Escondido Times-Advocate - August 29, 1980

Padres host Phils tonight

SAN DIEGO – Two teams that are battling for the top spot in the National Leagues Eastern Division will be the next opponents for the San Diego Padres, who open a 13-game home-stand tonight against the Philadelphia Phillies.

San Diego will start right-hander Steve Mura (4-6) on the mound tonight against the Phillies, who will counter with right-hander Larry Christenson (4-1). The game at San Diego Stadium will begin at 7 p.m. with KFMB (760) beginning the radio braodcast at 6:40 p.m.

The two teams will meet again Saturday night for a doubleheader beginning at 6 p.m. Bob Shirley (9-9) will start the first game against Philadelphia’s Dick Ruthven (12-8), and John Curtis (5-8) will start the second game against Nino Espinosa (3-4). In Sundays 1 p.m. game, Juan Eichelberger (3-0) will face Bob Walk (9-3).

After the series with the Phillies, the final meeting of 1980 between the two teams, San Diego will host Montreal for three games beginning Monday night. The Expos are currently tied with Pittsburgh for first in the East, two games ahead of Philadelphia.

Baseball fans will get a chance to see Montreal outfielder Ron LeFlore in his bid to become only the third player to steal 100 bases in a season. With 36 games left in the season, the leagues top base theft had 83 steals going into tonights game at Los Angeles.

The Phillies are paced by hot-hitting second baseman Manny Trillo (.321), slugger Mike Schmidt (35 homers, 93 RBI) and speedy outfielder Bake McBride (.313).

Following the Montreal series, New York comes to town for four games. Thursday’s game was originally scheduled for 7 p.m., but if the San Diego Sockers win their NASL playoff series against Chicago tomorrow, the Sockers will host a playoff match Thursday night and the Padre-Met game will be shifted to a 1 p.m. start.