J.R. Richard breezed to a 10-1 victory over the Giants and became the second 20-game winner in Astros' history. Larry Dierker won 20 in 1969. Richard also rapped three hits including a homer, and drove in three runs to mark the season's final contest for both clubs. [The Sporting News]



Houston Astros 10, San Francisco Giants 1
Game Played on Saturday, October   2, 1976 (Day game) at Astrodome
Giants       1  0  0    0  0  0    0  0  0  -   1  4  3
Astros       0  4  1    0  0  4    0  1  x  -  10 14  0


Giants               AB   R   H RBI    BB  SO    AVG      Astros               AB   R   H RBI    BB  SO    AVG
Herndon cf            4   1   1   0     0   2   .288      Andrews 2b            5   1   3   1     0   0   .256
Thomas 2b             4   0   0   0     0   0   .232      Cabell 3b,1b          5   1   1   0     0   0   .273
Thomasson 1b          4   0   0   1     0   0   .259      Cedeno cf             4   1   0   0     1   0   .297
Adams lf              4   0   1   0     0   0   .243      Watson 1b             3   1   1   2     0   0   .313
Clark rf              4   0   1   0     0   3   .225        Boswell ph          1   0   1   0     0   0   .262
Ontiveros 3b          3   0   1   0     0   2   .176        Howe 3b             0   0   0   0     0   0   .138
Alexander c           2   0   0   0     1   2   .178      Cruz lf               4   2   2   1     1   0   .303
LeMaster ss           3   0   0   0     0   2   .210      Johnson c             4   1   2   2     1   0   .226
Dressler p            1   0   0   0     0   1   .129      Gross rf              4   0   0   0     0   0   .286
  Williams p          0   0   0   0     0   0   .125      Metzger ss            4   2   1   0     0   0   .210
  Riccelli p          0   0   0   0     0   0   .167      Richard p             4   1   3   3     0   0   .140
  Arnold ph           1   0   0   0     0   1   .217
  Toms p              0   0   0   0     0   0   .000
  Caldwell p          0   0   0   0     0   0   .158
  Rader ph            1   0   0   0     0   0   .263
  D'Acquisto p        0   0   0   0     0   0   .269

Totals               31   1   4   1     1  13             Totals               38  10  14   9     3   0

Time of Game: 2:08   Attendance:  7,612
Left on Base: Giants 4, Astros 8
DP: Giants 2, Astros 0
Errors: Alexander, LeMaster 2
Doubles: Herndon (11), Johnson (21)
Home Runs: Richard (2)
Stolen Bases: Cruz 2 (28), Cedeno (58)
GIDP: Gross (8), Andrews (16)
Hit by Pitch: Watson (4,by Dressler)


Giants                 IP     H   R  ER  BB  SO  HR BFP    ERA
Dressler L(3-10)        2     4   4   3   0   0   0  12   4.43
Williams                1     0   1   0   2   0   0   4   2.96
Riccelli                1     1   0   0   0   0   0   4   5.63
Toms                    1.1   7   4   3   0   0   1  11   6.23
Caldwell                1.2   1   0   0   0   0   0   6   4.86
D'Acquisto              1     1   1   1   1   0   0   5   5.35
Totals                  8    14  10   7   3   0   1  42

Astros                 IP     H   R  ER  BB  SO  HR BFP    ERA
Richard W(20-15)        9     4   1   1   1  13   0  32   2.75
Totals                  9     4   1   1   1  13   0  32

Passed Balls: Alexander (3)
Hit by Pitch: Dressler (2)

Umpires: HP - Jerry Dale, 1B - Paul Runge, 2B - Doug Harvey, 3B - Bob Engel


GIANTS 1ST: Herndon doubled; Thomas grounded out (second to
first) [Herndon to third]; Thomasson grounded out (second to
first) [Herndon scored]; Adams singled; Clark singled [Adams to
second]; Ontiveros struck out; 1 R, 3 H, 0 E, 2 LOB.  Giants 1,
Astros 0.

ASTROS 1ST: Andrews grounded out (pitcher to first); Cabell
grounded out (shortstop to first); Cedeno grounded out (third to
first); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Giants 1, Astros 0.

GIANTS 2ND: Alexander struck out; LeMaster struck out; Dressler
struck out; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Giants 1, Astros 0.

