Reading Eagle - April 23, 1980

Several Phils Are Heroes In Win

PHILADELPHIA (AP) – Manager Dallas Green had a difficult time picking heroes Tuesday night, after his Philadelphia Phillies had come from behind to blast the New York Mets 14-8.

“Everybody did their job tonight,” said Green.  “Kevin Saucier did a hell of a job.  (Luis) Aguayo was right in the middle of things.  Keith Moreland got a big hit, and of course (Mike) Schmidt and (Greg) Luzinski chipped in also.”

Luzinski chipped in with a three-run homer off Met reliever Jeff Reardon in the fifth inning to pull the Phillies into an 8-8 tie.  Moreland belted a two-run double off loser Kevin Kobel, 0-2, in the eighth to put the Phils ahead, and Schmidt settled things in the same inning with a grand slam homer off John Pacella.

Saucier, 1-0, pitched three very effective innings on a night when the ball was jumping all over the park.

Schmidt had hit a two-run homer in the first to give the Phils an early lead, but the Mets chased starter Dick Ruthven in the second, scoring six runs as they sent 11 men to the plate.

The Mets added two more runs in the fourth to combat single counters Philadelphia had picked up in the third and fourth, and the New Yorkers held an 8-4 edge going into the bottom of the fifth.

Rookie George Vukovich started things off with a pinch triple, his first major league hit.  After a walk to Pete Rose and a single by Bake McBride, Reardon replaced starter Tom Hausman.  After two fly balls, Luzinski hit a drive to deep center field to tie the game.

“I thought Luzinski’s homer was the big blow,” said Schmidt, who also claims he is seeing better pitches because he is betting in front of Luzinski.