The Pirates exploded for six runs in the first inning and won the opener of a twi-night doubleheader, 9-5, but the Astros came back to take the nightcap, 4-3, on a sacrifice fly by Ed Herrmann in the ninth inning. The Pirates' outburst in the lidlifter included a triple by Manny Sanguillen with the bases loaded. Sanguillen also picked up a fourth RBI later in the game with a sacrifice fly. John Candelaria posted his 10th victory with relief assistance from Kent Tekulve.

Enos Cabell was the Astros' standout in the nightcap. In the seventh inning, an infield hit by Cabell, two walks and a sacrifice fly by Greg Gross tied the score at 3-3. Then in the ninth, Cabell tripled and counted the winning run on Herrmann's fly. [The Sporting News]



Pittsburgh Pirates 9, Houston Astros 5 (Game 1)
Game Played on Tuesday, July      20, 1976 (Night game) at Three Rivers Stadium
Astros       0  1  0    3  0  1    0  0  0  -   5 10  1
Pirates      6  1  0    0  1  0    0  1  x  -   9 12  1


Astros               AB   R   H RBI    BB  SO    AVG      Pirates              AB   R   H RBI    BB  SO    AVG
Andrews 2b            5   0   0   0     0   0   .285      Taveras ss            3   2   1   0     1   1   .260
Cabell 3b             5   0   1   0     0   1   .301      Stennett 2b           5   1   2   0     0   0   .257
Cedeno cf             4   0   2   0     0   1   .299      Oliver cf             5   1   1   1     0   0   .351
Watson 1b             4   0   0   0     0   2   .276      Stargell 1b           4   1   2   1     0   0   .254
Roberts rf            4   1   1   0     0   1   .322      Zisk lf               5   1   2   2     0   1   .291
Johnson lf            3   2   1   0     1   0   .227      Robinson rf           3   2   1   0     1   1   .343
DaVanon ss            4   2   2   3     0   0   .359      Hebner 3b             3   1   1   1     1   1   .222
Jutze c               3   0   2   1     0   0   .159      Sanguillen c          3   0   2   4     0   0   .290
  Gross ph            1   0   0   0     0   0   .304      Candelaria p          2   0   0   0     1   0   .140
Griffin p             0   0   0   0     0   0   .000        Tekulve p           1   0   0   0     0   1   .000
  Sambito p           2   0   0   0     0   2   .000
  Boswell ph          0   0   0   1     0   0   .289
  Pentz p             0   0   0   0     0   0   .250
  Cruz ph             1   0   1   0     0   0   .308

Totals               36   5  10   5     1   7             Totals               34   9  12   9     4   5

Time of Game: 2:29
Left on Base: Astros 6, Pirates 8
DP: Astros 1, Pirates 0
Errors: Roberts, Oliver
Doubles: Cedeno (17), Cabell (9), Jutze (2), Stargell (11), Robinson (15)
Triples: Jutze (3), Sanguillen (5)
Home Runs: DaVanon (1)
Stolen Bases: Taveras 2 (29), Stennett (7)
Sacrifice Flies: Boswell (1), Sanguillen (3), Stargell (2)
GIDP: Sanguillen (11)
Hit by Pitch: Taveras (1,by Griffin)


Astros                 IP     H   R  ER  BB  SO  HR BFP    ERA
Griffin L(5-3)          0.1   3   5   5   1   0   0   6   6.05
Sambito                 4.2   7   3   3   2   2   0  23   5.79
Pentz                   3     2   1   1   1   3   0  12   3.60
Totals                  8    12   9   9   4   5   0  41

Pirates                IP     H   R  ER  BB  SO  HR BFP    ERA
Candelaria W(10-4)      5.1   9   5   5   1   4   1  26   3.02
Tekulve SV(2)           3.2   1   0   0   0   3   0  12   3.20
Totals                  9    10   5   5   1   7   1  38

Hit by Pitch: Griffin (1)
Wild Pitches: Sambito (1)

Umpires: HP - Bob Engel, 1B - Bruce Froemming, 2B - Jerry Dale, 3B - Ed Sudol


ASTROS 1ST: Andrews flied out to center; Cabell grounded out
(shortstop to first); Cedeno doubled to left; Watson flied out
to right; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Astros 0, Pirates 0.

