Pitching the last 1 1/3 innings in relief of J.R. Richard, Ken Forsch received credit for his 15th save of the season when the Astros defeated the Expos, 4-2. The Astros, picking up a run at a time, were ahead, 3-0, before the Expos rallied for their pair in the eighth.

A double by Pepe Mangual, walk to Jerry White and two infield outs accounted for the initial tally. After Richard hit Larry Parrish with a pitched ball, Forsch took over. Pete Mackanin greeted Forsch with a run-scoring single, but the Astros' ace reliever clamped down the rest of the way. [The Sporting News]



Houston Astros 4, Montreal Expos 2
Game Played on Saturday, July      10, 1976 (Night game) at Astrodome
Expos        0  0  0    0  0  0    0  2  0  -   2  7  1
Astros       1  1  0    0  1  0    0  1  x  -   4  8  0


Expos                AB   R   H RBI    BB  SO    AVG      Astros               AB   R   H RBI    BB  SO    AVG
Mangual lf            4   1   1   0     1   0   .266      Gross rf              4   1   2   0     0   0   .289
White cf              2   1   0   0     2   0   .230      Andrews 2b            3   0   0   0     1   0   .288
Jorgensen rf          4   0   0   0     0   0   .231      Cabell 3b             4   2   2   0     0   1   .304
Thornton 1b           4   0   0   1     0   1   .206      Watson 1b             3   0   1   1     1   0   .282
Parrish 3b            3   0   0   0     0   0   .208      Cruz cf               4   0   0   0     0   0   .289
Mackanin 2b           4   0   3   1     0   0   .247      Roberts lf            4   1   2   1     0   1   .328
Johnson c             3   0   1   0     0   1   .200        Howard lf           0   0   0   0     0   0   .210
Frias ss              2   0   1   0     0   0   .262      Herrmann c            2   0   0   0     1   1   .183
  Morales ph          1   0   0   0     0   1   .300      Metzger ss            3   0   0   0     0   1   .244
  Foli ss             1   0   1   0     0   0   .267      Richard p             3   0   1   1     0   1   .113
Kirby p               1   0   0   0     0   1   .077        Forsch p            0   0   0   0     0   0   .143
  Lyttle ph           1   0   0   0     0   0   .268
  Murray p            0   0   0   0     0   0   .000
  Dwyer ph            1   0   0   0     0   0   .191

Totals               31   2   7   2     3   4             Totals               30   4   8   3     3   5

Time of Game: 2:14   Attendance: 14,035
Left on Base: Expos 8, Astros 5
DP: Expos 1, Astros 1
Errors: Mangual
Doubles: Johnson (1), Mangual (9), Roberts (7)
Stolen Bases: Cabell (19)
Caught Stealing: Gross (4)
Sacrifice Hits: Kirby (6), Johnson (1)
GIDP: Dwyer (3), Cabell (5)
Hit by Pitch: Parrish (1,by Richard)


Expos                  IP     H   R  ER  BB  SO  HR BFP    ERA
Kirby L(1-7)            6     5   3   2   3   5   0  26   4.71
Murray                  2     3   1   1   0   0   0   7   2.91
Totals                  8     8   4   3   3   5   0  33

Astros                 IP     H   R  ER  BB  SO  HR BFP    ERA
Richard W(9-9)          7.2   5   2   2   3   3   0  32   2.88
Forsch SV(15)           1.1   2   0   0   0   1   0   5   1.98
Totals                  9     7   2   2   3   4   0  37

Hit by Pitch: Richard (1)

Umpires: HP - Art Williams, 1B - Tom Gorman, 2B - Paul Pryor, 3B - John McSherry


EXPOS 1ST: Mangual made an out to first; White flied out to
right; Jorgensen flied out to center; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.
Expos 0, Astros 0.

ASTROS 1ST: Gross reached on an error by Mangual; Andrews walked
[Gross to second]; Cabell grounded into a double play (pitcher
to shortstop to first) [Gross scored (unearned), Andrews out at
second]; Watson walked; Cruz grounded out (first unassisted); 1
R (0 ER), 0 H, 1 E, 1 LOB.  Expos 0, Astros 1.

