Atlantic City Press - April 24, 1980

Mets, Bomback Handle Phils

PHILADELPHIA (AP) – Rookie right-hander Mark Bomback making only his second major league start survived several shaky innings and hurled the New York Mets to a 3-2 victory over the Philadelphia Phillies Wednesday night, giving the Mets the series 2-1. 

Bomback, who started one game for Milwaukee in 1978, struck out three, walked one and scattered eight hits in seven innings to post his first career victory. 

Joel Youngblood drove in the eventual winning run for New York in the eighth with a single to make it 3-1, but the Phils came back in their half of the inning when Keith Moreland singled home Mike Schmidt, who had doubled. 

An error by Phils rookie second baseman Luis Aguayo paved the way for a Mets' run in the sixth. With one out, Lee Mazzilli doubled off Lerrin LaGrow and stole third. Youngblood hit a bouncer to Aguayo, who bobbled the ball, allowing Mazzilli to score. 

Bomback survived a leadoff triple in the seventh by pinch-hitter Greg Gross. Pete Rose lined a 3-0 pitch at second baseman Doug Flynn, and Bake McBride and Garry Maddox grounded out. 

John Stearns’ double, a wild pitch and Youngblood’s groundout scored a first-inning run for New York. Philadelphia tied it in the fifth. Aguayo tripled and scored on pinch-hitter George Vukovich’s single. 

Larry Christenson, the Phils starter, was able to pitch only the first inning. He suffered a groin pull and was expected to miss at least his next scheduled start. 

Neil Allen relieved Bomback in the eighth, but southpaw Ed Glynn had to come on later in that inning after the Phils scored. 

Glynn got two out in the ninth before Garry Maddox singled and Mike Schmidt walked. That brought on right-hander Jeff Reardon, who walked Greg Luzinski to load the bases. Out of pinch hitters, Phils Manager Dallas Green then sent lefthanded hitting pitcher Randy Lerch in to hit, and Reardon struck him out to end the game and earn his first save. 

Frank Taveras got the Mets started in the eighth when he walked. Stearns followed with a bunt single, but Mazzilli forced Taveras at third with a fielder’s choice grounder. Youngblood then brought Stearns home with a single, his second RBI of the game.