Doylestown Daily Intelligencer - October 12, 1980
Dramatic Phils Win Sets Up Pennant Showdown Tonight
By The Associated Press, Chicago Sun-Times News
HOUSTON (AP) - Run-scoring doubles by pinch-hitter Greg Luzinski and Manny Trillo in the 10th inning gave the Philadelphia Phillies a 5-3 victory over the Houston Astros Saturday in a controversy- filled game that extended the National League playoff championship series to a fifth game.
The Phils' triumph tied the bestof- five series at two victories apiece. The final game will be played tonight in the Astrodome with the winner going on to play American League champion Kansas City in the World Series starting Tuesday. The probable pitchers for the decisive game are rookie Marty Bystrom for Philadelphia and either Ken Forsch or Nolan Ryan for Houston.
Pete Rose started the Phils' winning rally in the 10th with a one-out single to center and, after Mike Schmidt filed out, Luzinski blasted reliever Joe Sambito's pitch into the left field corner.
The hustling Rose charged around the bases and scored the go-ahead run when substitute catcher Bruce Bochy could not field the relay throw.
Luzinski, who had homered in the opening game of the series, then scored the fifth run when Trillo ripped his double to left center off Sambito, the loser.
Following the uprising. Tug McGraw, the Phils' ace reliever, came in and protected the margin, forcing the decisive fifth game. The Astros had tied the score 3-3 in the ninth off reliever Warren Brusstar on a walk to Rafael Landestoy, a sacrifice by Sambito and Terry Puhl's line single to right field.
It was the third consecutive extra-inning game between the evenly matched teams, and marked the first time in playoff history that three games in a row had gone into overtime.
The Phils had taken a 3-2 lead with three runs in the eighth, ending a scoreless streak of 18-1/3 innings.
Philadelphia got three straight singles off Houston starter Vern Ruble in the eighth. The third hit, a single by Rose, scored Greg Gross with the Phils' first run and relief pitcher Dave Smith then yielded a single to Schmidt as the tying run scored.
Sambito came in and struck out Bake McBride, but Trillo bit a low liner to right field that produced the go-ahead run.
Houston right fielder Jeff Leonard caught the ball just before it hit the Astroturf. but his throw to the plate was too late to prevent Rose from scoring.
Phils Character Will Carry Them To Victory
By Paul Giordano, Intelligencer Writer
HOUSTON -In spite of themselves, the Phillies are to going to win it anyway.
Maybe they're not the easiest guys to work with, and maybe at times, they do think too much of their ability, but when the chips are down, when their backs are to the wall...well, no one does it better.
And maybe, when you strip away all the egotistical traits, really dig down deep, it is a team with heart and character after all. Saturday's come-from-behind 5-3 win over the Houston Astros did point you in that direction.
"You would believe this team had no character if you turned off the TV early," Dallas Green said. "It looked like one of those frustrating games where we struggled early and didn't score any runs. Then, there was that long thing with the umpires. My pitcher (Steve Carlton) lost some of his concentration. But we battled back.
"We had our backs up against the wall and didn't quit. If anybody questioned a lack of character, I think the outcome proved differently." And so did Greg Luzinski, Tug McGraw and third base coach Lee Elia.
Luzinski wasn't in Saturday's starting lineup. He could have sulked. He didn't. Instead, when called upon to pinch-hit in the 10th inning for Bake McBride, the big guy came through with a two-out, winning run.
Luzinski, however, for some reason, didn't want to talk about it. He was unavailable in the locker room after the game electing to hide out in the trainer's room.
Then, there was Elia. He didn't have to wave Rose on to score the winning run. He could have played it safe, took the easy way out and not taken another chance of being ripped and being accused of blowing the game like what happened in Wednesday night's game in Philadelphia when McBride held up at third with what could have been the winning run.
"The ball (relay throw) looked low," Elia said. "I had to take the RBI double to left field, scoring Pete Rose from first base with the chance. Pete was coming and I know what kind of baserunner he is. Why not? Let's take a shot it."
"I've got to give a lot of credit to our third base coach on that play," Rose said. "He saw the relays coming up short in the outfield and gave me the green light. If it wasn't for him I would have stopped. He showed plenty of courage in that decision."
"In that particular situation," Green said, "with two out, I hope everybody would have given it a try. I saw Lee waving him all the way. I knew the shortstop had a shot at him, but in that situation you have to give it a try."
And then there was Tug McGraw. If his left arm isn't ready to fall off, it's a miracle. McGraw has appeared in seven of the last eight games.
"Before batting practice, I told Dallas and Herm Starrette (pitching coach) I had a little something left if they needed me," McGraw said. "Then, when I had to go warm up, I took five Tylenol. I felt surprisingly good. I loosened up pretty good. I guess I'm in better shape than I thought I was.
"But the way we kept battling back today brings out what Dallas has been talking about when he talks of heart and character. Especially after that thing with the umpires. It wasn't easy, but we got it out of our minds and did what we have to do."
And now tonight's game. A real test of character if there ever was one. There is no tomorrow. Green has decided to start rookie Marty Bystrom against veteran Nolan Ryan. Green could have gone with Dick Ruthven and the bullpen, but he's sticking with the kid.
Rose's Running Wakes Up Phillies
By Paul Giordano, Intelligencer Writer
HOUSTON - It was almost like the Phils had settled down for a long winter's nap. The Houston Astros and pitcher Vern Ruble had them down, 2-0. after seven innings.
The offense was nowhere to be found. For 18 full innings, the Phils failed to beg. borrow or steal a run. All they had to show were zeros, setting a playoff record for most innings without a run.
Steve Carlton, the number one pitcher in baseball, was out of the game. Carlton left in the sixth inning, unable to gain his concentration after the 20-minute squabble with the umpires in the fourth inning.
