September 12, 1979: John Candelaria Trumps the Cards in a 2-0 Pirates Win

John Candelaria threw eight and a third innings of shutout ball as the Pirates topped St. Louis, 2-0.  Kent Tekulve finished out the shutout.  Ed Ott played a hand in both runs.

The Candy Man was in top form from the start.  Through the first six innings, all he allowed was a one-out walk in the third and a two-out single in the fourth.  In the seventh, the Cards got a leadoff single, but the Pirates turned a 4-6-3 double play.  In the eighth, Candelaria gave up a pair of two-out singles, but got Garry Templeton on a grounder to end the inning.

Cards’ starter Bob Forsch was nearly as tough and the Pirates got only five hits in the game.  They did, however, manage to scratch out a couple of runs.

In the bottom of the second, Bill Madlock walked with two out, stole second — his 27th steal of the year — and came home when Ed Ott singled.  The Bucs didn’t get another runner until the fifth, when Ott tripled with one out.  A single by Phil Garner brought him in to make it 2-0.

The lead held up until the ninth, when the Cards mounted their most serious threat.  After a leadoff single and a popup, Ted Simmons doubled to put the tying runs in scoring position.  Kent Tekulve came on to face Lou Brock and racked up a strikeout.  Teke then retired Tony Scott to close the game out.

Candelaria is now 14-8 and Teke picked up his 27th save.  Montreal won its fifth straight and 15th of 16, so the Bucs remain in first by half a game.

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