DATE: Wednesday, August 27, 1997            TAG: 9708270744

SECTION: SPORTS                  PAGE: C1   EDITION: FINAL 

SOURCE: BY RICH RADFORD, STAFF WRITER 

DATELINE: NORFOLK                           LENGTH:   62 lines

TIDES PUT LOSING STREAK TO REST AS BATS COME TO LIFE

Throughout a slump that was severely threatening the Norfolk Tides' playoff hopes, the theme in the clubhouse was that one big hit was all they needed to turn it around.

How about one little hit with big results?

A 40-foot single by Wes Chamberlain sparked a four-run sixth inning as the Tides beat the Richmond Braves 6-1 Tuesday night at The Diamond.

The victory ended a seven-game losing streak and moved the Tides back into second place outright in the International League West Division.

The Tides got a complete game performance from starting pitcher Shannon Withem.They also got help from the Columbus Clippers, who beat the Charlotte Knights 12-3.

The Knights are now a game behind the Tides (72-64) in the hunt for the division's second playoff spot.

Chamberlain's key hit came with runners at first and second and one out. He chopped an offering from Braves pitcher Brad Woodall to the third-base side of the mound. Woodall then threw the ball about five feet over the head of first baseman Randall Simon, and both runners scored.

The Tides got two more singles in the inning, one by Mike Moore and a run-scoring single to right by Alberto Castillo. Benny Agbayani and Kevin Morgan then drew back-to-back walks against reliever Dean Hartgraves to score another run.

``Put me back out there 10 times and I make that play every time,'' Woodall said. ``I rushed the throw.

``But to pitch better than Shannon would have been a tough chore tonight.''

Withem turned in his first complete game at the Triple-A level. He allowed five hits, walked two and struck out eight on 140 pitches.

The 24-year-old, who was the IL's pitcher of the week two weeks ago, has become the Tides' most consistent pitcher in August. Norfolk has won just four of its last 18 games, and Withem has three of those victories.

``And he kept us in the one he lost in Columbus,'' said Chamberlain. ``I tip my hat to him. When I first got here, he was mediocre. Now he's putting it to some of the teams that were putting it to him.''

As sour as the Tides had been of late, Withem said he was downright giddy about taking the mound Tuesday.

``I figured these streaks (Richmond had won nine straight) had to break sooner or later,'' Withem said. ``The longer they went, the better the chances.''

Norfolk added runs in the seventh and eighth innings. Castillo, who had four hits, delivered a run-scoring single to left in the seventh and McClain, who had three hits, singled to left to drive in a run in the eighth.

The Braves scored the game's first run in the second when Tommy Gregg, who is leading the International League in hitting with a .332 average, doubled off the wall in left, moved to third on a groundout by Brad Tyler and scored on Damon Hollins' single to right.

Withem, however, allowed just three more hits - a one-out single by Mike Mordecai in the third, a two-out double to Gregg in the sixth and a two-out single to Hollins in the ninth.

Norfolk, meanwhile, had 15 hits.

``After that one break, everybody loosened up and we swung the bats,'' Tides manager Rick Dempsey said. ``Whatever it took, I'm not proud at this point.''

Note: The Tides will send LHP Joe Crawford (8-2, 3.70) against RHP Chris Brock (9-5, 3.27) tonight.

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