Phillies Capture Second Straight Over Royals, 6-4

The Philadelphia Phillies exploded with four runs in the eighth inning to win their second consecutive come-from-behind victory, 6-4, over the Kansas City Royals in Philadelphia, and take a two games to none World Series lead.

With the Phils trailing 4-2, pinch hitter Del Unser stroked an opposite-field double off reliever Dan Quisenberry to score Bob Boone from first. After a Pete Rose chopper to first, Unser tied the game on Bake McBride's bouncing single to right.

McBride, hero of Tuesday night's opening game victory with a three-run homer, scored the game-winning run as Mike Schmidt doubled off the top of the right-field wall. Rookie designated hitter Keith Moreland, filling in for the ailing Greg Luzinski, drilled a single past a K.C. infield drawn in to cut off the potential run, and Schmidt came home for the final run.

Philly starter Steve Carleton earned the victory, giving up the four runs on eleven hits in eight innings while striking out ten. The Royals threatened the big lefthander in almost every inning, leaving 11 men on base despite grounding into three double plays. Ron Reed came on in the ninth to gain the save.

Philadelphia broke a scoreless deadlock in the fifth, after Kansas City starter Larry Gura had retired thirteen consecutive batters. After Moreland reached first on an infield hit deep to short, Garry Maddox ripped an inside pitch into the leftfield corner to put runners on second and third. Moreland scored on a Manny Trillo sacrifice fly to right, and Maddox put the Phils in front 2-0 on Larry Bowa's single.

The Royals got one back in the sixth as Amos Otis lead off with a single. After a walk, Willie Mays Aikens hit a high chopper to Trillo. The second baseman hurried the throw to first, which flew by Pete Rose allowing Otis to score.

Otis gave Kansas City the lead with a two-run bases filled double to left scoring Willie Wilson and pinch hitter Dave Chalk. John Wathan knocked in Otis with a sacrifice fly for the Royals fourth run.