Wilmington News Journal - September 13, 1980

‘Dazed’ Phillies drop twi-nighter to Cards

By Hal Bodley, Sports Editor

PHILADELPHIA – The Phillies have said all along during this chase for the National League Eastern Division pennant they must get fat on the doormats.

If last night's double-barrelled nightmare at Veterans Stadium is any indication, the Phils are in for a long September.

St. Louis rode Leon Durham's first major-league grand slam to a 7-4 victory in the opener of the double-header.

Then, in the nightcap, the Phils blew a golden opportunity to snap a scoreless tie and win in the 10th inning when Greg Luzinski bounced into one-out double play with the bases loaded.

After that, the roof caved in as the Cards exploded for five runs to send the dazed Phils reeling 5-0 in 11 innings.

Ron Reed gave up a leadoff double to Ken Reitz, Mike Schmidt let pinch-hitter Mike Ramsey's high bunt bounce off his glove for an error to put runners on first and third. When the count went 2-0 to Ken Oberkfell, Phils Manager Dallas Green summoned Randy Lerch who eventually walked the batter to load the bases.

Tony Scott then followed with a single to score Reitz and Keith Hernandez lined a three-run triple to right-center. George Hendrick drove in the final run against Warren Brusstar, who gave up Durham's slam in the opener.

The loss was costly. It dropped the Phils two full games behind first-place Montreal. The Expos defeated Pittsburgh 1-0 at Olympic Stadium.

Pete Vuckovich, who defeated the Phils four times last year, won the opener, while Bob Walk took the loss.

Al Olmsted, making his major-league debut, baffled the Phils until1 he was replaced by Jim Kaat with one on and one out in the 10th inning of the nightcap. Kaat walked Pete Rose and Schmidt was walked intentionally by reliever John Littlefield before Luzinski hit his bouncer that snuffed the inning.

"Sure, it's discouraging to lose a game and a half," said Green. "We can't look in the mirror and be very proud of what we did tonight, but the sun will come up tomorrow and we're going to play another game."

The Phils' 10th and the Cards' 11th left Green shaking his bead, however.

With the bases loaded and Luzinski batting against Littlefield, many in the crowd of 44,093 were heading for the exits.

It was over. But Luzinski was unable to get much of his bat on a Littlefield sinkerball, bouncing it to the shortstop, who tagged second and threw to first.

Tug McGraw, who retired the Cards in order after taking over for Nino Espinosa, was lifted in the 10th for a pinch hitter.

Reitz hit Reed's first pitch to right for a double and Ramsey was sent up to bunt.

With the rotation play on, Ramsey hit a high bunt 15 feet down the third-base line. Schmidt was charging on the play and Bob Boone was racing out in front of the plate. Just as Schmidt appeared to have his glove on the ball, it bounced off and even though Boone recovered to make a throw to first, both runners were safe. Oberkfell walked to load the bases and Scott and Hernandez followed with their big hits.

"I should have caught the ball," said Schmidt, "but I lost it in the lights at the last instant."

"We were both going for it," said Boone. "With the play on, I knew Schmitty was charging. When I saw him, I moved off a little but he lost it in the lights. It was his play. If I had tried to catch it, I would have had to take it over my shoulder. It was in front of him."

A slicing liner to right field that was gloved by Hendrick may have made the difference for the Phillies in the opener.

The Cards scored two runs off Walk in the first inning, added another in the fourth, then rode Durham’s first major-league grand slam in the fifth off Brusstar to a 7-0 lead.

The Phils, who had very little early inning success against Vuckovich, started a comeback in the sixth.

With one down, Bake McBride beat out an infield single and raced to third on Schmidt's single to center. Luzinski's fly to center scored McBride and Schmidt moved to third on Keith Moreland's single to right. Garry Maddox then beat out an infield single to score Schmidt and up came Manny Trillo.

The second baseman sent a slicing liner that appeared headed for the corner in right. Hendrick, after a short run, gloved it over his head and the threat was over.

"Another foot and the ball falls in," said Green. "That made a lot of difference in the game. One pitch and a foot on Manny's ball and it could have been different."

The pitch was the fastball Durham jumped on for his slam, a fly to left that kept carrying and carrying until it cleared the fence.

"I didn't think it was going out at first," said Green. "And then, as it kept carrying, I thought it was going to go foul."

The Phils who are now 2-2 against Vuckovich this year, scored two more runs in the seventh to chase him.

With one out, Greg Gross singled to center and scored on Rose's 650th career double that tied him for fifth place on the all-time list with Nap Lajoie. Rose moved to third on an infield out and scored on Schmidt's single to center.

In came John Urrea who was greeted by a Luzinski single, but retired the side getting Moreland on a fly to right.

Singles by Oberkfell, Ted Simmons and Hendrick produced the Cards first two runs. They made it 3-0 in the fourth when Durham led off with a single, stole second, moved to third on Tom Herr's fly ball and scored on Reitz' sacrifice fly.

The third out of the inning was a costly one for Walk. Vuckovich's screaming liner hit him on the left leg below the knee. Walk recovered to throw out the runner, but then fell to the ground and did not return.

EXTRA POINTS – Walk's leg was very stiff after the game, but there was no word whether or not he will be able to handle his next start... The two games pushed Rose ahead of Frank Robinson into ninth place on the all-time list with 2,810... Between games Rose received the "Natural Leader Award," which included a donation of $3,000 to the Police Athletic League in Pete's name... McBride had two singles in the opener to give him 10 hits in his last 14 at-bats... The series continues tonight at 7:05 with Steve Carlton facing Bob Forsch... Tomorrow, the Phils will sent Marty Bystrom against Silvio Martinez.