Larry Demery, making only his fourth start of the season, allowed just two hits in 8 2/3 innings as the Pirates defeated the Astros, 4-1, for a sweep of a twi-night doubleheader. The Pirates won the first game, 5-1, behind the pitching of Jerry Reuss, who racked up his 10th victory. Bob Watson, who collected four of the Astros' hits, doubled and scored in the second inning, but Bill Robinson put Reuss on the winning road by smashing a homer with a man on base in the fourth.

The Pirates' attack in the nightcap included a homer by Richie Zisk. After Demery gave up the Astros' run in the ninth, Dave Giusti took over and issued one pass before striking out the last batter. [The Sporting News]



Pittsburgh Pirates 5, Houston Astros 1 (Game 1)
Game Played on Wednesday, July      21, 1976 (Night game) at Three Rivers Stadium
Astros       0  1  0    0  0  0    0  0  0  -   1  9  1
Pirates      0  0  0    2  0  1    2  0  x  -   5  9  0


Astros               AB   R   H RBI    BB  SO    AVG      Pirates              AB   R   H RBI    BB  SO    AVG
Gross rf              4   0   0   0     0   1   .296      Taveras ss            4   1   1   0     0   0   .260
Andrews 2b            4   0   0   0     0   0   .280      Stennett 2b           3   1   2   1     1   0   .260
Cedeno cf             4   0   1   0     0   1   .298      Oliver cf             3   0   1   1     1   0   .353
  Niekro p            0   0   0   0     0   0   .167      Stargell 1b           4   0   1   0     0   1   .258
Watson 1b             4   1   4   0     0   0   .285      Zisk lf               4   2   2   0     0   0   .293
Roberts lf            4   0   0   0     0   1   .313      Robinson rf           4   1   1   2     0   1   .336
Cabell 3b             4   0   0   0     0   0   .300      Hebner 3b             4   0   1   1     0   1   .223
DaVanon ss            4   0   1   1     0   1   .349      Sanguillen c          4   0   0   0     0   1   .285
Jutze c               3   0   1   0     0   1   .165      Reuss p               3   0   0   0     0   2   .279
Dierker p             1   0   1   0     0   0   .122
  Sambito p           0   0   0   0     0   0   .000
  Howard ph,cf        1   0   1   0     0   0   .220

Totals               33   1   9   1     0   5             Totals               33   5   9   5     2   6

Time of Game: 2:14
Left on Base: Astros 6, Pirates 6
DP: Astros 1, Pirates 1
Errors: Cedeno
Doubles: Watson (14), Howard (6), Stennett (19), Oliver (20)
Home Runs: Robinson (18)
Stolen Bases: Taveras 2 (31), Stennett (8)
Sacrifice Hits: Dierker (3)
GIDP: Cabell (8), Robinson (12)


Astros                 IP     H   R  ER  BB  SO  HR BFP    ERA
Dierker L(9-9)          6.1   9   5   5   2   4   1  30   4.18
Sambito                 0.2   0   0   0   0   1   0   2   5.06
Niekro                  1     0   0   0   0   1   0   3   3.57
Totals                  8     9   5   5   2   6   1  35

Pirates                IP     H   R  ER  BB  SO  HR BFP    ERA
Reuss W(10-5)           9     9   1   1   0   5   0  34   4.19
Totals                  9     9   1   1   0   5   0  34

Passed Balls: Jutze 2 (8)

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


ASTROS 1ST: Gross grounded out (second to first); Andrews flied
out to right; Cedeno struck out; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Astros
0, Pirates 0.

PIRATES 1ST: Taveras popped to first; Stennett walked; Jutze
allowed a passed ball [Stennett to second]; Oliver walked;
Stargell flied out to center [Stennett to third]; Zisk flied out
to center; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 2 LOB.  Astros 0, Pirates 0.

ASTROS 2ND: Watson doubled to left; Roberts struck out; Cabell
grounded out (second to first) [Watson to third]; DaVanon
singled to right [Watson scored]; Jutze struck out; 1 R, 2 H, 0
E, 1 LOB.  Astros 1, Pirates 0.

PIRATES 2ND: Robinson struck out; Hebner grounded out (second to
first); Sanguillen grounded out (second to first); 0 R, 0 H, 0
E, 0 LOB.  Astros 1, Pirates 0.

ASTROS 3RD: Dierker singled to right; Gross struck out; Andrews
forced Dierker (shortstop unassisted); Cedeno flied out to left;
0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Astros 1, Pirates 0.

PIRATES 3RD: Reuss struck out; Taveras grounded out (second to
first); Stennett flied out to left; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.
Astros 1, Pirates 0.

ASTROS 4TH: Watson singled to right; Roberts flied out to
center; Cabell grounded into a double play (shortstop to second
to first) [Watson out at second]; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Astros
1, Pirates 0.

PIRATES 4TH: Oliver grounded out (second to first); Stargell
flied out to right; Zisk singled to shortstop; Robinson homered
[Zisk scored]; Hebner struck out but advanced to first on a
passed ball; Sanguillen flied out to center; 2 R, 2 H, 0 E, 1
LOB.  Astros 1, Pirates 2.

ASTROS 5TH: DaVanon was called out on strikes; Jutze singled to
center; Dierker out on a sacrifice bunt (pitcher to second)
[Jutze to second]; Gross grounded out (shortstop to first); 0 R,
1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Astros 1, Pirates 2.

PIRATES 5TH: Reuss grounded out (pitcher to first); Taveras
flied out to right; Stennett doubled to center [Stennett to
third (error by Cedeno)]; Oliver flied out to left; 0 R, 1 H, 1
E, 1 LOB.  Astros 1, Pirates 2.

ASTROS 6TH: Andrews flied out to center; Cedeno singled to
center; Watson singled to center [Cedeno out at third (center to
third), Watson to second (on throw to 3b)]; Roberts grounded out
(shortstop to first); 0 R, 2 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Astros 1, Pirates 2.

PIRATES 6TH: Stargell singled to center; Zisk singled to left
[Stargell to second]; Robinson grounded into a double play
(third to first) [Zisk to second, Stargell out at third]; Hebner
singled to right [Zisk scored, Hebner to second (on throw to
home)]; Sanguillen grounded out (second to first); 1 R, 3 H, 0
E, 1 LOB.  Astros 1, Pirates 3.

ASTROS 7TH: Cabell flied out to left; DaVanon grounded out
(shortstop to first); Jutze grounded out (shortstop to first); 0
R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Astros 1, Pirates 3.

PIRATES 7TH: Reuss was called out on strikes; Taveras singled to
right; Taveras stole second; Taveras stole third; Stennett
singled to right [Taveras scored]; Stennett stole second; Oliver
doubled to right [Stennett scored]; SAMBITO REPLACED DIERKER
(PITCHING); Stargell struck out; Zisk grounded out (shortstop to
first); 2 R, 3 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Astros 1, Pirates 5.

ASTROS 8TH: HOWARD BATTED FOR SAMBITO; Howard doubled to left;
Gross lined to shortstop; Andrews grounded out (shortstop to
first); Cedeno lined to second; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Astros 1,
Pirates 5.

PIRATES 8TH: HOWARD STAYED IN GAME (PLAYING CF); NIEKRO REPLACED
CEDENO (PITCHING); Robinson popped to shortstop in foul
territory; Hebner grounded out (second to pitcher); Sanguillen
struck out; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Astros 1, Pirates 5.

ASTROS 9TH: Watson singled to right; Roberts forced Watson
(shortstop to second); Cabell forced Roberts (shortstop to
second); DaVanon flied out to right; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.
Astros 1, Pirates 5.