Allentown Morning Call - June 28, 1980
Mets’ Pacella ends Carlton’s eight-game string, 3-2
PHILADELPHIA (AP) – New York Mets' manager Joe Torre said the key to beating Steve Carlton is not to let him get a lead.
Mets' starting pitcher John Pacella had the key last night, and with some strong relief help from Tom Hausman beat the Philadelphia Phillies 3-2 ending Carlton's eight-game winning streak.
Lee Mazzilli's sixth-inning lead-off in-side-the-park home run started a three-run rally that slaked Pacella to a 3-0 lead. It was Pacella 's first major league victory, and Hausman's initial save of the season.
The 23-year-old Pacella said he went out there not thinking about Carlton, but the Philadelphia Phillies.
"I'm sure that when Carlton first came to the big leagues he experienced the same thing I did tonight," said Pacella. "I have pitched some good games and got nothing. Hopefully, this is the start of something."
Pacella pitched six innings and gave up five hits, struck out seven and walked just three.
"I was just trying to keep the ball down, stay back and throw strikes." he said. "I was kicking my leg out early instead of lifting and changed that. It helped."
Mazzilli said of his home run. "It was one of the shortest home runs I've ever seen. I thought it would drop in front of him (rightfielder Bake McBride), but then" it took one of those bounces. The coach waved me on. I was dead. I had no strength left."
Mazzilli was referring to the hot. humid night which had to sap the strength of the players on the fast artificial surface. McBride said he thought he had the ball when it just hit the turf and skidded into the corner. Before the ball could be chased down. Mazzilli was almost at third.
"It wasn't one of Steve's (Carlton) better nights," said Phillies' manager Dallas Green. "But we're not offensively doing the things we're capable of doing. We're in the middle of a mind-boggling slump now."
The Phillies have lost six of eight and their two runs in the seventh were their first in 15 innings. They have scored only four runs in their last three games.
Green refused to fault McBride on Mazzilli's hit which appeared to be nothing more than a single.
"From where I stood I thought he might have a shot at it," Green said. "If I'd been out there I'd of wanted to catch it I don't protect players when I see something I don't like. McBride played it as he could."
Mets’ Pacella ends Carlton’s eight-game string, 3-2
PHILADELPHIA (AP) – Lee Mazzilli hit an inside-the-park home run and the New York Mets, who usually swoon at the sight of a left-handed pitcher, ended Steve Carlton's eight-game winning streak last night, beating the Philadelphia Phillies 3-2.
John Pacella earned his first major league victory with the help of a three-run sixth inning started by Mazzilli's homer, his second of the season. Tom Hausman relieved in the seventh and earned his first save of the year. It was the Mets' fifth victory in six games.
The defeat was the third for Carlton, who leads the majors with 13 victories. He struck out six batters to move into ninth place on the all-time list with 2,824 and passed Robin Roberts as the top strikeout pitcher in Phillies history.
The last time Carlton lost was May 10 to the Cincinnati Reds. The Mets, who had lost 10 of their last 12 decisions against southpaws, defeated Carlton for the second time this season.
Mazzilli's homer was a looper down the right field line that bounced past charging Bake McBride. It was the first off Carlton in 72⅔ innings. It was followed by a single by Frank Taveras and, one out later, John Stearns and Joel Youngblood singled for a second run, then Alex Trevino's sacrifice fly scored the third.
The Phillies, who had three hits off Pacella through six innings and hadn't scored in their last 15, chased the Mets' right-hander in the Garry Maddox led off with a single and Bob Boone slammed his fifth homer-of the season. After Pacella hit pinch-hitter Greg Gross with a pitch, Hausman came on and retired the side.