The Astros exploded for eight runs in a seventh-inning outburst that included a pinch-triple by Ken Boswell with the bases loaded to defeat the Reds, 10-5. The Reds, who had homers by Johnny Bench and Tony Perez, went into the inning with a 5-2 lead.

Fred Norman started the Astros on the way to their big rally by walking three batters to load the bases with one out. Enos Cabell and Cesar Cedeno followed with singles, each driving in one run. Bob Watson popped up, but Cliff Johnson doubled, knocking in two runs to send the Astros ahead, 6-5. After an intentional pass to Jose Cruz, Ken Boswell batted for Jerry DaVanon and hit his triple. A double by Roger Metzger drove in Boswell with the final marker. [The Sporting News]



Houston Astros 10, Cincinnati Reds 5
Game Played on Tuesday, September 7, 1976 (Night game) at Riverfront Stadium
Astros       1  0  0    1  0  0    8  0  0  -  10 13  0
Reds         0  0  0    2  2  1    0  0  0  -   5  8  0


Astros               AB   R   H RBI    BB  SO    AVG      Reds                 AB   R   H RBI    BB  SO    AVG
Gross rf              4   1   0   0     1   0   .291      Rose 3b               4   0   0   0     0   2   .322
Cabell 3b             5   2   2   1     0   0   .279      Griffey rf            3   1   1   0     1   0   .335
Cedeno cf             3   1   1   2     1   0   .293      Morgan 2b             3   0   1   1     0   0   .341
Watson 1b             5   1   3   0     0   0   .303        Flynn 2b            1   0   0   0     0   0   .288
Johnson c             4   1   2   2     1   1   .229      Bench c               4   1   1   2     0   0   .238
Cruz lf               4   1   2   1     1   0   .310      Perez 1b              4   1   1   1     0   1   .255
DaVanon 2b            2   1   0   0     1   0   .302      Concepcion ss         4   0   0   0     0   2   .282
  Boswell ph          1   1   1   3     0   0   .268      Armbrister lf         4   1   1   0     0   2   .328
  Andrews 2b          1   0   0   0     0   0   .254      Geronimo cf           3   1   2   0     1   0   .310
Metzger ss            4   1   1   1     1   0   .217      Norman p              1   0   1   0     0   0   .156
Sambito p             2   0   1   0     0   0   .250        Borbon p            0   0   0   0     0   0   .222
  Roberts ph          2   0   0   0     0   0   .283        Lum ph              1   0   0   0     0   0   .218
  Forsch p            0   0   0   0     0   0   .100        McEnaney p          0   0   0   0     0   0   .167

Totals               37  10  13  10     6   1             Totals               32   5   8   4     2   7

Time of Game: 2:22   Attendance: 19,026
Left on Base: Astros 7, Reds 3
DP: Astros 1, Reds 1
Doubles: Johnson (18), Metzger (13), Griffey (26)
Triples: Cabell (7), Boswell (1)
Home Runs: Bench (15), Perez (15)
Stolen Bases: Armbrister (6)
Caught Stealing: Cruz (10)
Sacrifice Hits: Norman (7)
Sacrifice Flies: Cedeno (4)
GIDP: Gross (5), Rose (15)


Astros                 IP     H   R  ER  BB  SO  HR BFP    ERA
Sambito W(3-1)          6     7   5   5   2   5   2  25   3.86
Forsch SV(18)           3     1   0   0   0   2   0  10   2.21
Totals                  9     8   5   5   2   7   2  35

Reds                   IP     H   R  ER  BB  SO  HR BFP    ERA
Norman                  6.1   6   5   5   4   1   0  28   2.61
Borbon L(4-3)           0.2   5   5   5   1   0   0   8   3.43
McEnaney                2     2   0   0   1   0   0   8   4.57
Totals                  9    13  10  10   6   1   0  44

Wild Pitches: Norman (5)

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


ASTROS 1ST: Gross flied out to left; Cabell tripled; Cedeno hit
a sacrifice fly to center [Cabell scored]; Watson flied out to
center; 1 R, 1 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Astros 1, Reds 0.

REDS 1ST: Rose grounded out (shortstop to first); Griffey
grounded out (second to first); Morgan grounded out (first to
pitcher); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Astros 1, Reds 0.

ASTROS 2ND: Johnson struck out; Cruz flied out to left; DaVanon
grounded out (third to first); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Astros 1,
Reds 0.