ASTROS 2ND: Watson was hit by a pitch; Cruz singled [Watson to
third]; Johnson doubled [Watson scored, Cruz scored]; Gross
reached on an error by LeMaster [Johnson stayed at second, Gross
to first]; Metzger forced Gross (first to shortstop) [Johnson to
third]; Richard singled [Johnson scored, Metzger to second];
Andrews singled [Metzger scored (unearned), Richard to second];
Cabell flied out to right; Cedeno grounded out (second to
first); 4 R (3 ER), 4 H, 1 E, 2 LOB.  Giants 1, Astros 4.

GIANTS 3RD: Herndon made an out to first; Thomas made an out to
third; Thomasson grounded out (second to first); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E,
0 LOB.  Giants 1, Astros 4.

ASTROS 3RD: WILLIAMS REPLACED DRESSLER (PITCHING); Watson flied
out to right; Cruz walked; Cruz stole second; Cruz stole third
[Cruz scored (error by Alexander) (unearned)]; Johnson walked;
Gross grounded into a double play (second to first) [Johnson out
at second]; 1 R (0 ER), 0 H, 1 E, 0 LOB.  Giants 1, Astros 5.

GIANTS 4TH: Adams grounded out (second to first); Clark struck
out; Ontiveros singled; Alexander struck out; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1
LOB.  Giants 1, Astros 5.

ASTROS 4TH: RICCELLI REPLACED WILLIAMS (PITCHING); Metzger flied
out to right; Richard grounded out (first unassisted); Andrews
singled; Cabell forced Andrews (shortstop to second); 0 R, 1 H,
0 E, 1 LOB.  Giants 1, Astros 5.

GIANTS 5TH: LeMaster grounded out (pitcher to first); ARNOLD
BATTED FOR RICCELLI; Arnold struck out; Herndon struck out; 0 R,
0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Giants 1, Astros 5.

ASTROS 5TH: TOMS REPLACED ARNOLD (PITCHING); Cedeno grounded out
(shortstop to first); Watson flied out to right; Cruz singled;
Johnson singled [Cruz to third]; Gross grounded out (first
unassisted); 0 R, 2 H, 0 E, 2 LOB.  Giants 1, Astros 5.

GIANTS 6TH: Thomas flied out to right; Thomasson flied out to
center; Adams flied out to right; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Giants
1, Astros 5.

ASTROS 6TH: Metzger singled; Richard homered [Metzger scored];
Andrews singled; Cabell singled [Andrews to second]; Cedeno
flied out to center; Alexander allowed a passed ball [Andrews to
third, Cabell to second]; Watson singled [Andrews scored, Cabell
scored (unearned)]; CALDWELL REPLACED TOMS (PITCHING); Cruz
forced Watson (third to second); Johnson grounded out (first
unassisted); 4 R (3 ER), 5 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Giants 1, Astros 9.

GIANTS 7TH: Clark struck out; Ontiveros struck out; Alexander
walked; LeMaster struck out; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Giants 1,
Astros 9.

ASTROS 7TH: Gross flied out to left; Metzger reached on an error
by LeMaster [Metzger to first]; Richard singled [Metzger to
second]; Andrews grounded into a double play (shortstop to
second to first) [Richard out at second]; 0 R, 1 H, 1 E, 1 LOB.
Giants 1, Astros 9.

GIANTS 8TH: RADER BATTED FOR CALDWELL; Rader grounded out (first
to pitcher); Herndon struck out; Thomas made an out to third; 0
R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Giants 1, Astros 9.

ASTROS 8TH: D'ACQUISTO REPLACED RADER (PITCHING); Cabell flied
out to left; Cedeno walked; BOSWELL BATTED FOR WATSON; Cedeno
stole second; Boswell singled [Cedeno to third]; Cruz forced
Boswell (second to shortstop) [Cedeno scored]; Johnson flied out
to center; 1 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Giants 1, Astros 10.

GIANTS 9TH: HOWE REPLACED BOSWELL (PLAYING 3B); CABELL CHANGED
POSITIONS (PLAYING 1B); Thomasson grounded out (second to
first); Adams grounded out (second to first); Clark struck out;
0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Giants 1, Astros 10.