The Cubs erupted for four runs in the seventh inning and defeated the Astros, 7-3. Singles by Johnny Callison, Don Kessinger and Glenn Beckert accounted for the first run of the rally. Billy Williams then lined to center field and when Cesar Cedeno missed an attempted shoestring catch, the ball went through for a triple, two runs scoring to put the Cubs ahead, 4-3. Jim Hickman beat out an infield hit to plate Williams. In the ninth, Williams singled and Hickman homered for the Cubs' last two tallies. [The Sporting News]



Chicago Cubs 7, Houston Astros 3
Game Played on Saturday, July      18, 1970 (Night game) at Astrodome
Cubs         0  0  0    0  0  1    4  0  2  -   7 12  2
Astros       1  1  1    0  0  0    0  0  0  -   3  9  0


Cubs                 AB   R   H RBI    BB  SO    AVG      Astros               AB   R   H RBI    BB  SO    AVG
Kessinger ss          4   1   1   0     1   0   .277      Alou lf               5   1   1   0     0   1   .293
Beckert 2b            5   1   1   1     0   1   .260      Martinez ss           5   0   0   0     0   2   .224
Williams lf           4   2   2   2     1   0   .323      Morgan 2b             3   1   1   0     1   1   .278
Hickman rf,cf         5   2   3   3     0   1   .338      Watson 1b             4   0   1   1     0   0   .313
Smith 1b              4   0   1   0     1   0   .240      Miller rf             4   0   1   1     0   2   .287
Santo 3b              5   0   2   1     0   2   .243      Rader 3b              4   0   1   0     0   2   .229
Hundley c             4   0   0   0     0   0   .185      Cedeno cf             4   1   1   0     0   0   .223
James cf              2   0   0   0     0   1   .207      Edwards c             3   0   2   0     1   0   .185
  Popovich ph         1   0   0   0     0   0   .275      Billingham p          3   0   1   1     0   1   .103
  Colborn p           1   0   0   0     0   0   .000        DiLauro p           0   0   0   0     0   0   .000
Hands p               2   0   1   0     0   1   .116        Ray p               0   0   0   0     0   0   .250
  Callison ph,rf      1   1   1   0     1   0   .253        Gladding p          0   0   0   0     0   0   .000
                                                            Lampard ph          1   0   0   0     0   1   .220

Totals               38   7  12   7     4   6             Totals               36   3   9   3     2  10

Time of Game: 2:47   Attendance: 25,448
Left on Base: Cubs 8, Astros 8
DP: Cubs 1, Astros 1
Errors: Beckert, Williams
Doubles: Santo (14), Alou (15), Watson (11)
Triples: Williams (3)
Home Runs: Hickman (20)
Caught Stealing: Smith (1)
GIDP: Alou (9)


Cubs                   IP     H   R  ER  BB  SO  HR BFP    ERA
Hands W(11-7)           6     7   3   2   2   7   0  27   3.62
Colborn SV(4)           3     2   0   0   0   3   0  11   3.06
Totals                  9     9   3   2   2  10   0  38

Astros                 IP     H   R  ER  BB  SO  HR BFP    ERA
Billingham L(7-3)       6.1   8   4   4   2   4   0  29   3.56
DiLauro                 0     1   1   1   0   0   0   1   4.57
Ray                     2     3   2   2   2   1   1  11   4.26
Gladding                0.2   0   0   0   0   1   0   1   3.89
Totals                  9    12   7   7   4   6   1  42

Wild Pitches: Hands (7), Colborn (1), Billingham (5)

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


CUBS 1ST: Kessinger grounded out (shortstop to first); Beckert
was called out on strikes; Williams walked; Billingham threw a
wild pitch [Williams to second]; Hickman struck out; 0 R, 0 H, 0
E, 1 LOB.  Cubs 0, Astros 0.

ASTROS 1ST: Alou doubled to right; Martinez was called out on
strikes; Morgan walked; Watson flied out to center; Miller
singled to right [Alou scored, Morgan to third, Miller out at
second (right to second)]; 1 R, 2 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Cubs 0, Astros
1.

CUBS 2ND: Smith flied out to left; Santo flied out to center;
Hundley grounded out (shortstop to first); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.
 Cubs 0, Astros 1.