REDS 2ND: Bench popped to catcher in foul territory; Perez
struck out; Concepcion flied out to right; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.
 Astros 1, Reds 0.

ASTROS 3RD: Metzger grounded out (third to first); Sambito
singled; Gross grounded into a double play (shortstop to second
to first) [Sambito out at second]; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Astros
1, Reds 0.

REDS 3RD: Armbrister grounded out (first to pitcher); Geronimo
singled; Norman out on a sacrifice bunt (pitcher to first)
[Geronimo to second]; Rose struck out; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.
Astros 1, Reds 0.

ASTROS 4TH: Cabell flied out to right; Cedeno popped to first in
foul territory; Watson singled to right; Johnson walked [Watson
to second]; Norman threw a wild pitch [Watson to third, Johnson
to second]; Cruz singled to left [Watson scored, Johnson to
third]; DaVanon forced Cruz (shortstop to second); 1 R, 2 H, 0
E, 2 LOB.  Astros 2, Reds 0.

REDS 4TH: Griffey doubled; Morgan popped to first in foul
territory; Bench homered [Griffey scored]; Perez flied out to
center; Concepcion struck out; 2 R, 2 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Astros 2,
Reds 2.

ASTROS 5TH: Metzger grounded out (third to first); Sambito
grounded out (first unassisted); Gross grounded out (pitcher to
first); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Astros 2, Reds 2.

REDS 5TH: Armbrister singled; Armbrister stole second; Geronimo
walked; On a bunt Norman singled [Armbrister to third, Geronimo
to second]; Rose grounded into a double play (shortstop to
second to first) [Armbrister scored (no RBI), Geronimo to third,
Norman out at second]; Griffey walked; Morgan singled to right
[Geronimo scored, Griffey to third]; Morgan was picked off first
(pitcher to first); 2 R, 3 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Astros 2, Reds 4.

ASTROS 6TH: Cabell grounded out (third to first); Cedeno flied
out to left; Watson singled to left; Johnson singled to left
[Watson to second]; Cruz grounded out (first unassisted); 0 R, 2
H, 0 E, 2 LOB.  Astros 2, Reds 4.

REDS 6TH: Bench grounded out (third to first); Perez homered;
Concepcion struck out; Armbrister struck out; 1 R, 1 H, 0 E, 0
LOB.  Astros 2, Reds 5.

ASTROS 7TH: DaVanon walked; Metzger walked [DaVanon to second];
ROBERTS BATTED FOR SAMBITO; Roberts popped to first in foul
territory; Gross walked [DaVanon to third, Metzger to second];
BORBON REPLACED NORMAN (PITCHING); Cabell singled to third
[DaVanon scored, Metzger to third, Gross to second]; Cedeno
singled to center [Metzger scored, Gross to third, Cabell to
second]; Watson popped to second in foul territory; Johnson
doubled to left [Gross scored, Cabell scored, Cedeno to third];
Cruz was walked intentionally; BOSWELL BATTED FOR DAVANON;
Boswell tripled to center [Cedeno scored, Johnson scored, Cruz
scored]; Metzger doubled to left [Boswell scored]; Roberts flied
out to left; 8 R, 5 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Astros 10, Reds 5.

REDS 7TH: ANDREWS REPLACED BOSWELL (PLAYING 2B); FORSCH REPLACED
ROBERTS (PITCHING); Geronimo singled to shortstop; LUM BATTED
FOR BORBON; Lum flied out to center; Rose struck out; Griffey
grounded out (pitcher to first); 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Astros
10, Reds 5.

ASTROS 8TH: FLYNN REPLACED MORGAN (PLAYING 2B); MCENANEY
REPLACED LUM (PITCHING); Gross grounded out (shortstop to
first); Cabell grounded out (shortstop to first); Cedeno walked;
Watson singled to center [Cedeno to second]; Johnson forced
Cedeno (third unassisted); 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 2 LOB.  Astros 10,
Reds 5.

REDS 8TH: Flynn grounded out (second to first); Bench flied out
to right; Perez grounded out (third to first); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0
LOB.  Astros 10, Reds 5.

ASTROS 9TH: Cruz singled; Cruz was caught stealing second
(catcher to shortstop); Andrews flied out to right; Metzger
grounded out (shortstop to first); 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Astros
10, Reds 5.

REDS 9TH: Concepcion flied out to center; Armbrister struck out;
Geronimo popped to shortstop; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Astros 10,
Reds 5.