Atlantic City Press - April 22, 1980
Mets Chill Phils 3 to 0
By Harry Hoffman, Press Sports Writer
PHILADELPHIA — Ray Burris and the New York Mets against Steve Carlton and the Philadelphia Phillies: It seemed like the biggest mismatch since Dolly Parton and Twiggy attended the same beach party.
However, appearances are often deceiving. Burris, with help from reliever Neil Allen, blanked the Phils 3-0 at Veterans Stadium Monday night and handed Carlton his first setback in three outings.
Burris, who started the night with a 7.00 eamed-run average, picked up his second victory to go with one defeat.
Carlton worked seven effective innings, although he didn't have his best slider. He gave up five hits, struck out five and walked two.
“Two runs should not be enough for the Mets to beat us, the way we've been hitting,” Phils’ Manager Dallas Green said. “But tonight we ran into a hot pitcher who was very effective. He kept us off-balance with his slider, then busted the fast one by us. That happens in this game, you just must learn to live with it.”
John Stearns, who takes special delight in tantalizing his former teammates, scored the visitors’ first run in the fourth inning. He singled up the middle, went to second when Lee Mazzilli grounded out and scored on a single by Joel Youngblood.
“I don’t really think about the Phillies one way or the other any more. It’s been some time since I was in the organization,” Stearns said. “Right now all I care about is helping us win a couple of ball games.”
The visitors scored their other run off Carlton in the fifth inning. Elliott Maddox and Doug Flynn singled. Pitcher Burris tried to sacrifice them along. However, first baseman Pete Rose, who had three of the Phils’ five hits, let Burris’ pop-fly bunt bounce. He then threw to shortstop Larry Bowa covering third base for a force out on Maddox. But Frank Taveras crossed up the strategy when he singled home Flynn and made it 2-0.
Ron Reed was on the mound for the Phillies in the eighth when Taveras singled and eventually scored the final run when the Phils failed to turn a rather tough double play.
Except for Rose, who walked in the first inning, singled in the third, singled in the fifth and tripled in the seventh, the Phils could generate very little offense against Burris or Allen, who relieved with one Phil out in the eighth inning.
Pete’s triple came with two men out. Bake McBride filed out to left and ended the inning.
In the third, the Phils had runners on second and third with two men out when Garry Maddox grounded out to third base.
In the eighth inning, they had runners on first and second with two men out. That time, Bowa ended the threat with a fly ball to right.
When Burris walked Mike Schmidt with one man out in the eighth, New York Manager Joe Torre quickly brought right-hander Allen in from the bullpen. He retired Greg Luzinski and Bob Boone on fly balls.
In the ninth, Allen allowed a two-out pinch-hit single by Del Unser before getting Rose on a fly ball to end the game.
The Mets started the night with a 3-6 record in the Eastern Division cellar. They had lost their last two.
“Obviously we must beat the New York Mets if we are to go anywhere this season,” Green said. “However, there will be nights like this. We just have to bounce back tomorrow.”
The Phils fell below .500 for the first time this season, dipping to 4-5 and falling 2½ games behind Pittsburgh in National League East.
It will be Dick Ruthven going against New Yorks Tom Hauseman in the second of the three-game series tonight at 7:35 p.m.