ASTROS 2ND: Rader flied out to center; On a bunt Cedeno singled
to third; Edwards singled to left [Cedeno to second]; Billingham
singled to second [Cedeno scored, Edwards to second]; Alou
grounded into a double play (second to shortstop to first)
[Billingham out at second]; 1 R, 3 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Cubs 0,
Astros 2.

CUBS 3RD: James was called out on strikes; Hands singled to
third; Kessinger grounded out (second to first) [Hands to
second]; Beckert grounded out (shortstop to first); 0 R, 1 H, 0
E, 1 LOB.  Cubs 0, Astros 2.

ASTROS 3RD: Martinez struck out; Morgan reached on an error by
Williams [Morgan to second]; Watson doubled to right [Morgan
scored (unearned)]; Miller struck out; Rader was called out on
strikes; 1 R (0 ER), 1 H, 1 E, 1 LOB.  Cubs 0, Astros 3.

CUBS 4TH: Williams grounded out (pitcher to first); Hickman
grounded out (third to first); Smith singled to center; Santo
singled to center [Smith to second]; Hundley forced Smith (third
unassisted); 0 R, 2 H, 0 E, 2 LOB.  Cubs 0, Astros 3.

ASTROS 4TH: Cedeno flied out to right; Edwards grounded out
(second to first); Billingham struck out; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.
Cubs 0, Astros 3.

CUBS 5TH: James grounded out (shortstop to first); Hands was
called out on strikes; Kessinger walked; Beckert forced
Kessinger (shortstop to second); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Cubs 0,
Astros 3.

ASTROS 5TH: Alou grounded out (second to first); Martinez
grounded out (second to first); Morgan was called out on
strikes; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Cubs 0, Astros 3.

CUBS 6TH: Williams grounded out (first to pitcher); Hickman
singled to third; Smith grounded out (first to pitcher) [Hickman
to second]; Santo doubled to center [Hickman scored]; Hundley
popped to first; 1 R, 2 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Cubs 1, Astros 3.

ASTROS 6TH: Watson reached on an error by Beckert [Watson to
first]; Hands threw a wild pitch [Watson to second]; Miller
struck out; Rader singled to right [Watson to third]; Cedeno
reached on a fielder's choice [Watson out at home (first to
catcher), Rader to second]; Edwards walked [Rader to third,
Cedeno to second]; Billingham forced Edwards (shortstop
unassisted); 0 R, 1 H, 1 E, 3 LOB.  Cubs 1, Astros 3.

CUBS 7TH: POPOVICH BATTED FOR JAMES; Popovich lined to first;
CALLISON BATTED FOR HANDS; Callison singled to center; Kessinger
singled to left [Callison to second]; Beckert singled to left
[Callison scored, Kessinger to second]; DILAURO REPLACED
BILLINGHAM (PITCHING); Williams tripled to center [Kessinger
scored, Beckert scored]; RAY REPLACED DILAURO (PITCHING);
Hickman singled to pitcher [Williams scored]; Smith popped to
catcher in foul territory; Santo was called out on strikes; 4 R,
5 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Cubs 5, Astros 3.

ASTROS 7TH: CALLISON STAYED IN GAME (PLAYING RF); COLBORN
REPLACED POPOVICH (PITCHING); HICKMAN CHANGED POSITIONS (PLAYING
CF); Alou struck out; Martinez flied out to left; Morgan singled
to third; Watson lined to pitcher; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Cubs
5, Astros 3.

CUBS 8TH: Hundley grounded out (third to first); Colborn flied
out to left; Callison walked; Kessinger flied out to left; 0 R,
0 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Cubs 5, Astros 3.

ASTROS 8TH: Miller grounded out (shortstop to first); Rader was
called out on strikes; Cedeno flied out to right; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E,
0 LOB.  Cubs 5, Astros 3.

CUBS 9TH: Beckert flied out to right; Williams singled to
center; Hickman homered [Williams scored]; Smith walked;
GLADDING REPLACED RAY (PITCHING); Santo struck out while Smith
was caught stealing second (catcher to shortstop); 2 R, 2 H, 0
E, 0 LOB.  Cubs 7, Astros 3.

ASTROS 9TH: Edwards singled to second; LAMPARD BATTED FOR
GLADDING; Colborn threw a wild pitch [Edwards to second];
Lampard struck out; Alou flied out to center; Martinez grounded
out (first unassisted); 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Cubs 7, Astros 3.