Jose Cruz cracked two homers and Bob Watson and Cliff Johnson hit one apiece as the Astros overpowered the Cubs, 8-4. Johnson's homer was his fifth in the last five games, setting a Houston club record. Wilbur Howard also had a big day, collecting four of the Astros' 14 hits. The Cubs were held to six hits by Larry Dierker, including a homer by Andre Thornton. [The Sporting News]



Houston Astros 8, Chicago Cubs 4
Game Played on Sunday, August    24, 1975 (Day game) at Wrigley Field
Astros       0  0  0    3  1  1    3  0  0  -   8 14  2
Cubs         2  0  1    0  0  1    0  0  0  -   4  6  0


Astros               AB   R   H RBI    BB  SO    AVG      Cubs                 AB   R   H RBI    BB  SO    AVG
Andrews ss            2   0   0   0     0   0   .204      Kessinger ss          4   0   0   0     0   0   .232
  Helms 2b            3   0   2   1     0   1   .183      Monday cf             4   0   0   0     0   0   .274
Howard rf             5   0   4   2     0   0   .309      Madlock 3b            2   2   1   0     2   0   .360
Cedeno cf             3   0   0   0     2   1   .272      Cardenal lf           3   1   3   1     0   0   .313
Johnson c             5   1   1   1     0   2   .299        Hiser lf            1   0   0   0     0   0   .267
  Rader 3b            0   0   0   0     0   0   .230      Morales rf            3   0   1   2     0   0   .271
Watson 1b             4   2   2   1     1   0   .331      Thornton 1b           3   1   1   1     1   0   .273
  Jutze c             0   0   0   0     0   0   .227      Sperring 2b           4   0   0   0     0   2   .218
Cruz lf               5   2   3   3     0   1   .271      Swisher c             2   0   0   0     0   0   .189
Cabell 3b,1b          5   0   0   0     0   0   .257        LaCock ph           1   0   0   0     0   0   .230
DaVanon 2b,ss         4   3   2   0     1   0   .295        Zamora p            0   0   0   0     0   0   .167
Dierker p             2   0   0   0     0   1   .077        Frailing p          0   0   0   0     0   0   .143
                                                            Summers ph          1   0   0   0     0   0   .239
                                                          Burris p              2   0   0   0     0   1   .164
                                                            Wilcox p            0   0   0   0     0   0   .333
                                                            Hosley ph,c         2   0   0   0     0   1   .260

Totals               38   8  14   8     4   6             Totals               32   4   6   4     3   4

Time of Game: 2:40   Attendance: 19,795
Left on Base: Astros 9, Cubs 5
DP: Astros 0, Cubs 0
Errors: Andrews, Johnson
Doubles: Howard (14), Cruz (12), DaVanon (3)
Home Runs: Cruz 2 (7), Johnson (15), Watson (16), Thornton (8)
Stolen Bases: Howard 2 (22), Madlock 2 (7), Cardenal (26)
Caught Stealing: Cardenal (7)
Sacrifice Hits: Dierker 2 (11)
Sacrifice Flies: Morales (7)


Astros                 IP     H   R  ER  BB  SO  HR BFP    ERA
Dierker W(12-13)        9     6   4   4   3   4   1  36   3.95
Totals                  9     6   4   4   3   4   1  36

Cubs                   IP     H   R  ER  BB  SO  HR BFP    ERA
Burris L(10-10)         5.2  11   5   5   2   3   2  29   4.52
Wilcox                  0.1   0   0   0   1   1   0   2   6.03
Zamora                  0.1   2   3   3   1   0   2   4   5.00
Frailing                2.2   1   0   0   0   2   0   9   5.43
Totals                  9    14   8   8   4   6   4  44

Umpires: HP - Shag Crawford (left in the 7th inning), 1B - John Kibler, 2B - Dick Stello,


ASTROS 1ST: Andrews grounded out (second to first); Howard
doubled to center; Cedeno walked; Johnson struck out; Watson
singled to pitcher [Howard to third, Cedeno to second]; Cruz
grounded out (second to first); 0 R, 2 H, 0 E, 3 LOB.  Astros 0,
Cubs 0.

CUBS 1ST: Kessinger flied out to center; Monday flied out to
left; Madlock walked; Madlock stole second [Madlock to third
(error by Johnson)]; Cardenal singled to center [Madlock
scored]; Cardenal stole second; Morales singled to center
[Cardenal scored]; Thornton flied out to right; 2 R, 2 H, 1 E, 1
LOB.  Astros 0, Cubs 2.

