Corpus Christi Caller - July 30, 1980

Phila, McBride blow by Astros

By The Associated Press

PHILADELPHIA – Lonnie Smith said Tuesday seemed like a good day for thievery.

Smith stole second three times and drove in the winning run as the Philadelphia Phillies came back to defeat the Houston Astros 9-6.

“Today I just decided if I got on base I’d try to steal,” said Smith, who also scored three runs.

The 24-year-old rookie now has seven straight thefts and 17 for the season. “I knew I could get a good jump. I played with (Houston catcher Luis) Pujols in the Dominican League and knew he got rid of the ball slowly," said Smith.

"We came back we've got to be proud,” said Phillies’ Manager Dallas Green, who was ejected in the sixth when first base umpire Andy Olsen refused to ask for help on Jeff Leonard's lead-off triple, which the Phillies contended should have been a ground-rule double.

“We could have cracked several times, and we didn't,” said Green, adding “everybody contributed on this one.”

Bake McBride went 5-for-5 to drive in three runs, and Mike Schmidt cracked his National League-leading 27th home run to tie it in the seventh.

Smith's eighth-inning single drove in Larry Bowa with the winning run off Houston reliever Frank LaCorte, 7-3. McBride, whose 61 RBI tie his best season total ever in the majors, added a two-run single.

Kevin Saucier, 5-3, got the win in relief keeping the Astros from scoring in the eighth after Alan Ashby reached third with only one out. Tug McGraw pitched a hitless ninth to earn his eighth save.

Art Howe's fifth home run of the year, a solo shot in the second inning, and his RBI single in the Astros' three-run third chased Randy Lerch.