ROBINSON'S 3 HRS PUSH BUCS PAST PADS
Drives in All 5 Runs
PITTSBURGH, Aug. 31 (AP) - Bill Robinson became just the sixth major leaguer
this season--and the first since June 22--to hit three home runs in a single
game, leading the Pittsburgh Pirates past the San Diego Padres 5-1 at Three
Rivers Stadium. Robinson drove in all five of his team's runs, backing a
combined four-hit effort by Jerry Reuss and Kent Tekulve, to defeat Padres
starter Randy Jones. Jones (19-12) had won five of his last six starts and
the six-inning effort against the Pirates snapped a personal string of four
straight complete games.
Robinson set the tone early with a two-out solo home run in the bottom of the
second to give Pittsburgh the lead. In the fourth, Robinson cracked a
two-run homer to left-center off of Jones to put the Pirates ahead 3-0.
In the sixth, Robinson belted his third home run in as many plate appearances,
crushing a Jones change-up into the mezzanine level. The two-run shot
scored Bob Robertson and gave Pittsburgh a 5-0 advantage.
Reuss (11-9) took a one-hitter into the seventh and appeared poised to cruise to
a complete game shutout after he retired Mike Ivie and Fred Kendall to open the
frame but Doug Rader drilled a double off the top of the left field wall and
Luis Melendez laced a sharp single to center, scoring Rader to put the Padres on
the scoreboard. After Reuss walked pinch hitter Merv Rettenmund Pirates
manager Danny Murtaugh had seen enough and brought Tekulve into the game as part
of a double switch that saw Omar Moreno enter the game in center field and
Robinson replace Robertson at first base. Tekulve retired Enzo Hernandez
on a soft grounder to first to extinguish the threat.
Robinson had an opportunity to make history with a fourth home run but reliever
Butch Metzger struck him out to end the eighth inning, one of four punch outs
recorded by Metzger in just two innings of work.
While four players hit three home runs in a game through May, just two have done
so since. Greg Luzinski of the Phillies was the last to accomplish the
feat before Robinson in a 6-5 victory over the Expos at Veterans Stadium, on
June 22.
8/31/1976, SD 76-Pit76, Three Rivers Stadium 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E LOB DP 1976 Padres 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 1 4 0 8 1 1976 Pirates 0 1 0 2 0 2 0 0 x 5 10 0 4 0 Padres AB R H BI AVG Pirates AB R H BI AVG Hernandez,E ss 3 0 0 0 .298 Taveras,F ss 4 0 2 0 .285 Fuentes 2b 4 0 0 0 .265 Stennett 2b 3 0 0 0 .215 Davis,W cf 4 0 0 0 .222 Zisk lf 4 0 0 0 .291 Winfield rf 2 0 0 0 .246 Robertson 1b 3 1 2 0 .157 Ivie 1b 3 0 2 0 .281 Tekulve p 1 0 0 0 .111 Kendall c 4 0 0 0 .228 Parker,D rf 4 1 2 0 .341 Rader,Do 3b 4 1 1 0 .267 Robinson,Bi cf 4 3 3 5 .289 Melendez lf 4 0 1 1 .229 Sanguillen c 3 0 0 0 .326 Jones, Ra p 2 0 0 0 .025 Hebner 3b 3 0 1 0 .252 Rettenmund ph 0 0 0 0 .245 Reuss p 2 0 0 0 .190 Metzger,B p 0 0 0 0 .000 Moreno cf 1 0 0 0 .250 Kubiak ph 1 0 0 0 .236 32 5 10 5 31 1 4 1 Padres INN H R ER BB K PCH STR ERA Jones, Ra L 19-12 6.0 8 5 5 0 2 75 53 2.06 Metzger,B 2.0 2 0 0 0 4 30 19 3.06 8.0 10 5 5 0 6 105 72 Pirates INN H R ER BB K PCH STR ERA Reuss W 11-9 6.2 3 1 1 4 3 99 59 3.01 Tekulve S 6 2.1 1 0 0 1 0 40 28 2.58 9.0 4 1 1 5 3 139 87 SD : Rettenmund batted for Jones, Ra in the 7th Kubiak batted for Metzger,B in the 9th Pit: Robinson,Bi moved to 1b in the 7th Moreno inserted at cf in the 7th 2B-Rader,Do(17). HR-Robinson,Bi 3(23). RBI-Melendez(9), Robinson,Bi 5(61). SB-Winfield(22), Taveras,F(46). K-Kendall, Rader,Do, Jones, Ra, Zisk, Robinson,Bi, Reuss 2, Tekulve, Moreno. BB-Hernandez,E, Winfield 2, Ivie, Rettenmund. HBP-Stennett. HB-Jones, Ra. BALK-Jones, Ra. GWRBI: Robinson,Bi Temperature: 72, Field: wet, Sky: threatening, Wind: right to left at 18 MPH, Rain Delays: 26 minutes. Attendance: 6,172 Game Time: 2:14