Allentown Morning Call - April 16, 1980

Cards’ Vukovich stops Phillies, 7-2

ST. LOUIS (AP) – Ken Oberkfell's two-run triple capped a three-run uprising in the sixth inning that broke open a tight game last night and powered the St. Louis Cardinals to a 7-2 triumph over the Philadelphia Phillies behind Pete Vuckovich's five-hitter. 

Garry Templeton doubled and singled in a 12-hit St. Louis attack, and Keith Hernandez delivered two singles. Vuckovich, 2-0, protected a shutout until Manny Trillo and pitcher Randy Lerch doubled to start the Philadelphia sixth. Vuckovich aided his own cause in the eighth when he doubled in two runs. 

Lerch, making his first start of the season, faced the minimum nine St. Louis batters before Templeton's double off the wall in left-center to open the Cards' fourth. 

Templeton scored one out later on a single by Hernandez. An inning later, St. Louis increased its lead to 2-0 on singles by Ken Reitz, Templeton, and Tony Scott. 

Vuckovich struck out three and walked one, surrendering a second Phillies' run when Larry Bowa and Trillo singled in the eighth and pinch-hitter George Vukovich grounded out. 

Reitz drove in a run with a bases-loaded sacrifice fly before Oberkfell tripled in the sixth. 

It was the fifth triumph in a row over Philadelphia for Vuckovich, who yielded only a single to Mike Schmidt through the first five innings.

Trillo sliced a double down the right-field line to start the sixth, moved over on a balk and scored easily when Lerch doubled over the third-base bag. 

In snapping a string of defeats at three, St. Louis also ended a scoreless drought at 20 innings on Hernandez's RBI single in the fourth. 

Lerch pitched six innings, sur rendering nine of the Cards' hits. Hernandez tripled off Kevin Saucier in the seventh before Hendrick doubled off Ron Reed in the eighth. Oberkfell then walked and Vuckovich doubled home both runners.

Maddox signs for ‘less’ over longer period

PHILADELPHIA (AP) – Gold Glove outfielder Garry Maddox has signed a multi-year, multi-million dollar contract with the Philadelphia Phillies, his agent Jerry Kapstein said yesterday. 

Kapstein, in a call from St. Louis where the Phillies met the Cardinals last night, confirmed an earlier Associated Press report that Maddox had signed. 

Larry Shenk, the Phillies' public relations director, also confirmed the signing.

"We have signed Maddox to a multi-year contract. The terms will not be disclosed," Shenk said. 

Kapstein would not comment on the figures of the contract, but it was believed to be about $700,000 a year. Originally, Maddox reportedly had asked for a five-year, $1 million per year contract. But it was believed he settled for a lesser figure over a longer period.

Maddox' contract has been sent to the National League office in New York for approval, Kapstein said. Maddox has been negotiating with the Phillies since January 1979. 

During the recent spring training, the player and the club announced that they had reached an impasse and that he would play out his option and become a free agent at the end of this season. 

Paul Owens, Phillies' personnel director, said at that time he might have to trade Maddox. 

"I'm not going to lose him for nothing." Owens said, referring to the amateur draft choice the Phillies would receive if they lost Maddox.in the reentry draft.

However, Maddox, who has settled in the Philadelphia area and has said he does not want to move, had Kapstein reopen negotiations in Florida with Phillies' owner Ruly Carpenter. 

At the time of the announced negotiating impasse, Maddox reportedly was asking for $1 million per year for five years. He denied that figure. 

Maddox did say, however, that the Phillies told him he was worth what he was asking but that they weren't going to pay it.