The Padres swept a twi-night doubleheader, 7-2 and 11-8, to extend the Astros' losing streak to eight games. The Padres decided the opener with four runs in the sixth inning on singles by Dave Winfield and George Hendrick, a triple by Gene Tenace and doubles by Mike Ivie and Doug Rader.

In the nightcap, the Astros appeared on the way to ending their losing streak when they scored six runs in the third inning, knocking out Butch Metzger, who made his first start in the majors after 96 relief appearances. However, the Padres came back to win with the aid of five unearned runs. Vic Bernal, who pitched four scoreless stanzas in relief, gained credit for his first major league victory. [The Sporting News]



San Diego Padres 7, Houston Astros 2 (Game 1)
Game Played on Saturday, April     23, 1977 (Day game) at Astrodome
Padres       0  0  0    0  1  4    2  0  0  -   7 10  0
Astros       0  0  0    0  0  2    0  0  0  -   2  7  0


Padres               AB   R   H RBI    BB  SO    AVG      Astros               AB   R   H RBI    BB  SO    AVG
Turner lf             4   0   1   0     1   1   .250      Cedeno cf             5   0   1   0     0   2   .125
Almon ss              5   0   0   0     0   0   .250      Cabell 3b             4   0   0   0     1   0   .250
Winfield rf           4   2   1   0     1   2   .311      Cruz rf               4   1   2   0     0   0   .260
Hendrick cf           4   2   1   0     1   1   .382      Watson 1b             3   1   0   0     1   0   .244
Tenace c              4   1   1   2     1   0   .255      Crawford lf           4   0   1   0     0   0   .313
Ivie 1b               5   2   3   3     0   0   .286      Ferguson c            3   0   0   0     1   0   .293
Rader 3b              3   0   2   1     1   1   .326      Gonzalez 2b           3   0   2   2     1   0   .300
Champion 2b           4   0   1   1     0   1   .189      Metzger ss            2   0   0   0     0   0   .162
Griffin p             2   0   0   0     0   2   .000        Johnson ph          1   0   0   0     0   1   .308
  Tomlin p            1   0   0   0     0   1   .000        Sperring ss         1   0   0   0     0   0   .190
                                                          Andujar p             1   0   0   0     0   1   .333
                                                            Larson p            0   0   0   0     0   0   .000
                                                            Pentz p             0   0   0   0     0   0   .000
                                                            Roberts ph          1   0   0   0     0   0   .000
                                                            Sambito p           0   0   0   0     0   0   .500
                                                            Howe ph             1   0   1   0     0   0   .333

Totals               36   7  10   7     5   9             Totals               33   2   7   2     4   4

Time of Game: 2:36
Left on Base: Padres 8, Astros 9
DP: Padres 0, Astros 0
Doubles: Ivie (4), Rader (5), Cruz (3), Gonzalez (1), Howe (1)
Triples: Tenace (2)
Stolen Bases: Turner (1), Ivie (1), Winfield (4)
Sacrifice Hits: Griffin (1), Andujar (1)


Padres                 IP     H   R  ER  BB  SO  HR BFP    ERA
Griffin W(1-0)          5.2   5   2   2   3   2   0  25   3.09
Tomlin SV(1)            3.1   2   0   0   1   2   0  13   0.00
Totals                  9     7   2   2   4   4   0  38

Astros                 IP     H   R  ER  BB  SO  HR BFP    ERA
Andujar L(1-1)          5     8   5   5   1   4   0  24   5.48
Larson                  1.1   2   2   2   3   1   0   9   2.45
Pentz                   0.2   0   0   0   1   2   0   3   3.38
Sambito                 2     0   0   0   0   2   0   6   3.60
Totals                  9    10   7   7   5   9   0  42

Umpires: HP - Harry Wendelstedt, 1B - Satch Davidson, 2B - Jim Quick, 3B - Ed Vargo


PADRES 1ST: Turner singled to right; Turner stole second; Almon
grounded out (first unassisted) [Turner to third]; Winfield
struck out; Hendrick struck out; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Padres
0, Astros 0.

ASTROS 1ST: Cedeno flied out to left; Cabell flied out to
center; Cruz doubled to right; Watson flied out to right; 0 R, 1
H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Padres 0, Astros 0.

PADRES 2ND: Tenace flied out to center; Ivie flied out to
center; Rader struck out; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Padres 0,
Astros 0.

ASTROS 2ND: Crawford flied out to center; Ferguson flied out to
right; Gonzalez doubled to left; Metzger grounded out (second to
first); 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Padres 0, Astros 0.

PADRES 3RD: Champion lined to second; Griffin struck out; Turner
grounded out (shortstop to first); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Padres
0, Astros 0.

ASTROS 3RD: Andujar struck out; Cedeno struck out; Cabell flied
out to center; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Padres 0, Astros 0.

PADRES 4TH: Almon grounded out (shortstop to first); Winfield
made an out to second; Hendrick flied out to center; 0 R, 0 H, 0
E, 0 LOB.  Padres 0, Astros 0.

ASTROS 4TH: Cruz made an out to shortstop; Watson grounded out
(pitcher to first); Crawford singled to center; Ferguson forced
Crawford (third to second); 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Padres 0,
Astros 0.

PADRES 5TH: Tenace flied out to center; Ivie singled to left;
Ivie stole second; Rader singled to center [Ivie to third];
Champion singled to left [Ivie scored, Rader to second]; Griffin
out on a sacrifice bunt (pitcher to second) [Rader to third,
Champion to second]; Turner was walked intentionally; Almon
flied out to right; 1 R, 3 H, 0 E, 3 LOB.  Padres 1, Astros 0.

ASTROS 5TH: Gonzalez walked; Metzger flied out to center;
Andujar out on a sacrifice bunt (first unassisted) [Gonzalez to
second]; Cedeno lined to left; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Padres 1,
Astros 0.

PADRES 6TH: Winfield singled to center; Hendrick singled to left
[Winfield to third]; Tenace tripled to left [Winfield scored,
Hendrick scored]; Ivie doubled to left [Tenace scored]; LARSON
REPLACED ANDUJAR (PITCHING); Rader doubled to right [Ivie
scored]; Champion grounded out (third to first); Griffin struck
out; Turner grounded out (first unassisted); 4 R, 5 H, 0 E, 1
LOB.  Padres 5, Astros 0.

ASTROS 6TH: Cabell grounded out (shortstop to first); Cruz
singled to center; Watson walked [Cruz to second]; Crawford
flied out to center [Cruz to third]; Ferguson walked [Watson to
second]; Gonzalez singled to center [Cruz scored, Watson scored,
Ferguson to second]; TOMLIN REPLACED GRIFFIN (PITCHING); JOHNSON
BATTED FOR METZGER; Johnson struck out; 2 R, 2 H, 0 E, 2 LOB.
Padres 5, Astros 2.

PADRES 7TH: SPERRING REPLACED JOHNSON (PLAYING SS); Almon
grounded out (third to first); Winfield walked; Winfield stole
second; Hendrick walked; Tenace walked [Winfield to third,
Hendrick to second]; Ivie singled to center [Winfield scored,
Hendrick scored, Tenace to second]; PENTZ REPLACED LARSON
(PITCHING); Rader walked [Tenace to third, