in trying to protect the plate, was called for batter's interference. Agbayani was ruled out on a double play, with Azuaje striking out on the front end.

Scott McClain hit a two-run homer for the Tides (43-27) in the sixth to cut it to 3-2. It was McClain's 15th of the season.

Notes: New York Mets pitcher Pete Harnish, placed on the disabled list at the beginning of the season due to depression, is scheduled to pitch a simulated game at Shea Stadium today. He may make a rehabilitation start with the Tides some time in the next five to 10 days. ILLUSTRATION: Color photo

L. TODD SPENCER

Norfolk's James Martin slides safely into third base Tuesday night

as Rochester's P.J. Forbes hops out of the way while covering on the

play. The Tides could not overcome a 3-0 deficit and lost to the Red

Wings 4-2 at Harbor Park.

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