‘80 Cubs take 3 of 4 from ‘47 Bucs

A 4 game series between the 47 Pirates and the 80 Cubs, with both teams tied for 2nd in the National League East, saw the Cubs take 3 out of 4 from the Bucs.
Game 1
In Forbes field the Cubs pounded the Pirates for 9 runs in the middle innings to post a 13-5 win over Pittsburgh. Lynn McGlothen got win number 2 on the year as he went the distance for Chicago. Pittsburgh took the lead on a 1st inning home run by Ralph Kiner,who stroked 3 long balls for Pittsburgh during the game, but Chicago came back in the top of the 2nd as Mike Balckwell hit a 2 run shot to put Chicago up, 2-1. Pittsburgh scored 2 in the bottom of the 3rd to regain the lead. In the 4th, back to back home runs by Dave Kingman and Tim Blackwell would again put Chicago back on top and they would never trail after that. Kirby HIgbe would take the loss for Pittsburgh. Dave Kingman would lead the way for Chicago going 5 for 5 with a home run and 4 rbi.

Game  2
Mike Krukow, for Chicago, and Fritz Ostermeuller, for Pittsburgh, would face off in game 2 of the set. Ostermeuller would go the distance for the Bucs, scattering 5 hits and giving up 3 runs. The Cubs pitching would only give up 5 hits themselves, but 3 Cubs errors, especially a big one in the bottom of the 4th with the score tied, 2-2, would set a big 3 run inning for Pittsburgh and Pittsburgh would go on to take a 6-3 win. A walk and the aforementioned error, followed by doubles by Wally Westlake and Jim Russell would be all Pittsburgh to take the lead and win game 2,  A doubleheader would be in store for Cub's fans as the series moved back to Wrigley.

Game 3
'Big Daddy" Rick Reuschel would be handed the ball by manager Jim Walden, for the first game of the twin bill. Bucs manager, Mark Angle would counter with Preacher Roe. In the bottom of the 1st, SS Ivan DeJesus would smack a single up the middle and promptly steal 2nd. Mike Tyson would then sacrifice himself as the laid down the bunt and moved DeJesus to 3rd. Bill Buckner would pull a single to right,scoring DeJesus. After getting Dave Kingman to fly out to center, the Preacher would hang a curve and Jerry Martin would deposit it into the basket in left, giving Chicago a 3-0 lead. Pittsburgh would out hit Chicago, 13 to 11, but Chicago would go on to score 3 more runs while Pittsburgh plated only 2 and Chicago had the 6-2 win. Reuschel would go the distance for the win and making his record an unbelievable, 5-0, for the pudgy right hander.

Game 4
Dennis Lamp pitched an excellent game for Chicago in game 2 of the doubleheader, scattering 4 hits to the Bucs while giving up no runs. It would be Lamp's first win of the year(1-3) while Bruce Sutter got his 5th save. Chicago would score all their runs in the bottom of the 2nd as Pittsburgh starter,Tiny Bonham, would start the inning by getting Dave Kingman to fly out to left. Then a double by Jerry Martin followed by a single Lenny Randle,scoring Martin, would be followed by a Mike Vail triple and then a ground ball fielder's choice,scoring Vail would be all Chicago would need to take game 2 of the doubleheader,by the score of 3-0.

--submitted by Jim Walden--