ASTROS 2ND: On a bunt Cabell made an out to first; DaVanon flied
out to left; Dierker grounded out (shortstop to first); 0 R, 0
H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Astros 0, Cubs 2.

CUBS 2ND: Sperring grounded out (shortstop to first); Swisher
reached on an error by Andrews [Swisher to first]; Burris struck
out; Kessinger grounded out (second to first); 0 R, 0 H, 1 E, 1
LOB.  Astros 0, Cubs 2.

ASTROS 3RD: Andrews flied out to right; Howard singled to
center; Howard stole second; Cedeno popped to catcher in foul
territory; Johnson grounded out (shortstop to first); 0 R, 1 H,
0 E, 1 LOB.  Astros 0, Cubs 2.

CUBS 3RD: HELMS REPLACED ANDREWS (PLAYING 2B); DAVANON CHANGED
POSITIONS (PLAYING SS); Monday flied out to left; Madlock
singled to left; Cardenal singled to left [Madlock to third];
Morales hit a sacrifice fly to right [Madlock scored, Cardenal
to second]; Thornton was walked intentionally; Sperring struck
out; 1 R, 2 H, 0 E, 2 LOB.  Astros 0, Cubs 3.

ASTROS 4TH: Watson walked; Cruz homered [Watson scored]; Cabell
popped to third; DaVanon singled to shortstop; Dierker struck
out; Helms singled to center [DaVanon to third]; Howard singled
to left [DaVanon scored, Helms out at third (left to third)]; 3
R, 4 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Astros 3, Cubs 3.

CUBS 4TH: Swisher grounded out (second to first); Burris lined
to left; Kessinger grounded out (second to first); 0 R, 0 H, 0
E, 0 LOB.  Astros 3, Cubs 3.

ASTROS 5TH: On a bunt Cedeno grounded out (pitcher to first);
Johnson homered; Watson grounded out (third to first); Cruz
doubled to right; Cabell grounded out (second to first); 1 R, 2
H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Astros 4, Cubs 3.

CUBS 5TH: Monday popped to third; Madlock walked; Madlock stole
second; Cardenal singled to left [Madlock to third]; Cardenal
was caught stealing second (catcher to second); Morales grounded
out (shortstop to first); 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Astros 4, Cubs
3.

ASTROS 6TH: DaVanon doubled to right; Dierker out on a sacrifice
bunt (first to second) [DaVanon to third]; Helms was called out
on strikes; Howard singled to center [DaVanon scored]; WILCOX
REPLACED BURRIS (PITCHING); Howard stole second; Cedeno walked;
Johnson was called out on strikes; 1 R, 2 H, 0 E, 2 LOB.  Astros
5, Cubs 3.

CUBS 6TH: Thornton homered; Sperring grounded out (shortstop to
first); LACOCK BATTED FOR SWISHER; LaCock grounded out (second
to first); HOSLEY BATTED FOR WILCOX; Hosley grounded out (second
to first); 1 R, 1 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Astros 5, Cubs 4.

ASTROS 7TH: HOSLEY STAYED IN GAME (PLAYING C ); ZAMORA REPLACED
LACOCK (PITCHING); Watson homered; HP umpire Shag Crawford
left ill; 3B umpire Jerry Dale moved to HP; Cruz homered;
Cabell popped to first in foul territory; DaVanon walked;
FRAILING REPLACED ZAMORA (PITCHING); Dierker out on a sacrifice
bunt (catcher to second) [DaVanon to second]; Helms singled to
center [DaVanon scored]; Howard flied out to right; 3 R, 3 H, 0
E, 1 LOB.  Astros 8, Cubs 4.

CUBS 7TH: Kessinger grounded out (pitcher to first); Monday
grounded out (first unassisted); Madlock popped to first in foul
territory; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Astros 8, Cubs 4.

ASTROS 8TH: HISER REPLACED CARDENAL (PLAYING LF); Cedeno struck
out; Johnson flied out to center; Watson flied out to center; 0
R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Astros 8, Cubs 4.

CUBS 8TH: RADER REPLACED JOHNSON (PLAYING 3B); JUTZE REPLACED
WATSON (PLAYING C ); CABELL CHANGED POSITIONS (PLAYING 1B);
Hiser grounded out (first unassisted); Morales flied out to
right; Thornton popped to second; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Astros
8, Cubs 4.

ASTROS 9TH: Cruz struck out; Cabell grounded out (pitcher to
first); DaVanon flied out to right; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.
Astros 8, Cubs 4.

CUBS 9TH: Sperring struck out; SUMMERS BATTED FOR FRAILING;
Summers grounded out (first to pitcher); Hosley struck out; 0 R,
0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Astros 8, Cubs 4.