But thanks to a much-needed spark by pinch-hitter Greg Gross, Mike Schmidt's first RBI of the playoffs, Greg Luzinski's game-winning double, gutsy baserunning by Pete Rose with help from third base coach Lee Elia and outstanding relief pitching from Ron Reed, Warren Brusstar and Tug McGraw, the Phillies threw the playoffs into a pressure cooker with a come-from-behind 5-3 win, setting the stage for tonight's 8 p.m. finale.
Top of the eighth. Houston Astro fans ready to party for at least a week. Ruble still on the mound with a 2-0 lead. Dallas Green sent up pinch-hitter Gross to hit for Reed, who had just pitched the Phils out of another jam, holding the Astros scoreless with the bases loaded.
Gross lined a base hit through the middle. Lonnie Smith followed with a single to left. Rose was the next hitter, and after two bunt attempts failed, he singled to right field to score Gross with the Phillies' first run. Smith raced to third and Rose to second on the throw to third from right fielder Jeff Leonard.
Up stepped Schmidt. The National League's MVP, to be announced, hadn't lived up to his billing. The playoff series was almost four games old and Schmidt had yet to drive in a run.
Astros' manager Bill Virdon went to the bullpen and brought in giant killer Dave Smith. Smith got two quick strikes on Schmidt before going 3-2.
Then. Schmidt chopped the ball over the mound. Second baseman Joe Morgan fielded it in front of the bag and couldn't make a play. Lonnie Smith scored the tying run. Rose raced to third and Schmidt was credited with an RBI single.
Virdon brought in relief ace Joe Sambito. Sambito struck out Bake McBride. Manny Trillo then hit a questionable sacrifice fly to right field. Leonard appeared to have trapped the ball, but right field umpire Bruce Froemming signaled Leonard had made the catch.
Rose tagged up and scored the go-ahead run. Schmidt, thinking and knowing the ball was trapped, ran to second. Leonard threw the ball to catcher Bruce Bochy. Bochy threw the ball back to Morgan, who was covering first base. Morgan tagged the bag. Schmidt was doubled up and the inning was over. But the Phillies had a 3-2 lead.
The Astros tied it in the bottom of the ninth on a lead-off walk to Rafael Landestoy, a sacrifice bunt by Sambito and an RBI single by Terry Puhl. Enos Cabeli lined into a double play to right field when McBride fired the ball back to Rose, doubling up Puhl who had gone to second.
Another extra-inning affair. The third in four games.
Sambito was still on the mound. He struck out lead-off batter Smith. Rose followed with a single- Schmidt flied out to left field and Green sent up Luzinski to pinch-hit for McBride.
Luzinski took the first pitch for a ball and then lined an RBI double into the left field corner, scoring Rose from first.
Trillo followed with an RBI double and the Phils took a 5-3 lead into the bottom of the 10th.
McGraw retired the Astros in order. The dead have risen.
"I think maybe we came down here a little pressed to win the first game," Gross said. "But we left that behind today and came back in the eighth and 10th innings. It's a good feeling. I hope it carries over into tomorrow.''
"We may have looked like we were dead," Larry Bowa said, "but you should have seen us in the dugout. We have the momentum now. Let's see what happens 12 hours from now."
"I just couldn't see it ending that way (2-0)," Schmidt said; "I just couldn't see us not scoring any runs. I knew somehow we would. We won and that's all that counts. It doesn't matter how you do it. It could come with a check swing, a hit batsman, a forfeit. All that matters is the win."
Houston took a 1-0 lead in the fourth inning on a lead-off double by Cabell, an infield out by Morgan advancing Cabell to third, and Art Howe's run-scoring sacrifice fly after a walk to Gary Woods. Woods was doubled at second base when he couldn't get back after McBride caught Howe's fly ball.
The Astros made it 2-0 in the fifth inning. Luis Pujols lined a one-out triple over Garry Maddox's head and scored on Landestoy's RBI single.
The Astros could have taken a commanding lead in the sixth, but some heads-up play by the Phillies left them scoreless.
Morgan opened the inning with a walk. Woods forced Morgan at second on a ground ball to Schmidt. Howe was given an intentional walk. Jose Cruz drew a walk to load the bases. Green replaced Steve Carlton with Dickie Noles.
Pujols hit what looked like a run-scoring sacrifice fly to right. It ended up a double play. Schmidt appealed the play at third, noting Woods had left the base too soon. The appeal was made, Schmidt tagged third and third base umpire Bob Engel gave the out sign.
"He left too soon," Schmidt said. "I had a feeling about that play. You hardly ever see it called- But you have to give the umpire credit. It took a lot of guts to make that call."
EXTRA BASES - Saturday's game was played in three hours and 55 minutes, the longest in playoff history... There's never been three extra inning games in playoff or World Series competition... Luzinski went to the plate with a .125 pinch-hitting average... Tonight's championship series finale will be seen on channels 6 and 17 beginning at 8 o'clock.
Series Tickets On Sale Monday
If the Phillies win the National League pennant tonight reserve seat tickets to four World Series games will go on sale at 9 a.m. Monday, according to a team spokesman.
With Saturday's 5-3 victory over the Houston Astros, the Phillies pulled even at two games apiece in the NL's best-of-five championship series.
About 8,000 reserved seats will be available at the Veterans' Stadium advance ticket windows for each World Series game played in Philadelphia, the Phillies spokesman said. Tickets will be priced at $15 dollars each, with a limit of eight total tickets per customer.
The tickets are to be sold for Games 1 and 2, scheduled for Tuesday and Wednesday night. Games 6 and 7, if necessary, will be played Oct. 21 and 22.
All World Series games will be played at 8:15 p.m.