The Reds showed speed and power in thumping the Astros, 13-7. Johnny Bench and Joe Morgan hit homers as the team stole five bases. Astro starter Larry Dierker was driven to cover without retiring a batter. Bench's blow came in the second inning and was his first hit of the season. It followed a single by Ken Griffey and walk to Morgan. [The Sporting News]



Cincinnati Reds 13, Houston Astros 7
Game Played on Saturday, April     10, 1976 (Day game) at Riverfront Stadium
Astros       1  0  0    1  0  2    3  0  0  -   7 13  0
Reds         5  3  0    0  0  0    4  1  x  -  13 15  0


Astros               AB   R   H RBI    BB  SO    AVG      Reds                 AB   R   H RBI    BB  SO    AVG
Howard lf             5   0   0   0     0   0   .000      Rose 3b               5   1   2   1     0   0   .500
Cabell 3b             5   1   3   0     0   1   .500      Griffey rf            5   3   2   1     0   0   .300
Cedeno cf             5   2   2   0     0   0   .300        Lum rf              0   0   0   0     0   0   .000
Watson 1b             5   1   2   2     0   0   .333      Morgan 2b             3   3   2   2     2   0   .714
Johnson c             4   0   1   1     1   0   .333      Bench c               4   2   2   3     1   0   .250
Gross rf              3   1   1   1     0   0   .429      Perez 1b              4   1   1   0     1   0   .429
Milbourne 2b          4   0   1   0     0   0   .250      Foster lf             4   0   1   2     1   0   .222
Metzger ss            4   1   1   1     0   0   .375      Concepcion ss         4   2   1   0     1   1   .222
Dierker p             0   0   0   0     0   0   .000      Geronimo cf           4   1   3   3     0   0   .625
  Rondon p            1   0   0   0     0   1   .000      Billingham p          2   0   1   0     1   0   .500
  Boswell ph          1   0   1   0     0   0   .500        Alcala p            0   0   0   0     0   0   .000
  Griffin p           0   0   0   0     0   0   .000        Eastwick p          2   0   0   0     0   1   .000
  Roberts ph          1   1   1   2     0   0  1.000
  Hardy p             0   0   0   0     0   0   .000
  Barlow p            0   0   0   0     0   0   .000
  Cruz ph             1   0   0   0     0   0   .500
  Forsch p            0   0   0   0     0   0   .000

Totals               39   7  13   7     1   2             Totals               37  13  15  12     7   2

Time of Game: 2:40   Attendance: 16,728
Left on Base: Astros 7, Reds 8
DP: Astros 0, Reds 0
Doubles: Cedeno 2 (2), Gross (1), Boswell (1), Johnson (1), Morgan (1), Bench (1), Perez (2)
Triples: Geronimo 2 (2)
Home Runs: Roberts (1), Bench (1), Morgan (1)
Stolen Bases: Rose (1), Bench (1), Griffey (3), Morgan (3), Concepcion (1)
Sacrifice Flies: Gross (1), Geronimo (1)


Astros                 IP     H   R  ER  BB  SO  HR BFP    ERA
Dierker L(0-1)          0     4   5   5   2   0   0   6   0.00
Rondon                  3     3   3   3   2   1   1  14   9.00
Griffin                 2     3   0   0   1   0   0   9   0.00
Hardy                   1.2   4   4   4   1   0   1  10  21.60
Barlow                  0.1   0   0   0   0   0   0   1   0.00
Forsch                  1     1   1   1   1   1   0   5   4.50
Totals                  8    15  13  13   7   2   2  45

Reds                   IP     H   R  ER  BB  SO  HR BFP    ERA
Billingham W(1-0)       6     9   4   4   1   1   1  28   6.00
Alcala                  0     4   3   3   0   0   0   4   0.00
Eastwick SV(1)          3     0   0   0   0   1   0   9   0.00
Totals                  9    13   7   7   1   2   1  41

Wild Pitches: Dierker (1), Billingham (1)

Umpires: HP - Nick Colosi, 1B - Paul Runge, 2B - Ed Montague, 3B - Lee Weyer


ASTROS 1ST: Howard grounded out (shortstop to first); Cabell
grounded out (first unassisted); Cedeno doubled to left; Watson
singled to right [Cedeno scored]; Billingham threw a wild pitch
[Watson to second]; Johnson walked; Gross forced Johnson (second
to shortstop); 1 R, 2 H, 0 E, 2 LOB.  Astros 1, Reds 0.

