Although nicked for 10 hits, Randy Jones won his 21st game, pitching the Padres to a 4-1 victory in the opener of a twi-night doubleheader, but the Astros came back to win the nightcap, 2-1. The Padres provided Jones with a two-run lead in the first inning, scoring on a walk to Johnny Grubb, single by Tito Fuentes, forceout by Willie Davis and double by Jerry Turner. The Astros picked up their tally in the eighth on a hit batsman and singles by Enos Cabell and Cesar Cedeno, but the Padres iced the decision with a pair in their half when Davis doubled, Mike Ivie tripled and Doug Rader singled.

J.R. Richard was the Astros' winner of the nightcap, pitching six innings before leaving the game with a stiff arm. Gene Pentz finished. The Astros scored a run in the third on two-out singles by Cabell, Cedeno and Bob Watson. The Padres tied the score in the fourth when Ivie doubled, Turner singled and Rader hit a sacrifice fly, but back-to-back doubles by Watson and Cliff Johnson in the sixth provided the Astros with their winning run. [The Sporting News]



San Diego Padres 4, Houston Astros 1 (Game 1)
Game Played on Saturday, September 11, 1976 (Night game) at San Diego Stadium
Astros       0  0  0    0  0  0    0  1  0  -   1 10  0
Padres       2  0  0    0  0  0    0  2  x  -   4  8  0


Astros               AB   R   H RBI    BB  SO    AVG      Padres               AB   R   H RBI    BB  SO    AVG
Taveras 2b            3   0   1   0     0   0   .333      Grubb rf,lf           3   1   0   0     1   1   .285
  Johnson ph          1   0   0   0     0   1   .228      Fuentes 2b            4   0   1   0     0   1   .269
  Sambito p           0   0   0   0     0   0   .250      W. Davis cf           3   2   2   1     1   0   .270
  Forsch p            0   0   0   0     0   0   .100      Ivie 1b               2   1   1   1     1   0   .296
  Roberts ph          1   0   0   0     0   0   .282      Turner lf             3   0   1   1     0   0   .241
Cabell 3b             4   0   1   0     0   0   .278        Melendez ph,rf      1   0   0   0     0   1   .231
Cedeno cf             4   0   2   1     0   0   .292      Rader 3b              4   0   2   1     0   0   .251
Watson 1b             4   0   0   0     0   1   .304      Kendall c             4   0   1   0     0   0   .246
Javier lf             4   0   1   0     0   0   .200      Torres ss             3   0   0   0     1   0   .208
Cruz rf               4   0   0   0     0   0   .303      Jones p               4   0   0   0     0   2   .042
Herrmann c            3   0   1   0     0   0   .205
  Howe ph             1   0   1   0     0   0   .154
Metzger ss            3   0   1   0     0   0   .216
  Boswell ph          1   0   1   0     0   0   .270
  Milbourne pr        0   0   0   0     0   0   .237
Dierker p             2   0   0   0     0   1   .141
  DaVanon ph,2b       1   1   1   0     0   0   .297

Totals               36   1  10   1     0   3             Totals               31   4   8   4     4   5

Time of Game: 2:01
Left on Base: Astros 9, Padres 8
DP: Astros 1, Padres 1
Doubles: Turner (14), W. Davis (18)
Triples: Cedeno (5), Ivie (4)
GIDP: Cabell (11), Torres (8)
Hit by Pitch: DaVanon (1,by Jones), Ivie (5,by Dierker)


Astros                 IP     H   R  ER  BB  SO  HR BFP    ERA
Dierker L(13-14)        7     5   2   2   3   3   0  29   3.69
Sambito                 0     2   2   2   0   0   0   2   4.31
Forsch                  1     1   0   0   1   2   0   5   2.22
Totals                  8     8   4   4   4   5   0  36

Padres                 IP     H   R  ER  BB  SO  HR BFP    ERA
Jones W(21-12)          9    10   1   1   0   3   0  37   2.66
Totals                  9    10   1   1   0   3   0  37

Passed Balls: Herrmann (10)
Hit by Pitch: Dierker (6), Jones (4)
Wild Pitches: Dierker (12)

Umpires: HP - John Kibler, 1B - Terry Tata, 2B - Doug Harvey, 3B - Frank Pulli


ASTROS 1ST: Taveras singled to right; Cabell grounded into a
double play (pitcher to shortstop to first) [Taveras out at
second]; Cedeno grounded out (third to first); 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 0
LOB.  Astros 0, Padres 0.

