Montreal Gazette - September 30, 1980
Phils roar back in 15th inning to dump Cubs
By Michael Farber of The Gazette
PHILADELPHIA – Just when it appeared Philadelphia would be here today, John Tamargo, the Phillies rallied for three runs in the bottom of the 15th inning this morning to defeat the Chicago Cubs 6-5.
Manny Trillo singled to drive in Garry Maddox with the winning run in the 11th hour (actually 12:07 a.m.) as the Phillies needed four hours and 27 minutes and 20 players to keep in step with the Expos, who remained a half-game in front of the National League East on Tamargo's pinch-hit home run.
"The way it turned out," said Tug McGraw, one of seven Phillie pitchers in the marathon, "it makes you think that somehow, some way we're going to win the division. Did you believe that game?"
No. Not a chance. Not after the way the Cubs scored their two runs in the top of the 15th.
Lynn McGlothen, a .204 hitting pitcher, pinch-hit for pitcher Bill Caudill, and Phillie reliever Dickie Noles walked him on four pitches. Ivan DeJesus flied to the warning track in left for the first out, and Mick Kelleher, who was one-for-24, bounced a perfect double play ball back to Noles.
But Noles threw the ball to second about as well as he did to McGlothen. His throw was to the right side of second base, and pinch-runner Lenny Randle reached third.
Kevin Saucier (7-3) relieved, but Scot Thompson drove in Randle with a sacrifice fly and Carlos Lezcano doubled home Kelleher as the Cubs – who by this time had no batter hitting more than .260 in their lineup – ended an eight-inning scoring drought.
"You've got the Montreal score sitting there looking a you, and two runs staring you in the face with an offence that hasn't generated anything exciting in a long time," McGaw said. "Given that, what happened has got to be one of the greatest comebacks."
The Phillies got their rally going when Lonnie Smith, playing in place of a slumping Greg Luzinski (two-for-21, nine strikeouts), and Rose walked on nine pitches by Doug Capilla. Both advanced on a wild pitch. Bake McBride then got the first run home with a groundball.
Cubs manager Joe Amalfitano reached into the rotation for right-handed Dennis Lamp – who is scheduled to start tomorrow night – to face the right-handed hitting Schmidt.
And Lamp (10-13) retired Schmidt (three-for-22) on an infield fly – but that's all he did.
Maddox was up next, one of three regulars purged in an effort to improve the Phillie offence (although his Sun Also Rises mistake against the Expos didn't help. Somebody suggested that the sun has been around for 10 million years and if you can't get used to it, you shouldn't wear a Gold Glove.) He had entered the game in the 12th as a defensive replacement and flied out in his first at-bat, but now he lined a single to centre for the tying run... and some redemption.
Keith Moreland, a substitute for the 0-for-18 Bob Boone, then singled sharply to left to put runners on first and third, before Trillo lined his third single of the game to drive in the winning run.
"I kept drinking beer after beer," said McGraw, who pitched 2⅓ scoreless innings and left after nine, "and I kept thinking more about my hangover today than the game."
But the rest of the Phillies kept talking about his defensive play in the eighth inning after Mike Vail pinch-hit a leadoff double.
DeJesus was supposed to sacrifice, but he got the bunt up in the air to the left of the mound, and McGraw made a spectacular lunging catch. Tug threw from his knees to second to double Vail.
So it went, long after Pete Rose (who at four-for-35 narrowly had averted the purge) had driven in the first three Phillie runs including the. tying run in the seventh, long after the Cubs had scored two in the top of the seventh to take a 3-2 lead.
Chicago was especially remiss as it went one-for-four in sac bunts. The Cubs had the leadoff hitter on in the 10th, 11th and 12th innings, but couldn't score.
And the Phillies, who had scored just 17 runs in their past seven games, weren't any more effective with their new look offence. Between the seventh and 15th innings, the had just five players reach base.
"We had our share of frustrating moments offensively," said manager Dallas Green, "and this looked like it would be another of those nights. You can expect your pitchers to hang on only for so long. I guess we needed to be two runs down to get moving.
"Maybe that will be the catalyst which put is over the hump."
NOTES The Expos will be waiting for "Lefty on Sunday". Steve Carlton goes tomorrow night against the Cubs and is scheduled for the season finale at the Olympic Stadium (3:05 p.m.). Marty Bystrom pitches tonight and rookie Bob Walk (2-7 with a 5.17 earned run average since Aug. 1) completes the four game series with Chicago Thursday. Dick Ruthven opens in Montreal Friday with either Steve Christenson or Bistro m on Saturday (2:15 p.m.)...