REDS 1ST: Rose singled to left; Rose stole second; Griffey
singled to center [Rose scored]; Morgan doubled to right
[Griffey to third]; Dierker threw a wild pitch [Griffey scored,
Morgan to third]; Bench walked; Bench stole second; Perez
walked; Foster singled to center [Morgan scored, Bench scored,
Perez to third]; RONDON REPLACED DIERKER (PITCHING); Concepcion
struck out; Debut game for Gilbert Rondon; Geronimo hit a
sacrifice fly to right [Perez scored]; Billingham walked [Foster
to second]; Rose flied out to center; 5 R, 4 H, 0 E, 2 LOB.
Astros 1, Reds 5.

ASTROS 2ND: Milbourne singled to center; Metzger forced
Milbourne (second to shortstop) [Metzger to first]; Rondon
struck out; Howard flied out to center; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.
Astros 1, Reds 5.

REDS 2ND: Griffey singled to center; Griffey stole second;
Morgan walked; Bench homered [Griffey scored, Morgan scored];
Perez lined to left; Foster grounded out (third to first);
Concepcion popped to second; 3 R, 2 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Astros 1,
Reds 8.

ASTROS 3RD: Cabell singled to center; Cedeno lined to third;
Watson popped to third in foul territory; Johnson popped to
first in foul territory; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Astros 1, Reds 8.

REDS 3RD: Geronimo grounded out (second to first); Billingham
singled to pitcher; Rose flied out to left; Griffey popped to
second; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Astros 1, Reds 8.

ASTROS 4TH: Gross doubled to left; On a bunt Milbourne grounded
out (pitcher to first) [Gross to third]; Metzger grounded out
(second to first) [Gross scored]; BOSWELL BATTED FOR RONDON;
Boswell doubled; Howard lined to center; 1 R, 2 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.
Astros 2, Reds 8.

REDS 4TH: GRIFFIN REPLACED BOSWELL (PITCHING); Morgan grounded
out (first unassisted); Bench doubled to right; Perez doubled to
right [Bench out at home (right to catcher)]; Foster walked;
Concepcion popped to first; 0 R, 2 H, 0 E, 2 LOB.  Astros 2,
Reds 8.

ASTROS 5TH: Cabell singled to third; Cedeno grounded out (first
unassisted) [Cabell to second]; Watson popped to second in foul
territory; Johnson grounded out (shortstop to first); 0 R, 1 H,
0 E, 1 LOB.  Astros 2, Reds 8.

REDS 5TH: Geronimo singled to center; Billingham forced Geronimo
(first to shortstop) [Billingham to first]; Rose flied out to
left; Griffey grounded out (second to first); 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1
LOB.  Astros 2, Reds 8.

ASTROS 6TH: Gross grounded out (pitcher to first); Milbourne
flied out to left; Metzger singled to right; ROBERTS BATTED FOR
GRIFFIN; Roberts homered [Metzger scored]; Howard grounded out
(second to first); 2 R, 2 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Astros 4, Reds 8.

REDS 6TH: HARDY REPLACED ROBERTS (PITCHING); Morgan walked;
Morgan stole second; Bench grounded out (shortstop to first);
Perez popped to first in foul territory; Foster flied out to
left; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Astros 4, Reds 8.

ASTROS 7TH: ALCALA REPLACED BILLINGHAM (PITCHING); Cabell
singled to center; Debut game for Santo Alcala; Cedeno
doubled to right [Cabell to third]; Watson singled to pitcher
[Cabell scored, Cedeno to third]; Johnson doubled [Cedeno
scored, Watson to third]; EASTWICK REPLACED ALCALA (PITCHING);
Gross hit a sacrifice fly to left [Watson scored]; Milbourne
flied out to center; Metzger flied out to left; 3 R, 4 H, 0 E, 1
LOB.  Astros 7, Reds 8.

REDS 7TH: Concepcion singled to center; Concepcion stole second;
Geronimo tripled to left [Concepcion scored]; Eastwick grounded
out (second to first); Rose singled to center [Geronimo scored];
Griffey forced Rose (second to shortstop) [Griffey to first];
Morgan homered [Griffey scored]; BARLOW REPLACED HARDY
(PITCHING); Bench flied out to center; 4 R, 4 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.
Astros 7, Reds 12.

ASTROS 8TH: LUM REPLACED GRIFFEY (PLAYING RF); CRUZ BATTED FOR
BARLOW; Cruz grounded out (pitcher to first); Howard popped to
shortstop; Cabell was called out on strikes; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0
LOB.  Astros 7, Reds 12.

REDS 8TH: FORSCH REPLACED CRUZ (PITCHING); Perez grounded out
(second to first); Foster grounded out (shortstop to first);
Concepcion walked; Geronimo tripled to center [Concepcion
scored]; Eastwick was called out on strikes; 1 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1
LOB.  Astros 7, Reds 13.

ASTROS 9TH: Cedeno popped to third in foul territory; Watson
flied out to center; Johnson grounded out (pitcher to first); 0
R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Astros 7, Reds 13.