PADRES 1ST: Grubb walked; Fuentes singled to right [Grubb to
third]; W. Davis forced Fuentes (second to shortstop) [Grubb
scored]; Dierker threw a wild pitch [W. Davis to second]; Ivie
grounded out (shortstop to first); Turner doubled to right [W.
Davis scored]; Rader flied out to right; 2 R, 2 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.
Astros 0, Padres 2.

ASTROS 2ND: Watson struck out; Javier singled to shortstop; Cruz
grounded out (second to first) [Javier to second]; Herrmann
singled to pitcher [Javier to third]; Metzger forced Herrmann
(second to shortstop); 0 R, 2 H, 0 E, 2 LOB.  Astros 0, Padres 2.

PADRES 2ND: Kendall grounded out (third to first); Torres popped
to third in foul territory; Jones grounded out (second to
first); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Astros 0, Padres 2.

ASTROS 3RD: Dierker struck out; Taveras grounded out (second to
first); Cabell grounded out (third to first); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0
LOB.  Astros 0, Padres 2.

PADRES 3RD: Grubb grounded out (shortstop to first); Fuentes
grounded out (shortstop to first); W. Davis singled to third;
Ivie was hit by a pitch [W. Davis to second]; Turner flied out
to left; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 2 LOB.  Astros 0, Padres 2.

ASTROS 4TH: Cedeno flied out to right; Watson grounded out
(pitcher to first); Javier grounded out (second to first); 0 R,
0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Astros 0, Padres 2.

PADRES 4TH: Rader singled to left; Kendall singled to left
[Rader to second]; Torres grounded into a double play (shortstop
to second to first) [Rader to third, Kendall out at second];
Jones flied out to right; 0 R, 2 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Astros 0,
Padres 2.

ASTROS 5TH: Cruz flied out to left; Herrmann grounded out
(second to first); Metzger singled to left; Dierker forced
Metzger (third to second); 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Astros 0,
Padres 2.

PADRES 5TH: Grubb lined to pitcher; Fuentes grounded out
(shortstop to first); W. Davis walked; Ivie walked [W. Davis to
second]; Turner flied out to center; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 2 LOB.
Astros 0, Padres 2.

ASTROS 6TH: Taveras grounded out (third to first); Cabell
grounded out (shortstop to first); Cedeno tripled to right;
Watson grounded out (shortstop to first); 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.
Astros 0, Padres 2.

PADRES 6TH: Rader flied out to center; Kendall made an out to
shortstop; Torres flied out to center; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.
Astros 0, Padres 2.

ASTROS 7TH: Javier flied out to center; Cruz lined to third;
Herrmann grounded out (first to pitcher); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.
Astros 0, Padres 2.

PADRES 7TH: Jones struck out; Grubb struck out; On a bunt
Fuentes struck out; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Astros 0, Padres 2.

ASTROS 8TH: Metzger grounded out (second to first); DAVANON
BATTED FOR DIERKER; DaVanon was hit by a pitch; JOHNSON BATTED
FOR TAVERAS; Johnson struck out; Cabell singled to right
[DaVanon to third]; Cedeno singled to right [DaVanon scored,
Cabell to third]; Watson flied out to right; 1 R, 2 H, 0 E, 2
LOB.  Astros 1, Padres 2.

PADRES 8TH: SAMBITO REPLACED JOHNSON (PITCHING); DAVANON STAYED
IN GAME (PLAYING 2B); W. Davis doubled to left; Ivie tripled to
center [W. Davis scored]; MELENDEZ BATTED FOR TURNER; FORSCH
REPLACED SAMBITO (PITCHING); Melendez struck out; Rader singled
to center [Ivie scored]; Herrmann allowed a passed ball [Rader
to second]; Kendall flied out to center; Torres was walked
intentionally; Jones struck out; 2 R, 3 H, 0 E, 2 LOB.  Astros
1, Padres 4.

ASTROS 9TH: MELENDEZ STAYED IN GAME (PLAYING RF); GRUBB CHANGED
POSITIONS (PLAYING LF); Javier lined to second; On a bunt Cruz
made an out to catcher; HOWE BATTED FOR HERRMANN; Howe singled
to left; BOSWELL BATTED FOR METZGER; Boswell singled to second
[Howe to second]; MILBOURNE RAN FOR BOSWELL; On a bunt DaVanon
singled to pitcher [Howe to third, Milbourne to second]; ROBERTS
BATTED FOR FORSCH; Roberts forced Milbourne (third unassisted);
0 R, 3 H, 0 E, 3 LOB.  Astros 1, Padres 4.