Sports Illustrated - September 1, 1980

Baseball – N.L. East

By Herm Weiskopf

"They'll never catch on to it because there's always the element of surprise," said Rodney Scott of the Expos (3-4) about his 19th steal of third this season. It was the eighth time Scott had swiped third on a delayed steal as the ball was being returned to the pitcher. Scott, who stole four bases in one game and seven for the week, now has 51. Ron LeFlore's four gave him 81. The two have an excellent chance of surpassing the major league mark for teammates set in 1974 when Lou Brock stole 118 and Bake McBride 30 for the Cardinals. LeFlore also could become the third major-leaguer, after Brock and Maury Wills, to steal 100 or more bases in a season. Bill Gullickson won twice for the Expos, 4-2 in Pittsburgh as Scott singled in two runs in the ninth, and then 2-0 over San Diego.

Rick Rhoden, another double winner, enabled Pittsburgh (3-4) to remain two games ahead of Montreal. After defeating the Expos 5-1, he downed the Reds 2-1. Philadelphia (4-3) completed its first five-game sweep of a team in 25 years by taking a double-header in New York, 9-4 and 4-1. Steve Carlton (19-7) fanned 11 Mets while winning the opener. Mike Schmidt walloped his 33rd and 34th home runs during a rare weekday afternoon game against San Diego that was billed as a "Businesspersons' Special." The teams finally concluded their business in five hours and seven minutes, with the Phillies winning 9-8 on 22 hits. The last two came in the 17th inning when Schmidt singled and McBride tripled. McBride led the Phils' lofty .306 hitting with a .424 week.

Seven innings of one-run relief gave Pete Falcone of the Mets (2-5) a 5-1 victory over the Giants. Falcone took over for Craig Swan, who left with a shoulder injury that will sideline him until next season. Neil Allen's 22nd save put the finishing touches to Ray Burris' 4-2 triumph over the Dodgers.

Ted Simmons had four hits, two of them homers, as Bob Forsch of the Cardinals (2-4) beat the Reds 10-1 with a four-hitter. John Fulgham held Atlanta to five hits in a 7-4 win. But Garry Templeton, who recently returned to action after fracturing his left thumb, broke his right index finger last Saturday night and has not played since.

Rick Reuschel of the Cubs (1-5) drove in two runs as he stopped the Cardinals 6-2 for his fifth straight win.

PITT 69-54; MONT 67-56; PHIL 64-56; NY 58-65; ST.L 53-67; CHI 49-72