Atlanta Journal-Constitution - July 21, 1980

McWilliams Tall In The Saddle Against Phillies

By Ken Picking, Constitution Staff Writer

Watching Larry McWilliams work, it's astonishing Atlanta's long, tall Texan does not strangle himself in a network of arms, elbows, legs and knees. His windup is loose and lazy. He tucks his head before the release and slides into a semi-Gene Garber, swivel-hip dip. With his cap pulled down on top of his ears and eyebrows, the opposition must wonder if the Braves are serious about pitching a guy who looks like Tom Burleson kneeling.

Even McWilliams admits he is not the most pinch-hit-impressive specimen ever to stand upon that small,dirt hill.

"I can understand it if someone says, 'How does this guy get away with this?' " McWilliams said, his face flushed with honesty. "But I've seen a lot of guys who didn't impress me that finished the game."

The Philadelphia Phillies were not exactly hailing McWilliams as the next Steve Carlton, but nonetheless, the Braves' only left-handed starting pitcher dominated one of the league's most potent right-handed attacks, 3-2 Sunday night, for his seventh victory and second straight complete game.

McWilliams' sixth win at home, before 9,335 at the Stadium, gave Atlanta three of four weekend games with the Phillies and boosted the Braves back to within six games of .500. With San Francisco losing, Atlanta (42-48) is 2 games out of fourth and 8½ games behind division-leaders Houston and Los Angeles.

"McWilliams is not the impressive type, but he is the type of pitcher who can really be confusing," Manager Bob Cox said. "I thought about pinch-hit-impressive ting for Larry in the eighth, but the Phils just weren't hitting him at all. He can work over the best bitters in the league."

Pete Rose remembers Atlanta's No. 27 well. It was McWilliams and Garber who combined to stop Rose's 44-game hitting streak in 1978. But Rose is still not convinced the 26-year-old from Hurst, Texas is for real.

"He doesn't beat himself; you have to beat him," said Rose, who took an unusual 0-for-4. "But to be honest, I liked him better when he threw harder. That slow stuff isn't going to fool that many people. A lot of pitchers impress me more than him. If he can put an 0-for-4 on me again Friday (when McWilliams is scheduled to pitch in Philadelphia), then I’ll concede he's the better man."

The Phillies wanted to kick themselves, for wasting a rare opportunity to face a left-hander. Before Sunday, Philadelphla was 11-7 against lefties and six of the starters bad .300 or better averages against southpaws. "

“We only get to see about one left hander a month, and it's frustrating to let him get off the hook," said Mike Schmidt, who had one of the Phillies' seven hits. "The balls we bit tonight went right at someone. The next time we could kill him."

McWilliams enjoyed the luxury of a two-run lead after facing three Phillies in the first Against rookie Bob Walk, who lost for the first time in seven decisions. Jerry Royster made the most of a rare start by walking and then hustling home from first when the early-evening sun blinded left-fielder Lonnie Smith on Gary Matthews' single. Jeff Burroughs, who had not been finding any holes in the outfield lately, slapped the first of two singles to center to score Matthews.

The eventual winning run came in the fifth. Dale Murphy, who made a crucial, diving catch on Bake McBride in the sixth, and Chris Chambliss singled back-to-back. Murphy advanced on Matthews' long fly ball and Bob Horner, who did not hit a homer for the first time in four games against the Phillies, brought his J7th run home with a sacrifice fly.

"-I owed them this one," said McWilliams, who allowed only two hits and one unearned run after the third. "They knocked me around pretty good the last time I faced them. They are not as bad with (Greg) Luzinskl out. I was kind of surprised he (Cox) didn't pinch-hit for me fn the eighth, but it's nice when the manager has confidence you still have it for the ninth. I'd like to make these complete games a habit."

Catcher Bill Nahorodny repeatedly called for McWilliams' slow-breaking curve and diving forkball.

"It seemed like they weren't seeing his breaking pitches very well, so I wanted to stick with them until they showed they could do something with them," said Nahorodny, a former Phlllie. "But this is no ordinary left-hander. McWilliams knows his stuff and how to use it I think he was stronger at the end than at the start."

The Phillies (47-41) had a chance to chase McWilliams in the eighth with the benefit of only one hit. With two out Glenn Hubbard failed to make a play on Garry Maddox's easy groundball, putting runners at first and second. Manny Trillo, the league's leading hitter, made it 3-2 with a double, and moved the tying run to third. But McWilliams was determined "not to give him a good pitch to hit" and Burroughs squeezed Larry uowa s uner to end the rally.

Royster, who said "it's just good to play again", played seven innings at second and two at third, and singled twice, walked, scored once and stole his 12th base on a pitch-out. Horner, hitting safely for the sixth straight game, walked, singled and collected his third game-winning RBI.