Tug heading for best season since 1976

By Rusty Pray of the Courier-Post

PHILADELPHIA – Dallas Green decided Steve Carlton had pitched enough baseball for one night right after Carlton walked Steve Swisher – a pinchhitter with a .125 batting average – to put two runners on with two out in the top of the ninth of a 3-2 game.

"It was not," Green later smiled, "the people's choice."

It certainly was not. But such decisions, popular or not, come with the job of managing the Phillies. So Green walked from the dugout with the boos of 31,397 Veterans Stadium fans raining upon him and signaled the bullpen.

"I just thought he had had enough," said Green. "I thought it was time to go get him."

When Green reached the mound, the conversation was short and to the point: "I said, 'I got McGraw. He said, 'Okay.'"

Apparently, not even the people who do talk to Carlton talk to him for very long.

Green, of course, was going with his hottest arm when he called Tug McGraw in from the bullpen, a time-honored practice that became a nasty habit for Danny Ozark.

That's not to say Green has handled his bullpen with Ozark's insensitivity. Green merely needed a lefthander to get an out, which is what the Phillies pay McGraw to do. And McGraw went about his work as efficiently as possible, using only one pitch to induce Tommy Herr into a game-ending ground ball.

The brevity of McGraw's 11th save, however, should not undermine its importance. With that one slider, McGraw closed out the win – Carlton's 17th – over the St. Louis Cardinals and concluded an 8-4 homestand that kept the Phillies within striking distance of first place in the National League's East Division.

"I've had good success coming in for Lefty," McGraw said. "You come into these games saying to yourself that you want to put this one away for Lefty. But once you toe the rubber and make the first pitch, you forget that kind of stuff.

"This time last year, it was one pitch and 'grand slam McGraw and they (the fans) are saying, 'Get that blankety blank out of there.'"

McGraw did have an uncanny affinity for throwing home run balls with the bases loaded last season, tying a National League record by permitting four grand slams.

But this year McGraw has avoided most all variations of the home run and has relieved well enough to make most people forget that, during spring training and the first weeks of the season, he and righthander Ron Reed were two of the more pressing questions the Phillies had to answer.

"I am," McGraw decided, "having a good year. The first week of the season I struggled a little bit – as most pitchers do – but I've been consistent after that."

McGraw has, indeed, quietly put together a fine season, one that could easily end as his best since 1976, when he helped the Phils to a division championship with seven wins and 11 saves in 58 appearances. Despite spending some time on the disabled list because of a tender arm, McGraw has managed to compile some consistently-impressive statistics.

"Don't," he moaned, "tell me. I hate stats, especially after last year."

It's no wonder. McGraw is among a number of Phillies who would rather forget last season. On this date a year ago, McGraw was 3-2 with a hefty 4.52 ERA and the Phils were 57-55, seven games back and fading.

As we all know, though, 12 months can make considerable difference. McGraw currently ranks second on the staff in appearances with 32 (Reed has been in 38 games). McGraw is 0-3, but leads the staff in saves and ERA (2.16). And, it no doubt has come to McGraw's great relief that neither of the two homers he has allowed has been a grand slam.

"I was in a good groove before I went on the diasbled list," McGraw said. "And now my stuff feels the same as it did before."

In fact, since coming off the disabled list July 17, McGraw has pitched superb baseball, appearing eight times, saving four games and not giving up a run in 10 innings.

And, whether McGraw wants to hear them or not, those kind of numbers would please any manager.

Magazine cites Walk

NEW YORK – Pitchers Steve Stone of the Baltimore Orioles and Bob Walk of the Philadelphia Phillies yesterday were named winners of Baseball Magazine's Achievements of the Month awards for July.

Stone won 14 straight decisions from May 5 to July 31 when he was defeated by the Texas Rangers 7-4. His streak of consecutive victories was the longest in the major leagues since 1974 and came within two of the American League record of 16 successive triumphs.

Walk, a rookie right-hander, won his first six games with the Phillies before being beaten July 20 by the Atlanta Braves 3-2.

Phillies Defeat Cardinals 3 to 2 for Carlton’s 17^th Victory

Philadelphia 3, St. Louis 2

By Harry Hoffman, Press Sports Writer

PHILADELPHIA – The silence was deafening in the Phillies' lockerroom Thursday night after the Phils held on and nipped St. Louis 3-2 in the final game of the successful homestand. which ended 8-4.

The Silent Twins of the Phils. pitcher Steve Carlton and shortstop Larry Bowa, were the stars of the victory. That means the media searchers had to look in other directions for game quotes.

Carlton, whose magnificent left arm talks loud and clear, at least to enemy hitters, wound up with his 17th victory against only six defeats.

However Manager Dallas Green, who believes in equal treatment for all on his club, decided Carlton needed a bit of help to get the final out in the ninth inning.

The Cards, who wiped out the Phils 14-0 Wednesday night had the tying run on second with two men out when Green motioned Tug McGraw in from the bullpen.

"Tommy Herr is a switch hitter and I figured Tugger's screwball would give him a bit more trouble. Besides, in a situation like that you prefer to have a rested arm going for you," Green explained.

McGraw made his manager look good by taking only one pitch to record his 11th save. Herr grounded that pitch to shortstop Bowa and he flipped to second baseman Manny Trillo for the game-ending forceout on pinchrunner Ken Obergfell.

George Hendrick had started the ninth with a double to right field. Carlton retired the next two Cards with Hendrick advancing to third. But shortstop Mike Ramsay, who had singled home an unearned run in the fifth inning, slashed another run-scoring single up the middle.

When Carlton walked pinch-hitter Steve Swisher after getting in front 0-2, Green made the switch to McGraw.

Neither team had a hit the first four innings with John Fulgham matching the goose eggs delivered by Carlton.

In the fifth, third baseman Mike Schmidt allowed Tito Landrum's groundball go through his legs for a two-base error. Landrum went to third as Ken Reitz grounded out. When Ramsay beat out an infield hopper to Bowa, the runner scored.

The Phils, who now trail first place Montreal by 3½ games in National League East, bounced right back to score three runs in the bottom of the inning.

Schmidt walked but was forced at second by Garry Maddox. Trillo lined a double into the left field corner for the home team's first hit. Maddox stopped at third. When Bowa dropped a single down the same line, both runners scored and Larry went to second on the throw toward the plate.

After Bob Boone fanned, Carlton drove home what proved to be the decisive run, on a single into right field.

First baseman Pete Rose came up with the d defensive gem of the game to end the seventh inning. Reitz, who had doubled, was on second base. Pinch-hitter Keith Smith popped a foul ball that headed down right field. Rose hustled after it at top speed then left his feet with an all-out dive and gloved the ball just before it hit the turf. The crowd brought Pistol Pete out of the dugout to a standing ovation.

The Phils open an all-important road trip tonight with the first of four games in Pittsburgh. They visit Chicago and New York before returning home.

Short Stops: High Achievers

NEW YORK – Pitchers Stone the Baltimore Orioles Bob Walk of the Philadelphia were named winners of Baseball azine's Achievements of the awards for July.

Stone won 14 straight from, May 5 to July 31 when he defeated by the Texas Rangers His streak of consecutive victories was the longest in the major since 1974 and came within two American League record of 16 successive triumphs.

Walk, a rookie right-hander, his first six games with the Phillies before being beaten July 20 by the Atlanta Braves 3-2.