Allentown Morning Call - July 23, 1980

Carlton loses in bid for 16th

CINCINNATI (AP) – Cincinnati's Dan Driessen knocked in two runs with a sacrifice fly and a single and Ray Knight rapped two extra -base hits last night as the Reds edged Philadelphia 3-2 and foiled Steve Carlton's bid for a 16th victory. 

Knight doubled and tripled off Carlton. 15-5. He also struck out in the fourth inning, when Carlton moved into sixth place on the all-time strikeout list. 

The Phils' lefthander, striking out five in six innings to pad his league-leading total to 173, moved one ahead of former Phillie Jim Bunning and Texas' Ferguson Jenkins with 2,856 career strikeouts.

Philadelphia, dropping its fifth straight game for its longest losing streak of the year, scored in the second inning off Mario Soto, 4-4, on Bob Boone's solo homer to left, his sixth of the season. 

The Reds tied it in the bottom of the inning when Johnny Bench singled, Knight doubled and Driessen hit a sacrifice fly. 

With one out in the sixth. Bench reached first on Mike Schmidt s throwing error and Knight followed with a triple to right-center. Driessen then singled to left for his second RBI of the game.

Pete Rose walked and Greg Gross and Bake McBride singled in the seventh for the Phillies' other run. 

Soto finished with a nine-hitter and seven strikeouts.

Phils probe continues quietly, routinely

By Marc Markowitz, Call Sports Writer

An investigation into illegal acquisition of amphetamines by several Philadelphia Phillies players continues. But Berks County Dist. Atty. George Yatron said it's nothing more than a routine matter. 

"It's a routine investigation into the manner in which prescriptions are being filled and received," said Yatron yesterday. "There's been no particular wrongdoing. We're merely examining this area to see that prescription drug laws have been followed." 

J. Stryker Meyer, the Trenton Times reporter who broke the story two weeks ago, insisted, however, that until statements are issued by the state narcotics agency, it's far from a closed matter. 

"Wait until they say they've talked with the players and that they're not the targets," said Meyer. "Until then, I think it's safe to assume it ( the case ) is far from closed.”

The state narcotics agency continues to remain mum on the matter, as do the Phillie players and organization, and Dr. Patrick Mazza, the physician for the Reading Phillies who allegedly wrote the prescriptions. 

"We can't say anything at this point because there are all kinds of lawyers on both sides who're handling it," said Larry Shenk, public relations director for the Phillies. "As we stated earlier, players and their wives were interviewed at Veterans Stadium, but there isn't anything more at this time." 

If there would be any prosecution, Yatron's office would handle it. But Yatron insisted there is "no indication any individual did anything improper" and noted the case has received more than its share of publicity.

"It was not our desire for this information to be made public, because it's quite possible the rules and regulations had been properly followed," said Yatron. "If it hadn't been ballplayers, there wouldn't have been the publicity. It received more attention than it should have. At this point, it is nothing more than a routine matter." 

Baseball Commissioner Bowie Kuhn's office is continuing its own investigation, however. 

"We are awaiting a report from authorities in Pennsylvania before any action might be taken," said a spokesman in the commissioner's office 

There was no indication from the spokesman when the report might be filed.

Meyer wasn't confident it would be in the near future and he acknowledged what Shenk paid that the interviewing of players (and their wives) was done a week ago. 

But he disputed the statement Phils' owner Ruly Carpenter gave the media 12 days ago which, in essence, said the players and their wiyes were no longer targets. 

"He (Carpenter) said the Drug Enforcement Agency has said the players and wives were no longer targets, but the Drug Enforcement Agency itself has never publicly said so," said Meyer. 

The only thing for sure is there's still an investigation. Nobody, however, wants to say when it will be completed and what it might uncover.