The Reds exploded for eight runs in the third inning, but it took a run-scoring double by Dave Concepcion in the sixth to produce a 9-8 victory over the Astros. Highlighting the eight-run outburst against J.R. Richard was a grand-slam homer by Joe Morgan, his 27th round-tripper and second slam of the season. [The Sporting News]



Cincinnati Reds 9, Houston Astros 8
Game Played on Monday, September 6, 1976 (Night game) at Riverfront Stadium
Astros       0  0  0    3  0  0    2  0  3  -   8  9  2
Reds         0  0  8    0  0  1    0  0  x  -   9 12  0


Astros               AB   R   H RBI    BB  SO    AVG      Reds                 AB   R   H RBI    BB  SO    AVG
Gross rf              2   2   0   0     3   0   .294      Rose 3b               3   1   2   0     2   0   .324
Cabell 3b             5   2   3   1     0   0   .278        Eastwick p          0   0   0   0     0   0   .000
Cedeno cf             3   1   1   0     2   0   .293      Griffey rf            5   1   2   1     0   0   .335
Watson 1b             3   0   1   3     1   0   .300      Morgan 2b             3   1   2   4     2   0   .341
Cruz lf               4   1   1   1     1   0   .308      Bench c               5   1   1   0     0   0   .238
Herrmann c            5   1   1   0     0   2   .205      Foster lf             3   2   1   0     1   1   .312
Andrews 2b            4   0   0   1     0   0   .255        Lum lf              1   0   0   0     0   1   .220
Metzger ss            4   1   1   1     0   0   .217      Perez 1b              5   1   1   1     0   1   .255
Richard p             1   0   0   0     0   1   .128      Geronimo cf           4   1   1   0     1   2   .308
  Niekro p            0   0   0   0     0   0   .185      Concepcion ss         4   1   2   2     0   1   .284
  Roberts ph          1   0   1   1     0   0   .286      Alcala p              2   0   0   0     0   1   .143
  Rondon p            0   0   0   0     0   0   .286        Sarmiento p         2   0   0   0     0   0   .000
  Howard ph           1   0   0   0     0   0   .217        Flynn 3b            0   0   0   0     0   0   .290
  Pentz p             0   0   0   0     0   0   .250
  Boswell ph          1   0   0   0     0   0   .261

Totals               34   8   9   8     7   3             Totals               37   9  12   8     6   7

Time of Game: 2:56   Attendance: 22,912
Left on Base: Astros 7, Reds 10
DP: Astros 0, Reds 1
Errors: Cabell, Metzger
Doubles: Cruz (20), Roberts (10), Cabell (13), Watson (26), Perez (26), Concepcion (24)
Triples: Metzger (8)
Home Runs: Morgan (27)
Stolen Bases: Griffey (28), Bench (12), Foster (17)
Caught Stealing: Morgan (7)
Sacrifice Flies: Watson (8)
GIDP: Cruz (6)


Astros                 IP     H   R  ER  BB  SO  HR BFP    ERA
Richard L(16-14)        2.2   7   8   8   4   3   1  21   2.80
Niekro                  0.1   0   0   0   0   0   0   1   3.48
Rondon                  2     2   0   0   1   1   0   9   5.47
Pentz                   3     3   1   1   1   3   0  12   3.09
Totals                  8    12   9   9   6   7   1  43

Reds                   IP     H   R  ER  BB  SO  HR BFP    ERA
Alcala                  3.1   5   3   3   3   2   0  18   4.44
Sarmiento W(5-1)        3.2   1   2   2   3   0   0  14   1.80
Eastwick                2     3   3   3   1   1   0  10   2.34
Totals                  9     9   8   8   7   3   0  42

Wild Pitches: Sarmiento (1)

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


ASTROS 1ST: Gross grounded out (second to first); Cabell singled
to center; Cedeno walked [Cabell to second]; Watson flied out to
center; Cruz walked [Cabell to third, Cedeno to second];
Herrmann struck out; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 3 LOB.  Astros 0, Reds 0.

REDS 1ST: Rose walked; Griffey forced Rose (third to second)
[Griffey to first]; Griffey stole second; Morgan walked; Bench
flied out to left; Foster was called out on strikes; 0 R, 0 H, 0
E, 2 LOB.  Astros 0, Reds 0.

ASTROS 2ND: Andrews grounded out (second to first); Metzger
flied out to right; Richard struck out; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.
Astros 0, Reds 0.

