The Pirates had some scoring chances early against the Phillies and Randy Lerch, but couldn’t capitalize. In the process they wasted a solid start from Don Robinson in a 3-2 loss.
The Bucs’ best chances came early. A Phil Garner double and Dave Parker single put runners at the corners in the first with one out, but Bill Robinson and Willie Stargell couldn’t get a run home. In the second, the Pirates had runners at first and second with one out, but Robinson and Frank Taveras stranded the runners.
Meanwhile, Robinson allowed just one runner the first time through the lineup, but with two out in the third, Bake McBride took him deep. That was the only scoring until the top of the sixth, when Pete Rose led off with a hit and Greg Luzinski homered off Robinson, making it 3-0.
Robinson left for a pinch hitter after seven. He gave up the three runs on seven hits. The Pirates, though, were getting nowhere with Lerch. They finally got on the board with two out in the eighth, when Pops belted his second bomb of the season with a man aboard.
Kent Tekulve threw two scoreless innings to keep the Pirates in it, but they went down in order in the ninth against Lerch, who finished with a complete game on nine hits. Garner had three of those and Parker two, but the Pirates drew no walks. The loss was their third straight.
