Birds Survive Late Rally; Take Series Opener, 5-4

Mike Flanagan popped up Willie Stargell with two out in the top of the 9th and the tying run on third to pull out a 5-4 victory for the Orioles in the first game of the World Series.

Pirate slugger Dave Parker singled for his fourth hit to start the rally with one out. Then starter and winner Flanagan caught him in a rundown between first and second. Parker made second base, though, when first baseman Eddie Murray threw late to Mark Belanger covering second and Parker kicked the ball out of Belanger's glove.

Parker moved to third on Bill Robinson's groundout, bringing up Stargell, who had homered in the 8th to pull Pittsburgh within one.

The game started out with Baltimore racing to a 5-run lead in the 1st inning as Pirate second sacker Phil Garner threw a potential inning ending double play grounder off the bat of John Lowenstein into left field for 2 runs.

Not to be outdone, Pirate starter and loser Bruce Kison wild pitched home Eddie Murray and then served up a 2-run homer to Baltimore third baseman Doug DeCinces. Tim Foli added a wildthrow to complete the 1st inning debacle.

Kison, a pitching hero in the 1971 World Series and 27-7 lifetime in the months of September and October, did not survive the 1st inning.

Baltimore's win overshadowed a fine relief effort by the Pittsburgh staff, called by manager Chuck Tanner "the best bullpen in baseball." Relievers Rooker, Romo, Robinson, and Jackson held the Orioles to 3 hits and no runs over the final 7 2/3 innings, allowing the Pirates to make their late run.

Pittsburgh touched Flanagan for the first run in the 4th. Pirate captain Stargell followed leadoff singles by Foli and Parker with a one-out RBI grounder.

The Pirates added 2 more tallies in the 6th as Doug DeCinces committed 2 costly errors. His first boot allowed Steve Nicosia to reach first and load the bases with two out. Garner then shot an inside fastball to left for 2 runs. DeCinces fumbled Lee Lacy's pinch-hit grounder to reload the bases, but Moreno flied to center to end the threat.

Flanagan worked out of trouble all night as the Pirates put runners in scoring position in every inning but the 2nd, 3rd, and 7th, allowing 10 hits all. He was tough when he had to be though, fanning Omar Moreno in the 8th with the tying and lead runs on base, and popped up Stargell in the 9th.

Dave Parker made the defensive play of the game in the 6th when he speared a 2 out drive by DougDeCinces with a running over-the-shoulder grab--preventing baserunner Ken Singleton from adding an insurance run.

Throughout the game, the Baltimore ground crew battled to keep the field playable after 5 recent football games, 2 days of rain, and a morning of snow.

Pirate pitcher Bert Blyleven will oppose Oriole stalwart Jim Palmer in tonight's game at 8:00 p.m. in Baltimore.