69-O's take 3 of 4 from 79-Bucs

GAME 1: (Memorial Stadium, Baltimore, MD) The series started out in Baltimore on 33rd St. Both team's bats were cold as the game remained scoreless for 7 innings. Curiously Pittsburgh lifted their starter, lefty Dave Roberts, after 5 successful innings. Tom Phoebus (3-0, 2.08) scattered 6 hits in 7 2/3 scoreless innings and closer Ed Watt finished it off with a shaky 9th to notch the save. The Orioles broke the stalemate in the 7th with a single by shortstop Mark Belanger and a series of passed balls and wild pitches. The O's added 2 more in the bottom of the 8th when Pirate reliver Enrique Romo walked the first 2 hitter he faced (Boog Powell & Frank Robinson). Brooks Robinson bunted them over Ellie Hendricks hit a sac fly to Omar Moreno in center to plate Powell. Belanger then promptly singled home Frank Robby to give the O's a 3-0 lead, which would be more than enough.

GAME 2: The second game saw lefty Mike Cuellar increase his record to 4-0 as he went the distance and fanned 9 Pirate hitters. His opposing number, Bert Blyleven, went 6 innings and also yielded 1 run, but his relief was not up to the task. Big Jim Bibby gave up 2 runs in 2 innings of relief and the O's cruised to a 3-1 lead just like in game 1. The bottom of the 8th inning started out innocently with catcher Ellie Hendricks getting a leadoff single. 8th place hitter Mark Belanger bunted him over to second and pitcher Mike Cuellar followed suit by bunting him over to third. Don Bufford walked to make it 1st and 3rd with 2 outs. Both Davey Johnson and Paul Blair followed with consecutive RBI singles to put the O's ahead for good.

GAME 3: (Three Rivers Stadium, Pittsburgh, PA) The series shifted to the steel town, but the Pirates fortunes did not. The Pirates did start out by scoring the first run of the contest in the opening inning, but the O's followed that up by scoring early and often. After giving up 4 runs and not looking sharp, Pirate starter John "candy man" Candelaria hurt his leg and had to leave the game without getting an out in the 4th. Davey Johnson was the hitting start for Baltimore going 3 for 5 with 6 RBI's and two huge homers. Every Oriole starter, including the pitcher, had a hit as part of the 17 hit barrage.


GAME 4: If ever the Pirates needed a stopper this was the time. Veteran Bruce Kison (3-2, 4.45) took the hill and gave the Bucs 8 scoreless innings as the Pirates shoutout the Orioles 3-0. Willie Stargell hit a 2 run blast off of Oriole stater Dave McNally (3-1, 1.82) in the first and Tim Foli scored in the second on a squeeze play execute to perfection by Kison. Kent Tekulve came on in the 9th to notch his 2nd save of the season as he allowed only a lead off single to Boog Powell and nothing more.


The Orioles moved to 17-3 as the increased their commanding lead in the AL. The Pirates dropped to 8-12, but still hold on to 3rd place and a tenuous lead for the Wild Card.