clarinews@clarinet.com (09/22/89)
CHICAGO (UPI) -- Chicago Cubs manager Don Zimmer's wish came true Thursday and not only did pitcher Greg Maddux go the full nine innings, he held the Philadelphia Phillies scoreless for the first eight. ``Somebody asked me, `Who's gonna be the first one up in the bullpen,''' Zimmer said. ``I told him, `I hope nobody. I hope Greg Maddux goes nine innings.''' Backed by a 17-hit attack that included Andre Dawson's three-run home run, Maddux responded with a six-hit, 9-1 victory over the Philadelphia Phillies. ``This is the first time anybody said to me, `Go nine,''' Maddux said after he matched his career-high 18th victory. ``That didn't put pressure on me. I only felt pressure because I hadn't pitched a good game the last time that I faced them.'' The Cubs reduced their magic number to seven in the National League East -- not to mention's Zimmer's anxiety. The blowout came one day after the manager held a closed-door meeting with his pitchers and catchers. What effect, if any, did the heart-to-heart have on the outcome? ``None whatsoever,'' Zimmer said. ``I'm not supposed to talk about the meeting,'' said Maddux (18-12), who walked two and struck out seven. ``If I do, it will come out of my wallet.'' Maddux preferred to talk about the 9-0 lead that he had after four innings. Every starter except Luis Salazar had two hits against Phillies starter Terry Mulholland (4-7) and two relievers. ``The big lead enabled me to concentrate on the batter with runners on base,'' said Maddux, who also had a pair of singles. ``It takes a lot of pressure off the pitcher. I knew that a three-run homer wouldn't hurt me.'' After he wiggled out of a two-on, no-out jam in the second inning, Maddux caught his second wind. Between Dickie Thon's single with no outs in the second inning and Thon's lead-off double in the seventh, Maddux didn't allow a hit. Rick Wrona's broken-bat, RBI single in the second inning gave Maddux an early lead, then the Cubs broke the game open in the fourth inning with the help of rookie third baseman Charlie Hayes' mental mistake. With two outs and Wrona (single) on first base, Hayes fielded Doug Dascenzo's routine grounder, looked to second base, then threw late to first as the inning was kept alive. The play was ruled an infield hit. ``No doubt that was a big play,'' Zimmer said. Ryne Sandberg and Mark Grace followed with run-scoring singles off Mulholland before Dawson capped the five-run rally with his 19th homer over the left-field bleachers. Chicago pulled in front 9-0 with three runs in the fifth inning against Randy O'Neal on consecutive two-out, RBI singles by Dascenzo, Sandberg and Grace. Dawson, Sandberg and Grace lead the club with 74 RBI apiece. ``We've struggled for two weeks,'' Grace said, ``but we've playd too hard not to be rewarded for it at the end.'' Philadelphia ruined Maddux's bid for his sixth major-league shutout in the eighth inning on Ricky Jordan's sacrifice fly.