SWAN HARD LUCK LOSER AS BUCS CLIP METS
First 1-Hit Loss of MLB Season; Lone Runs Scores on Balk
NEW YORK, Sept. 19 (AP) - Craig Swan turned in a brilliant performance but still
came out on the wrong end of a 1-0 score. The Pittsburgh Pirates managed
only one hit off the New York right-hander but that, behind the shutout effort
from Jim Rooker, was enough to defeat the Mets at Shea Stadium. Swan is
the first pitcher in the major leagues this season to toss a complete game
one-hitter and lose. It's the sixth time this year that a big leaguer has
thrown a complete game one-hitter; there have also been two no-hitters.
Swan retired the first 10 batters he faced but then allowed an infield hit to
Omar Moreno with one out in the top of the fourth. Moreno grounded a ball
past the mound that was fielded near the second base bag by shortstop Bud
Harrelson who had no chance of throwing the Pirates rookie out at first.
Moreno then stole second and advanced to third on Richie Zisk's slow
roller. With two outs and Moreno 90 feet from the game's first run, Swan
prepared to face Willie Stargell and decided to work from the wind-up.
Before delivering the first pitch, Swan started into his motion and then
stopped. Two umpires immediately signaled that a balk had been committed
and Moreno trotted home with the game's first run. It turned out to be the
only tally of the contest.
The fourth inning mistake aside, Swan was outstanding. He walked only one
batter--Moreno, in the sixth--and pitched around a pair of Pirates errors while
striking out six. There's little doubt, in fact, that he outpitched Rooker.
But the Mets were unable to dent home plate against the Pittsburgh lefty, who
fired a pretty fair game himself. And it didn't hurt to have Duffy Dyer as
his battery mate. The Pirates catcher threw out four Mets trying to steal
on the afternoon. Rooker allowed only five safeties--all of them
singles--and one of the four walks he issued was intentional.
New York only had one baserunner reach second base. With one out in the
bottom of the fifth, John Stearns drew a free pass from Rooker. Pepe
Mangual flied to right for the second out but Stearns stole second on the first
pitch to Harrelson. With first base now open and the pitcher on deck,
Rooker intentionally walked Harrelson and then saw the strategy pay off when
Swan struck out to end the threat.
The shutout is Rooker's fourth of the year, tying him for second in the National
League among left-handers, one behind Jon Matlack of the Mets.
Pittsburgh trails New York by a half-game in the NL East, but both clubs are far
behind the first place Philadelphia Phillies with just two weeks remaining in
the regular season.
9/19/1976, Pit76-NYN76, Shea Stadium 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E LOB DP 1976 Pirates 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 3 0 1976 Mets 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 5 2 5 0 Pirates AB R H BI AVG Mets AB R H BI AVG Taveras,F ss 4 0 0 0 .268 Mazzilli cf 3 0 0 0 .226 Mendoza ss 0 0 0 0 .162 Millan 2b 4 0 0 0 .295 Moreno cf 3 1 1 0 .308 Torre 1b 4 0 2 0 .324 Zisk lf 4 0 0 0 .283 Kingman rf 3 0 1 0 .223 Oliver 1b 0 0 0 0 .326 Staiger 3b 3 0 1 0 .223 Stargell 1b 4 0 0 0 .225 Vail ph 1 0 0 0 .187 Robinson,Bi lf 0 0 0 0 .292 Stearns c 2 0 1 0 .324 Parker,D rf 3 0 0 0 .336 Mangual,P lf 3 0 0 0 .243 Hebner 3b 3 0 0 0 .252 Harrelson ss 2 0 0 0 .226 Stennett 2b 3 0 0 0 .228 Swan p 3 0 0 0 .135 Dyer c 3 0 0 0 .212 28 0 5 0 Rooker p 3 0 0 0 .118 30 1 1 0 Pirates INN H R ER BB K PCH STR ERA Rooker W 14-6 9.0 5 0 0 4 3 144 85 2.76 9.0 5 0 0 4 3 144 85 Mets INN H R ER BB K PCH STR ERA Swan L 5-11 9.0 1 1 1 1 6 116 74 4.55 9.0 1 1 1 1 6 116 74 Pit: Mendoza inserted at ss in the 8th Oliver inserted at 1b in the 9th Robinson,Bi inserted at lf in the 9th NYN: Vail batted for Staiger in the 9th E-Millan, Torre. SB-Taveras,F(49), Moreno(12), Stearns(2). CS-Mazzilli, Torre, Kingman, Staiger. K-Taveras,F, Zisk, Dyer 2, Rooker 2, Torre, Mangual,P, Swan. BB-Moreno, Mazzilli, Kingman, Stearns, Harrelson. BALK-Swan. Temperature: 61, Sky: clear, Wind: out to left at 11 MPH. Attendance: 14,141 Game Time: 2:24