Wilmington Morning News - September 16, 1980

Phils take race to Pittsburgh

Compiled from Dispatches

PITTSBURGH – The sputtering Pittsburgh Pirates are back at home after a bruising road trip. But they're likely to get little respite when they open against Philadelphia tonight.

The Phillies, who snared two games from the Pirates early last week, are hot on the trail of division-leading Montreal in National League East, one game off the pace.

The Phillies will go into Pittsburgh 3½ games ahead of the Pirates and with Dick Ruthven, 15-9, and Steve Carlton, 22-8, trying to put some more distance between the Bucs.

Carlton will pitch tomorrow with three days rest, but will actually be taking Bob Walk's spot in the rotation. Walk was hit in the leg with a shot off the bat of Cardinal pitcher Pete Vuckovich Friday night, but will probably pitch in the weekend series in Chicago.

"We're as prepared as we can be," Dallas Green said. "We're physically sound and mentally in good shape. The road doesn't bother us. We've played pretty decently."

The Phillies are 36-35 on the road, 42-30 at home.

Pittsburgh, which just dropped two of its three games against the Expos over the weekend, is 4½ games behind Montreal.

While they're definitely down, no one's counting the Pirates out yet.

"It's hard to say the Pirates are out of it," said Montreal's Warren Cromartie. "But we broke their backs, just like they broke ours last year," he said following the Expos' 4-0 victory over Pittsburgh Sunday.

"It would be premature to say the Pirates aren't in it," said Expos third baseman Larry Parrish.

"They miss (Willie) Stargell, of course, and they need a lot of wins. But they're the champions. Until it says they're no longer champions, I will consider them a threat.”

Although their last home stand began with an eight-game losing streak, the Pirates hope to turn their fortunes around at Three Rivers Stadium in a nine-game series that includes two-game meetings with both Philadelphia and Montreal.

"You don't know how they're going to play on it. We're going home, where we have to win. If we don't win our games, it won't do any good," said Pirate Manager Chuck Tanner.

Last year, the Pirates captured the National League East crown by taking eight out of the last 10 games with Montreal.

"Anytime you're behind, it's tough. But we've been in tough situations before," said Tanner. "Don't count us out, not by a long shot."