EXPOS 2ND: Thornton was called out on strikes; Parrish grounded
out (shortstop to first); Mackanin grounded out (shortstop to
first); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Expos 0, Astros 1.

ASTROS 2ND: Roberts doubled; Herrmann struck out; Metzger struck
out; Richard singled to center [Roberts scored]; Gross singled
to right [Richard to second]; Andrews grounded out (pitcher to
first); 1 R, 3 H, 0 E, 2 LOB.  Expos 0, Astros 2.

EXPOS 3RD: Johnson made an out to third; Frias singled to left;
Kirby out on a sacrifice bunt (pitcher to first) [Frias to
second]; Mangual grounded out (shortstop to first); 0 R, 1 H, 0
E, 1 LOB.  Expos 0, Astros 2.

ASTROS 3RD: Cabell struck out; Watson grounded out (third to
first); Cruz made an out to shortstop; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.
Expos 0, Astros 2.

EXPOS 4TH: White walked; Jorgensen made an out to catcher;
Thornton flied out to left; Parrish forced White (shortstop to
second); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Expos 0, Astros 2.

ASTROS 4TH: Roberts struck out; Herrmann walked; Metzger flied
out to center; Richard struck out; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Expos
0, Astros 2.

EXPOS 5TH: Mackanin singled to left; Johnson out on a sacrifice
bunt (catcher to first) [Mackanin to second]; Frias flied out to
center; Kirby was called out on strikes; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.
Expos 0, Astros 2.

ASTROS 5TH: Gross made an out to third; Andrews made an out to
first; Cabell singled to left; Cabell stole second; Watson
singled to center [Cabell scored]; Cruz grounded out (second to
first); 1 R, 2 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Expos 0, Astros 3.

EXPOS 6TH: Mangual walked; White grounded out (second to
pitcher) [Mangual to second]; Jorgensen flied out to center;
Thornton flied out to left; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Expos 0,
Astros 3.

ASTROS 6TH: Roberts flied out to center; Herrmann grounded out
(shortstop to first); Metzger grounded out (first unassisted); 0
R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Expos 0, Astros 3.

EXPOS 7TH: Parrish flied out to left; Mackanin singled to
center; Johnson doubled to left [Mackanin to third]; MORALES
BATTED FOR FRIAS; Morales struck out; LYTTLE BATTED FOR KIRBY;
Lyttle flied out to left; 0 R, 2 H, 0 E, 2 LOB.  Expos 0, Astros
3.

ASTROS 7TH: FOLI REPLACED MORALES (PLAYING SS); MURRAY REPLACED
LYTTLE (PITCHING); Richard grounded out (first to pitcher);
Gross singled to center; Gross was caught stealing second
(catcher to shortstop); Andrews grounded out (shortstop to
first); 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Expos 0, Astros 3.

EXPOS 8TH: Mangual doubled to right; White walked; Jorgensen
grounded out (first to pitcher) [Mangual to third, White to
second]; Thornton grounded out (shortstop to first) [Mangual
scored, White to third]; Parrish was hit by a pitch; FORSCH
REPLACED RICHARD (PITCHING); Mackanin singled to center [White
scored, Parrish to second]; Johnson struck out; 2 R, 2 H, 0 E, 2
LOB.  Expos 2, Astros 3.

ASTROS 8TH: Cabell singled to center; Watson grounded out
(shortstop to first) [Cabell to second]; Cruz grounded out
(second to first); Roberts singled to right [Cabell scored,
Roberts out at second (right to shortstop)]; 1 R, 2 H, 0 E, 0
LOB.  Expos 2, Astros 4.

EXPOS 9TH: HOWARD REPLACED ROBERTS (PLAYING LF); Foli singled to
left; DWYER BATTED FOR MURRAY; Dwyer grounded into a double play
(shortstop to first) [Foli out at second]; Mangual made an out
to shortstop; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Expos 2, Astros 4.