Chicago Daily Herald - September 30, 1980
Phillies Edge Cubs In 15th
By the United Press International
PHILADELPHIA (UPI) - Manny Trillo thought the biggest hit of his career was his first major-league hit until Monday night.
Trillo's two-out single scored Garry Maddox from third base with the winning run to complete a three-run 15th inning rally that lifted the Philadelphia Phillies to a 6-5 victory over the Cubs.
The victory enabled the Phillies to remain a half-game behind Montreal in the tight National League East race. The Expos won 5-2 over the St. Louis Cardinals at Montreal.
"We have to at least be close to Montreal," said Tnllo, the Phillies' slick fielding second baseman. "That's why it was my biggest hit. One of my biggest ones before that was my first hit in the major leagues."
The Cubs broke a 3-3 tie with two runs in the top of the 15th, but the Phillies weren't out of it yet. Lonnie Smith and Pete Rose drew walks off Doug Capilla to open the inning and each advanced one base on a wild pitch.
BAKE MCBRIDE drove home Smith with a groundout and after Mike Schmidt popped up, Maddox singled home Rose with the tying run. Keith Moreland singled and Larry Bowa walked to load the bases before Trillo lined a 1-1 pitch up the middle off loser Dennis Lamp, 10-13, who had been scheduled to start Wednesday's game.
"Today I was more relaxed at the plate," Trillo said. "I really was waiting for a fastball. I knew he didn't want to get behind me with the bases loaded or else he would have thrown me a sinker."
Phillies Manager Dallas Green expressed his pleasure over the win in a hoarse voice.
"That's having our backs up against the wall," he said. "That was a real big win. Maybe it will be the catalyst to put us over the hump. Something has got to charge us out of all those zeros."
The Cubs' Scot Thompson broke a 3- 3 tie with a sacrifice fly and Carlos Lezcano drove in another run with a double in the top of the 15th.
THE PHILLIES tied the score 3-3 in the seventh. Trillo singled, was sacrificed to second by Tug McGraw and went to third on Smith's infield single off pitcher Rick Reuschel's leg. Dick Tidrow replaced Reuschel and got Rose on a high be uncer to allow Trillo to score.
Chicago scored twice in the second to take a 3-2 leac. Mike Tyson opened with a walk and scored on Bill Buckner's double With one out, Jim Tracy was walked intentionally and Jerry Martin singled to load the bases.
Tug McGraw replaced starter Larry Chnstenson and got Steve Dillard to ground to Trillo at second. Trillo threw to Bowa for the force, but the relay to first was a split-second late, allowing Buckner to score.
The Phillies made it 2-0 in the third. Trillo reached when Dillard booted his grounder at third for an error, Christenson walked and Rose lined a two-run double to left-center. Chicago cut the deficit in the fifth on Martin's 23rd homer.