Today is the anniversary of one of the all-time games in Phillies history, the 23-22 10-inning game in Wrigley Field. The Phillies got off to a fast start by scoring seven runs in the top of the first inning, only to give up six runs in the bottom of the inning. And we were off.
http://youtube.com/watch?v=Df5BVNFhAu8
Mike Schmidt hit two home runs in the game and starting pitcher Randy Lerch also hit a home run, while only being able to record one out on the mound. The Phillies scored eight runs in the third inning and the Cubs scored seven in the fifth inning. The Phillies took a 22-19 lead in to the bottom of the eighth inning, but of course this was not a safe lead. The Cubs tacked three runs on the scoreboard in the inning and nobody scored in the ninth. Schmidt’s two-out solo home run in the tenth inning would be the eventual game winner in a classic Wrigley Field game that Chris Wheeler will surely discuss plenty tonight.
Twelve years later to the day, at Veterans Stadium, it was quite the opposite. The Phillies and Cubs could not score a run to save their lives, going 15 scoreless innings before Dickie Thon singled in Dale Murphy for a 1-0 victory at the Vet. Each team had ten hits in the game, with Phillies pitcher Tommy Greene picking up the win in relief.
Plenty of good names from this game, including Cubs starter Greg Maddux, reliever Heathcliff Slocumb (who later would be a reliever for the Phillies), Roger McDowell and Pat Combs on the mound. Early versions of Mickey Morandini and John Kruk in the field for Philadelphia, along with Charlie Hayes and Von Hayes and one of my favorites, just for the name, Rickey Jordan (must have been the way Harry Kalas and Dan Baker would say it). The Cubs also had Ryne Sandberg, Luis Salazar, George Bell, Jose Vizcaino, and the one and only Andre Dawson.
One more game of note on this date. In 1963 the Phillies were the victim of a no-hitter. Don Nottebart of the Houston Colt .45s tossed a no-hitter, despite allowing one run on a sacrifice fly.
Follow Macho Row on Twitter, Facebook, Google+, and Pinterest!
Add The Sports Daily to your Google News Feed!
