Wilmington News Journal - May 3, 1980

Phils rally past Dodgers

By Hal Bodley, Sports Editor

PHILADELPHIA - Just when it appeared Phillies' fans had another relief pitcher to nail to the cross, it was the Dodger bullpen that caved in.

After Ron Reed blew a 5-2 lead in a game that was twice interrupted by rain at Veterans Stadium last night, the Phils capitalized on Charlie Hough's eighth-inning wildness to win 9-5.

Pinch-hitter Greg Gross' snapped a 5-5 tie, driving in two runs with a bases-loaded single that opened the gates for the Phils' four-run outburst.

The setback, watched by 30,294 paying customers, ended the dgers' 10-game winning streak that started on April 20. Before that, Los Angeles had lost five of their first seven games.

Reed, in relief of Dick Ruthven who gave up two runs in six innings before the second rain delay, gave up a run in the seventh inning and in the eighth, Steve Garvey's 2-run homer pulled the Dodgers even.

The Phils, who had built their lead on 2-run homers by Mike Schmidt and Greg Luzinski, sent nine batters to the plate in the eighth.

After Schmidt fanned, Hough walked Luzinski and Boone before Larry Bowa popped out. Luis Aguayo followed with a walk to load the bases and Gross, batting for Reed, singled to left-center with two runs scoring.

Hough, who obviously was struggling with his knuckleball, was finished after he walked Pete Rose.

Dodger Manager Tom Lasorda called on Joe Beckwith. Bake McBride drilled his first pitch to right, two more runs scoring.

Dickie Noles survived ninth-inning trouble to save the victory for Reed.

"This victory tells a little bit about the character of this team," Manager Dallas Green said as the clock on his office wall approached 1 am. "They put a little pressure on us tonight, but we came back. You have to be happy about that.

"And in all fairness to Ron Reed, he pitched pretty well. I'll tell you one thing, Steve Garvey has hit a lot of home runs and a lot of them have been in key situations like that."

Of everything that happened during the long night, Green was most pleased with Ruthven.

The right-hander pitched six innings, allowing two runs on five hits. Green decided not to allow Ruthven to go back to the mound after the second rain delay, instead electing to go with Reed.

"Ruthven had some pop on his fastball tonight," said Green. "He looked more like Dick Ruthven. He also had a good, sharp breaking ball."

"I thought my velocity was much better tonight than it had been," said Ruthven. "It's hard to tell about velocity, but judging the way they were fouling my pitches off, I think it was a lot better. Of course, with out the good breaking ball the fastball would not have been as effective."

After Reed gave up the home run to Garvey, Green went to the mound and it appeared the tall righthander was finished.

"I told him I was going to let him throw to one more batter," said Green. "I told him I wanted him to throw the baseball like he is capable of throwing it and he said he was trying and I agreed."

Reed then got three quick outs.

"I was proud the way we battled back," said Dodger Manager Tommy Lasorda. "I hate to see the streak end like this, but at least we came back. I stayed with Hough because he had given up just one earned run all year and felt he was my man."

The game ended with Noles getting Garvey to fly out to left field with the bases loaded.

"I just missed that pitch," said Garvey. "A fraction of an inch more and it would have gone out. It was that close."

Sutcliffe, the National League's Rookie of the Year in 1979, entered the game with an 0-1 record in four previous starts.

With two down in the first, Garry Maddox walked and stole second. Schmidt then blasted an 0-2 pitch to left field for his fifth homer of the spring.

The Phils added another run in the second when, again with two out, Ruthven singled to center. Pete Rose was awarded first base when catcher Mike Scioscia interfered as Rose hit a grounder to third.

Bake McBride followed with a double down the first-base line. Ruthven easily scored, but even though third-base coach Lee Elia put up the stop sign, Rose never broke stride as he streaked toward the plate. The ball arrived ahead of the runner, but Rose crashed into Scioscia and the television replay indicated that Pete touched the plate before Scioscia tagged him. Home-plate umpire Joe West ruled Rose was out. A mild argument by Green and Rose was fruitless.

With the rain beginning to fall in the top of the third, Reggie Smith homered to right field.

After Steve Garvey fanned, the game was halted for 53 minutes.

Smith led off the sixth with a double to right, went to third and scored on two infield outs.

The showers came again in the bottom of the inning. Schmidt, however, singled to center and Luzinski jumped on a 1-0 pitch for his fifth homer of the year and it was 5-2.

As soon as Luzinski crossed home plate, the action was halted again, this time for 41 minutes.

When it resumed, Bob Castillo was on the mound for the Dodgers and Ron Reed for the Phillies. Reed got two quick outs in the top of the seventh, but Rick Monday, batting for Castillo, doubled and easily scored when Davey Lopes followed with a screaming double to left-center before Rudy Law grounded out to end the inning.

Charlie Hough took over for the Dodgers in the bottom of the seventh.

EXTRA POINTS - The Yankees' Dany, the Pirate Parrott, the Cardinals' Fredbird and Baltimore’s The Bird will be here today to help the Phillie Phanatic celebrate his second birthday... The pre-game show begins at 12:45 p.m., with the first pitch scheduled for 1:15... The game will be carried regionally by NBC... In this area, only channels 8 and 16 will telecast it.