Two unearned runs, both scored by Larry Dierker, enabled the Astros' pitcher to shut out the Cardinals, 2-0. Dierker was safe on an error in the sixth inning and eventually scored the Astros' first run on a single by Bob Watson. Dierker singled in the eighth and came around to score on two throwing errors by Hector Cruz. [The Sporting News]



Houston Astros 2, St. Louis Cardinals 0
Game Played on Tuesday, June      8, 1976 (Night game) at Astrodome
Cardinals    0  0  0    0  0  0    0  0  0  -   0  5  3
Astros       0  0  0    0  0  1    0  1  x  -   2  5  0


Cardinals            AB   R   H RBI    BB  SO    AVG      Astros               AB   R   H RBI    BB  SO    AVG
Mumphrey cf           3   0   0   0     1   0   .273      Gross rf              2   0   2   0     0   0   .291
Kessinger ss          4   0   0   0     0   1   .243      Andrews 2b            4   0   1   0     0   1   .300
Brock lf              4   0   1   0     0   0   .262      Cedeno cf             2   0   0   0     2   0   .305
Simmons c             4   0   1   0     0   0   .270      Watson 1b             4   0   1   1     0   0   .270
Smith 1b              4   0   1   0     0   2   .209      Cruz lf               4   0   0   0     0   0   .250
Crawford rf           4   0   1   0     0   1   .320      Cabell 3b             3   0   0   0     0   1   .281
Cruz 3b               4   0   1   0     0   2   .206      Jutze c               3   0   0   0     0   0   .125
Tyson 2b              2   0   0   0     0   1   .256      Metzger ss            3   0   0   0     0   1   .224
  Fairly ph           0   0   0   0     1   0   .303      Dierker p             3   2   1   0     0   1   .160
  Richard pr,2b       0   0   0   0     0   0   .065
Forsch p              2   0   0   0     0   2   .158
  McBride ph          0   0   0   0     1   0   .359
  Greif p             0   0   0   0     0   0   .000
  Hrabosky p          0   0   0   0     0   0   .000

Totals               31   0   5   0     3   9             Totals               28   2   5   1     2   4

Time of Game: 2:04   Attendance:  9,827
Left on Base: Cardinals 7, Astros 6
DP: Cardinals 2, Astros 1
Errors: Kessinger, Cruz 2
Doubles: Cruz (8)
Stolen Bases: Brock (14)
Sacrifice Hits: Gross 2 (4)
GIDP: Cedeno (6), Cruz (3)


Cardinals              IP     H   R  ER  BB  SO  HR BFP    ERA
Forsch L(1-2)           6     4   1   0   1   4   0  23   3.41
Greif                   1.1   1   1   0   1   0   0   8   5.51
Hrabosky                0.2   0   0   0   0   0   0   1   3.19
Totals                  8     5   2   0   2   4   0  32

Astros                 IP     H   R  ER  BB  SO  HR BFP    ERA
Dierker W(6-5)          9     5   0   0   3   9   0  34   3.73
Totals                  9     5   0   0   3   9   0  34

Balks: Dierker (1)

Umpires: HP - Harry Wendelstedt, 1B - Dick Stello, 2B - Jim Quick, 3B - Bill Williams


CARDINALS 1ST: Mumphrey grounded out (pitcher to first);
Kessinger grounded out (second to first); Brock lined to
pitcher; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Cardinals 0, Astros 0.

ASTROS 1ST: Gross singled to center; Andrews singled to left
[Gross to second]; Cedeno grounded into a double play (second to
first) [Gross to third, Andrews out at second]; Watson flied out
to right; 0 R, 2 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Cardinals 0, Astros 0.

CARDINALS 2ND: Simmons singled to center; Smith singled to right
[Simmons to second]; Crawford struck out; Cruz struck out; Tyson
popped to third; 0 R, 2 H, 0 E, 2 LOB.  Cardinals 0, Astros 0.

ASTROS 2ND: Cruz popped to third in foul territory; Cabell was
called out on strikes; Jutze grounded out (third to first); 0 R,
0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Cardinals 0, Astros 0.

CARDINALS 3RD: Forsch struck out; Mumphrey walked; Kessinger
grounded out (third to first) [Mumphrey to second]; Brock
grounded out (second to first); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Cardinals
0, Astros 0.

ASTROS 3RD: Metzger was called out on strikes; Dierker struck
out; Gross singled to shortstop; Andrews grounded out (second to
first); 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Cardinals 0, Astros 0.

CARDINALS 4TH: Simmons grounded out (shortstop to first); Smith
was called out on strikes; Crawford singled to right; Dierker
balked [Crawford to second]; Cruz struck out; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1
LOB.  Cardinals 0, Astros 0.

ASTROS 4TH: Cedeno grounded out (third to first); Watson
grounded out (second to first); Cruz flied out to left; 0 R, 0
H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Cardinals 0, Astros 0.

CARDINALS 5TH: Tyson was called out on strikes; Forsch struck
out; Mumphrey flied out to center; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.
Cardinals 0, Astros 0.

ASTROS 5TH: Cabell grounded out (third to first); Jutze grounded
out (third to first); Metzger grounded out (third to first); 0
R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Cardinals 0, Astros 0.

CARDINALS 6TH: Kessinger flied out to left; Brock singled to
center; Brock stole second; Simmons flied out to center; Smith
struck out; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Cardinals 0, Astros 0.

ASTROS 6TH: Dierker reached on an error by Kessinger; Gross out
on a sacrifice bunt (third to second) [Dierker to second];
Andrews was called out on strikes; Cedeno was walked
intentionally; Watson singled to right [Dierker scored
(unearned), Cedeno to third]; Cruz flied out to right; 1 R (0
ER), 1 H, 1 E, 2 LOB.  Cardinals 0, Astros 1.

CARDINALS 7TH: Crawford grounded out (first unassisted); Cruz
doubled to left; FAIRLY BATTED FOR TYSON; Fairly walked; RICHARD
RAN FOR FAIRLY; MCBRIDE BATTED FOR FORSCH; McBride walked [Cruz
to third, Richard to second]; Mumphrey lined into a double play
(shortstop to second) [Richard out at second]; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 2
LOB.  Cardinals 0, Astros 1.

ASTROS 7TH: RICHARD STAYED IN GAME (PLAYING 2B); GREIF REPLACED
MCBRIDE (PITCHING); Cabell flied out to right; Jutze popped to
catcher in foul territory; Metzger flied out to center; 0 R, 0
H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Cardinals 0, Astros 1.

CARDINALS 8TH: Kessinger was called out on strikes; Brock
grounded out (third to first); Simmons grounded out (second to
first); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Cardinals 0, Astros 1.

ASTROS 8TH: Dierker singled to center; Gross reached on an error
by Cruz on a sacrifice bunt [Dierker to third, Gross to second];
Andrews flied out to center; Cedeno was walked intentionally;
Watson reached on an error by Cruz [Dierker scored (unearned)
(no RBI), Gross to third, Cedeno to second]; HRABOSKY REPLACED
GREIF (PITCHING); Cruz grounded into a double play (shortstop to
second to first) [Watson out at second]; 1 R (0 ER), 1 H, 2 E, 2
LOB.  Cardinals 0, Astros 2.

CARDINALS 9TH: Smith grounded out (second to first); Crawford
popped to third; Cruz flied out to center; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.
 Cardinals 0, Astros 2.