Although held to only two hits, the Astros took advantage of an error by Glenn Beckert and scored two unearned runs in the third inning to defeat the Cubs, 2-1. Marty Martinez drew a walk from Ken Holtzman and when Johnny Edwards grounded to Beckert, both runners were safe on a wild throw by the second baseman in a forceout attempt. Don Wilson sacrificed, Jesus Alou then drove in one run with a sacrifice fly and Jim Wynn followed with a single to plate the decisive marker. [The Sporting News]



Houston Astros 2, Chicago Cubs 1
Game Played on Thursday, July      16, 1970 (Night game) at Astrodome
Cubs         0  0  0    0  0  0    0  0  1  -   1  5  1
Astros       0  0  2    0  0  0    0  0  x  -   2  2  0


Cubs                 AB   R   H RBI    BB  SO    AVG      Astros               AB   R   H RBI    BB  SO    AVG
Kessinger ss          4   0   1   0     0   0   .280      Alou rf               3   0   0   1     0   0   .296
Beckert 2b            4   1   1   0     0   0   .261      Morgan 2b             2   0   0   0     2   1   .277
Williams lf           4   0   2   0     0   1   .319      Wynn lf               4   0   1   1     0   0   .273
Hickman 1b            3   0   0   0     1   3   .331      Watson 1b             3   0   0   0     0   0   .316
Santo 3b              3   0   0   0     1   0   .244      Rader 3b              3   0   0   0     0   0   .232
Callison rf           4   0   1   1     0   1   .250      Cedeno cf             3   0   1   0     0   1   .221
James cf              3   0   0   0     0   1   .211      Martinez ss           2   1   0   0     1   0   .224
  Popovich ph         1   0   0   0     0   1   .277      Edwards c             3   1   0   0     0   0   .178
Hiatt c               1   0   0   0     0   0   .257      Wilson p              2   0   0   0     0   1   .111
  Spangler ph         0   0   0   0     1   0   .333        Ray p               0   0   0   0     0   0   .250
  Hundley c           1   0   0   0     0   0   .227
Holtzman p            2   0   0   0     0   1   .246
  Smith ph            1   0   0   0     0   0   .250
  Regan p             0   0   0   0     0   0   .000

Totals               31   1   5   1     3   8             Totals               25   2   2   2     3   3

Time of Game: 2:04   Attendance: 18,466
Left on Base: Cubs 6, Astros 4
DP: Cubs 0, Astros 1
Errors: Beckert
Doubles: Cedeno (4)
Stolen Bases: Beckert (2)
Sacrifice Hits: Wilson (1)
Sacrifice Flies: Alou (1)
GIDP: Beckert (6)


Cubs                   IP     H   R  ER  BB  SO  HR BFP    ERA
Holtzman L(9-8)         7     2   2   0   2   3   0  26   3.78
Regan                   1     0   0   0   1   0   0   4   4.76
Totals                  8     2   2   0   3   3   0  30

Astros                 IP     H   R  ER  BB  SO  HR BFP    ERA
Wilson W(3-4)           8.1   4   1   1   3   7   0  31   4.10
Ray SV(3)               0.2   1   0   0   0   1   0   3   4.11
Totals                  9     5   1   1   3   8   0  34

Umpires: HP - Frank Secory, 1B - Bob Engel, 2B - Harry Wendelstedt, 3B - Tony Venzon


CUBS 1ST: Kessinger flied out to center; Beckert grounded out
(pitcher to shortstop to first); Williams singled to right;
Hickman struck out; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Cubs 0, Astros 0.

ASTROS 1ST: Alou grounded out (shortstop to first); Morgan was
called out on strikes; Wynn grounded out (shortstop to first); 0
R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Cubs 0, Astros 0.

CUBS 2ND: Santo grounded out (shortstop to first); Callison
popped to second; James flied out to center; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0
LOB.  Cubs 0, Astros 0.

ASTROS 2ND: Watson grounded out (first unassisted); Rader lined
to right; Cedeno was called out on strikes; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0
LOB.  Cubs 0, Astros 0.

CUBS 3RD: Hiatt grounded out (second to first); Holtzman
grounded out (shortstop to first); Kessinger grounded out (first
unassisted); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Cubs 0, Astros 0.

ASTROS 3RD: Martinez walked; Edwards reached on an error by
Beckert [Martinez to second, Edwards to first]; Wilson out on a
sacrifice bunt (third to second) [Martinez to third, Edwards to
second]; Alou hit a sacrifice fly to center [Martinez scored
(unearned)]; Morgan walked; Wynn singled to center [Edwards
scored (unearned), Morgan to third]; Watson flied out to right;
2 R (0 ER), 1 H, 1 E, 2 LOB.  Cubs 0, Astros 2.

CUBS 4TH: Beckert popped to catcher in foul territory; Williams
grounded out (first to pitcher); Hickman struck out; 0 R, 0 H, 0
E, 0 LOB.  Cubs 0, Astros 2.

ASTROS 4TH: Rader flied out to right; Cedeno grounded out
(second to first); Martinez grounded out (pitcher to first); 0
R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Cubs 0, Astros 2.

CUBS 5TH: Santo walked; Callison struck out; James struck out;
SPANGLER BATTED FOR HIATT; Spangler walked [Santo to second];
Holtzman struck out; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 2 LOB.  Cubs 0, Astros 2.

ASTROS 5TH: HUNDLEY REPLACED SPANGLER (PLAYING C ); Edwards
lined to center; Wilson struck out; Alou flied out to right; 0
R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Cubs 0, Astros 2.

CUBS 6TH: Kessinger singled to center; Beckert grounded into a
double play (shortstop to second to first) [Kessinger out at
second]; Williams singled to left; Hickman was called out on
strikes; 0 R, 2 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Cubs 0, Astros 2.

ASTROS 6TH: Morgan grounded out (first to pitcher); Wynn popped
to third; Watson grounded out (second to first); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E,
0 LOB.  Cubs 0, Astros 2.

CUBS 7TH: Santo grounded out (shortstop to first); Callison
flied out to center; James popped to third; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0
LOB.  Cubs 0, Astros 2.

ASTROS 7TH: Rader grounded out (catcher to first); Cedeno
doubled to center; Martinez grounded out (third to first);
Edwards grounded out (pitcher to first); 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.
Cubs 0, Astros 2.

CUBS 8TH: Hundley flied out to center; SMITH BATTED FOR
HOLTZMAN; Smith flied out to center; Kessinger grounded out
(second to first); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Cubs 0, Astros 2.

ASTROS 8TH: REGAN REPLACED SMITH (PITCHING); Wilson grounded out
(shortstop to first); Alou grounded out (shortstop to first);
Morgan walked; Wynn grounded out (pitcher to first); 0 R, 0 H, 0
E, 1 LOB.  Cubs 0, Astros 2.

CUBS 9TH: Beckert singled to right; Beckert stole second;
Williams struck out; Hickman walked; RAY REPLACED WILSON
(PITCHING); Santo flied out to right; Callison singled to right
[Beckert scored, Hickman to third]; POPOVICH BATTED FOR JAMES;
Popovich struck out; 1 R, 2 H, 0 E, 2 LOB.  Cubs 1, Astros 2.