REDS 2ND: Perez grounded out (second to first); Geronimo struck
out; Concepcion reached on an error by Cabell [Concepcion to
first]; Alcala reached on an error by Metzger [Concepcion to
second, Alcala to first]; Rose walked [Concepcion to third,
Alcala to second]; Griffey grounded out (second to first); 0 R,
0 H, 2 E, 3 LOB.  Astros 0, Reds 0.

ASTROS 3RD: Gross walked; Cabell lined to left; Cedeno made an
out to shortstop; Watson flied out to right; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 1
LOB.  Astros 0, Reds 0.

REDS 3RD: Morgan flied out to center; Bench singled to left;
Foster singled to right [Bench to third]; Bench stole home and
Foster stole second; Perez doubled [Foster scored]; Geronimo
walked; Concepcion singled to center [Perez scored, Geronimo to
second]; Alcala struck out; Rose singled to first [Geronimo to
third, Concepcion to second]; Griffey singled to second
[Geronimo scored, Concepcion to third, Rose to second]; Morgan
homered [Concepcion scored, Rose scored, Griffey scored]; NIEKRO
REPLACED RICHARD (PITCHING); Bench flied out to right; 8 R, 7 H,
0 E, 0 LOB.  Astros 0, Reds 8.

ASTROS 4TH: Cruz doubled; Herrmann singled to left [Cruz to
third]; Andrews grounded out (pitcher to shortstop to first)
[Cruz scored, Herrmann to second]; Metzger tripled [Herrmann
scored]; ROBERTS BATTED FOR NIEKRO; Roberts doubled [Metzger
scored]; SARMIENTO REPLACED ALCALA (PITCHING); Sarmiento threw a
wild pitch [Roberts to third]; Gross flied out to left; Cabell
flied out to center; 3 R, 4 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Astros 3, Reds 8.

REDS 4TH: RONDON REPLACED ROBERTS (PITCHING); Foster flied out
to right; Perez grounded out (shortstop to first); Geronimo
singled to center; Concepcion struck out; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.
Astros 3, Reds 8.

ASTROS 5TH: Cedeno walked; Watson walked [Cedeno to second];
Cruz grounded into a double play (second to shortstop to first)
[Cedeno to third, Watson out at second]; Herrmann flied out to
left; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Astros 3, Reds 8.

REDS 5TH: Sarmiento flied out to center; Rose flied out to left;
Griffey singled to center; Morgan walked [Griffey to second];
Bench popped to second; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 2 LOB.  Astros 3, Reds 8.

ASTROS 6TH: Andrews flied out to center; Metzger flied out to
center; HOWARD BATTED FOR RONDON; Howard flied out to center; 0
R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Astros 3, Reds 8.

REDS 6TH: PENTZ REPLACED HOWARD (PITCHING); Foster walked; Perez
struck out; Geronimo flied out to left; Concepcion doubled
[Foster scored]; Sarmiento grounded out (pitcher to first); 1 R,
1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Astros 3, Reds 9.

ASTROS 7TH: Gross walked; Cabell doubled to left [Gross
scored]; ball caromed off wall and hit George Foster in the
eye; LUM REPLACED FOSTER (PLAYING LF); Cedeno flied out to
center [Cabell to third]; Watson hit a sacrifice fly to right
[Cabell scored]; Cruz grounded out (pitcher unassisted); 2 R, 1
H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Astros 5, Reds 9.

REDS 7TH: Rose singled to center; Griffey popped to shortstop;
Morgan singled to right [Rose to third]; Morgan was caught
stealing second (catcher to second); Bench popped to second; 0
R, 2 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Astros 5, Reds 9.

ASTROS 8TH: EASTWICK REPLACED ROSE (PITCHING); FLYNN REPLACED
SARMIENTO (PLAYING 3B); Herrmann struck out; Andrews grounded
out (second to first); Metzger flied out to left; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E,
0 LOB.  Astros 5, Reds 9.

REDS 8TH: Lum struck out; Perez grounded out (shortstop to
first); Geronimo struck out; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Astros 5,
Reds 9.

ASTROS 9TH: BOSWELL BATTED FOR PENTZ; Boswell popped to third;
Gross walked; Cabell singled to right [Gross to second]; Cedeno
singled to center [Gross to third, Cabell to second]; Watson
doubled [Gross scored, Cabell scored, Cedeno to third]; Cruz
grounded out (first unassisted) [Cedeno scored, Watson to
third]; Herrmann popped to second; 3 R, 3 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Astros
8, Reds 9.