Cincinnati Enquirer - August 2, 1980

Reds Blow Chances, Lose To Phils

By Ray Buck, Sports Reporter

PHILADELPHIA – Suddenly, the Cincinnati Reds can't find home plate with a Rand McNally.

They have scored a grand total of three runs on 26 hits in the last 28 innings – losing three games in a row. They've stranded 28 runners.

Friday night, the Reds stranded 10 en route to a 3-1 defeat to the Philadelphia Phillies at Veterans Stadium.

"We had our chances but we just couldn't get the big hit," John McNamara lamented. "What the bleep, a pitcher (Charlie Leibrandt) drove in the only run for us."

The Reds remained four games behind Houston, which dropped a 5-4 decision at New York.

Lelbrandt replaced sore-shouldered Bill Bonham just before the National Anthem.

The Phillies scored first in the second. Keith Moreland singled and advanced when Garry Maddox grounded to shortstop Dave Concepclon, who threw to first base for the automatic put-out when there appeared to be a force at second.

It was significant because Manny Trlllo followed with a single that scored Moreland.

AFTER SQUANDERING a bases-loaded opportunity in the third, the Reds pulled even in the fourth when Ron Oester tripled beyond center fielder Maddox and scored on Leibrandt's single up the middle.

Dave Collins singled Leibrandt to second with one out but Walk retired Ray Knight and Ken Griffey.

The Phillies broke the tie in the sixth. Lonnle Smith and Pete Rose singled and Bake McBrlde was hit by a pitch. Mike Schmidt then lifted a sacrifice fly to right and Smith scored easily.

The Phillies kayoed Leibrandt in the eighth when Smith ripped a ground-rule double into the right-field corner, moved to third on Rose's fly ball and scored on McBrlde's single up the middle. That made It 3-1 and that was enough.