Larry Dierker, making his 11th try since May 18 to gain his ninth victory, finally was successful when the Astros defeated the Cubs, 5-2. The Astros scored all their runs in the sixth inning after loading the bases on a double by Jesus Alou, single by Marty Martinez and pass to Norm Miller. Bob Watson singled to drive in two runs, kayoing Fergie Jenkins.

Roberto Rodriguez relieved and struck out the next two batters before walking Johnny Edwards intentionally to reload the bases. Hector Torres followed with a high fly to right center field, where Johnny Callison and Jim Hickman let the ball fall safely for a three-run triple. [The Sporting News]



Houston Astros 5, Chicago Cubs 2
Game Played on Friday, July      17, 1970 (Night game) at Astrodome
Cubs         0  0  0    0  0  1    0  0  1  -   2  7  1
Astros       0  0  0    0  0  5    0  0  x  -   5  7  1


Cubs                 AB   R   H RBI    BB  SO    AVG      Astros               AB   R   H RBI    BB  SO    AVG
Kessinger ss          4   0   0   0     0   2   .277      Alou rf,lf            4   1   1   0     0   1   .295
Beckert 2b            4   1   1   0     0   0   .261      Martinez ss           4   1   2   0     0   0   .238
Williams lf           4   0   2   0     0   1   .321      Wynn lf               1   0   0   0     1   1   .272
Hickman cf            4   1   2   1     0   0   .333        Miller lf,rf        1   1   0   0     1   0   .288
Smith 1b              4   0   0   0     0   0   .239      Watson 1b             4   1   1   2     0   1   .314
Santo 3b              4   0   0   1     0   1   .240      Rader 3b              4   0   0   0     0   1   .229
Callison rf           4   0   1   0     0   0   .250      Cedeno cf             4   0   1   0     0   2   .222
Hiatt c               2   0   0   0     0   1   .254      Edwards c             2   1   1   0     2   0   .180
  Hundley c           1   0   0   0     0   0   .217      Torres 2b             4   0   1   3     0   1   .205
Jenkins p             2   0   1   0     0   0   .089      Dierker p             3   0   0   0     0   1   .148
  Rodriguez p         0   0   0   0     0   0   .000
  Spangler ph         1   0   0   0     0   0   .250
  Regan p             0   0   0   0     0   0   .000

Totals               34   2   7   2     0   5             Totals               31   5   7   5     4   8

Time of Game: 2:23   Attendance: 18,207
Left on Base: Cubs 5, Astros 6
DP: Cubs 1, Astros 1
Errors: Santo, Watson
Doubles: Hickman (19), Alou (14)
Triples: Torres (2)
GIDP: Santo (9), Watson (2)


Cubs                   IP     H   R  ER  BB  SO  HR BFP    ERA
Jenkins L(10-11)        5     4   4   4   3   5   0  22   4.09
Rodriguez               1     1   1   1   1   3   0   5   5.68
Regan                   2     2   0   0   0   0   0   8   4.58
Totals                  8     7   5   5   4   8   0  35

Astros                 IP     H   R  ER  BB  SO  HR BFP    ERA
Dierker W(9-8)          9     7   2   2   0   5   0  34   3.79
Totals                  9     7   2   2   0   5   0  34

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


CUBS 1ST: Kessinger grounded out (third to shortstop to first);
Beckert popped to shortstop; Williams struck out; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E,
0 LOB.  Cubs 0, Astros 0.

ASTROS 1ST: Alou struck out; Martinez singled to center; Wynn
walked [Martinez to second]; Watson grounded into a double play
(third to second to first) [Wynn out at second]; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E,
1 LOB.  Cubs 0, Astros 0.

CUBS 2ND: Hickman singled to center; Smith flied out to right;
Santo struck out; Callison singled to left [Hickman to second];
Hiatt forced Hickman (third unassisted); 0 R, 2 H, 0 E, 2 LOB.
Cubs 0, Astros 0.

ASTROS 2ND: Rader grounded out (second to first); Cedeno struck
out; Edwards grounded out (first unassisted); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0
LOB.  Cubs 0, Astros 0.

CUBS 3RD: Jenkins popped to second; Kessinger struck out;
Beckert grounded out (shortstop to first); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.
 Cubs 0, Astros 0.

ASTROS 3RD: Torres struck out; Dierker grounded out (third to
first); Alou popped to catcher in foul territory; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E,
0 LOB.  Cubs 0, Astros 0.

CUBS 4TH: Williams singled to center; Hickman flied out to left;
Smith flied out to center; Santo forced Williams (third to
second); 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Cubs 0, Astros 0.

ASTROS 4TH: Martinez grounded out (second to first); Wynn struck
out; Watson struck out; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Cubs 0, Astros 0.

CUBS 5TH: MILLER REPLACED WYNN (PLAYING LF); Callison grounded
out (first to pitcher); Hiatt struck out; Jenkins singled to
center; Kessinger flied out to left; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Cubs
0, Astros 0.

ASTROS 5TH: Rader flied out to center; Cedeno popped to third;
Edwards walked; Torres reached on an error by Santo [Edwards to
second, Torres to first]; Dierker grounded out (shortstop to
first); 0 R, 0 H, 1 E, 2 LOB.  Cubs 0, Astros 0.

CUBS 6TH: ALOU CHANGED POSITIONS (PLAYING LF); MILLER CHANGED
POSITIONS (PLAYING RF); Beckert singled to center; Williams
singled to center [Beckert to third]; Hickman reached on an
error by Watson [Beckert scored (RBI), Williams to second,
Hickman to first]; Smith forced Hickman (shortstop to second)
[Williams to third]; Santo grounded into a double play (third to
second to first) [Smith out at second]; 1 R, 2 H, 1 E, 1 LOB.
Cubs 1, Astros 0.

ASTROS 6TH: HUNDLEY REPLACED HIATT (PLAYING C ); Alou doubled to
right; Martinez singled to left [Alou to third]; Miller walked
[Martinez to second]; Watson singled to center [Alou scored,
Martinez scored, Miller to third, Watson to second (on throw)];
RODRIGUEZ REPLACED JENKINS (PITCHING); Rader struck out; Cedeno
struck out; Edwards was walked intentionally; Torres tripled to
right [Miller scored, Watson scored, Edwards scored]; Dierker
struck out; 5 R, 4 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Cubs 1, Astros 5.

CUBS 7TH: Callison grounded out (second to first); Hundley
grounded out (shortstop to first); SPANGLER BATTED FOR
RODRIGUEZ; Spangler flied out to center; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.
Cubs 1, Astros 5.

ASTROS 7TH: REGAN REPLACED SPANGLER (PITCHING); Alou popped to
second; Martinez grounded out (pitcher to first); Miller flied
out to left; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Cubs 1, Astros 5.

CUBS 8TH: Kessinger struck out; Beckert grounded out (shortstop
to first); Williams grounded out (third to first); 0 R, 0 H, 0
E, 0 LOB.  Cubs 1, Astros 5.

ASTROS 8TH: Watson grounded out (second to first); Rader popped
to second; Cedeno singled to left; Edwards singled to left
[Cedeno to second]; Torres flied out to center; 0 R, 2 H, 0 E, 2
LOB.  Cubs 1, Astros 5.

CUBS 9TH: Hickman doubled to left; Smith grounded out (first to
pitcher) [Hickman to third]; Santo grounded out (second to
first) [Hickman scored]; Callison flied out to left; 1 R, 1 H, 0
E, 0 LOB.  Cubs 2, Astros 5.