PIRATES 1ST: Taveras was hit by a pitch; Taveras stole second;
Stennett singled to right [Taveras to third]; Oliver singled to
center [Taveras scored, Stennett to second]; Stargell flied out
to right; Zisk singled to center [Stennett scored, Oliver to
second]; Robinson walked [Oliver to third, Zisk to second];
SAMBITO REPLACED GRIFFIN (PITCHING); Hebner walked [Oliver
scored, Zisk to third, Robinson to second]; Debut game for
Joe Sambito; Sanguillen tripled to center [Zisk scored,
Robinson scored, Hebner scored]; Candelaria reached on a
fielder's choice [Sanguillen out at home (third to catcher to
third to pitcher)]; Taveras was called out on strikes; 6 R, 4 H,
0 E, 1 LOB.  Astros 0, Pirates 6.

ASTROS 2ND: Roberts struck out; Johnson walked; DaVanon lined to
left; Jutze tripled to right [Johnson scored]; Sambito was
called out on strikes; 1 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Astros 1, Pirates
6.

PIRATES 2ND: Stennett flied out to right; Oliver grounded out
(second to first); Stargell doubled to right; Zisk singled to
center [Stargell scored]; Robinson forced Zisk (third to
second); 1 R, 2 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Astros 1, Pirates 7.

ASTROS 3RD: Andrews popped to catcher in foul territory; Cabell
flied out to left; Cedeno singled to center; Watson struck out;
0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Astros 1, Pirates 7.

PIRATES 3RD: Hebner singled to center; Sanguillen grounded into
a double play (pitcher to shortstop to first) [Hebner out at
second]; Candelaria lined to center; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.
Astros 1, Pirates 7.

ASTROS 4TH: Roberts singled to center; Johnson singled to center
[Roberts to second]; DaVanon homered [Roberts scored, Johnson
scored]; Jutze made an out to third; Sambito was called out on
strikes; Andrews grounded out (shortstop to first); 3 R, 3 H, 0
E, 0 LOB.  Astros 4, Pirates 7.

PIRATES 4TH: Taveras grounded out (second to first); Stennett
grounded out (pitcher to first); Oliver reached on an error by
Roberts [Oliver to first]; Stargell singled to left [Oliver to
second]; Zisk forced Stargell (third to second); 0 R, 1 H, 1 E,
2 LOB.  Astros 4, Pirates 7.

ASTROS 5TH: Cabell doubled to left; Cedeno flied out to center;
Watson popped to catcher in foul territory; Roberts grounded out
(shortstop to first); 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Astros 4, Pirates 7.

PIRATES 5TH: Robinson doubled to left; Hebner struck out while
Robinson advanced to third on a wild pitch (catcher to first);
Sanguillen out on a sacrifice fly to right in foul territory
[Robinson scored]; Candelaria walked; Taveras singled to center
[Candelaria to second]; Stennett flied out to right; 1 R, 2 H, 0
E, 2 LOB.  Astros 4, Pirates 8.

ASTROS 6TH: Johnson made an out to shortstop; DaVanon singled to
center; Jutze doubled to left [DaVanon to third]; TEKULVE
REPLACED CANDELARIA (PITCHING); BOSWELL BATTED FOR SAMBITO;
Boswell hit a sacrifice fly to center [DaVanon scored, Jutze to
third (error by Oliver)]; Andrews lined to second; 1 R, 2 H, 1
E, 1 LOB.  Astros 5, Pirates 8.

PIRATES 6TH: PENTZ REPLACED BOSWELL (PITCHING); Oliver grounded
out (first to pitcher); Stargell grounded out (pitcher to second
to first); Zisk struck out; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Astros 5,
Pirates 8.

ASTROS 7TH: Cabell struck out; Cedeno struck out; Watson was
called out on strikes; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Astros 5, Pirates
8.

PIRATES 7TH: Robinson struck out; Hebner lined to first;
Sanguillen singled to second; Tekulve struck out; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E,
1 LOB.  Astros 5, Pirates 8.

ASTROS 8TH: Roberts grounded out (third to first); Johnson
grounded out (third to first); DaVanon grounded out (third to
first); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Astros 5, Pirates 8.

PIRATES 8TH: Taveras walked; Taveras stole second; Stennett
singled to shortstop [Taveras to third]; Stennett stole second;
Oliver reached on a fielder's choice [Taveras stayed at third,
Stennett out at second (shortstop unassisted)]; Rennie
Stennett called interference on ground ball; Stargell hit a
sacrifice fly to right [Taveras scored, Oliver to second]; Zisk
grounded out (second to first); 1 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Astros 5,
Pirates 9.

ASTROS 9TH: GROSS BATTED FOR JUTZE; Gross lined to second; CRUZ
BATTED FOR PENTZ; Cruz singled to center; Andrews forced Cruz
(shortstop to second); Cabell grounded out (pitcher to first); 0
R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Astros 5, Pirates 9.