Reading Eagle - July 3, 1980
Rogers Beats Carlton
MONTREAL (AP) – Steve Rogers proved that a pitcher can court disaster and still win a baseball game.
The Montreal Expos’ righthander yielded only one run Wednesday night in pitching out of a base-loaded, none-out jam in the first inning and went on to record a 6-1 victory over the Philadelphia Phillies and Steve Carlton, the winningest pitcher in the major leagues.
“I knew I was throwing the ball real well,” said Rogers, 10-6, “and as long as I didn’t get knocked out early I felt I could establish some kind of game rhythm.”
The rhythm didn’t materialize until Rogers had yielded a leadoff single to Pete Rose, a bunt single to Manny Trillo and a walk to Mike Schmidt.
After striking out Greg Luzinski, Rogers allowed a run-scoring fielder’s choice by Garry Maddox before escaping from further danger by retiring Bob Boone on a fly ball.
“We could have put it away in the first inning,” said Phillies Manager Dallas Green. “We had a lot of chances but we didn’t hit. We outhit them in the game but the hits didn’t come when they counted. The last 10 days or two weeks that seems to be where we’re faltering.”
The Expos collected only seven hits off Carlton, 13-4, but snapped a 1-1 tie when the Phillies left-hander wild-pitched a run home in the third and increased the margin to 3-1 when Carlton made the same mistake with Rodney Scott at third base in the fifth.
Scott manufactured the run almost on his own as he reached base on a fielder’s choice and stole both second and third before crossing the plate.
“That’s what speed will do for you,” said Montreal Manager Dick Williams. “We beat Carlton with speed and punch tonight.”
The punch came in the eighth inning when the Expos added three insurance runs on a run-scoring double by Gary Carter, a sacrifice fly by Larry Parrish and Chris Speier’s RBI single.
The uprising occurred after Maddox quashed a potential rally by the Phillies when he rounded second base widely following Greg Gross’s single and was picked off by Carter.
“I’m sure that’s a play he’s not pleased with himself,” said Green of Maddox’s mistake. “That’s something you don’t do in that situation.”
Carter said, “I saw Maddox out of the corner of my eye and I thought he made a bigger turn at second than usual. Fortunately (second baseman) Rodney Scott was in a perfect position to slap the tag on him.”
The Expos were so enthused about salvaging the final game of the three-game series with Philadelphia that they announced the signing of Williams to a new contract for the balance of 1981 and the 1982 season following the game.”
“It’s a tremendous organization,” said Williams of the Expos. “I love Montreal and I’m quite pleased about the contract. I know my wife is quite pleased and that makes me happy because I want this to be a family thing.”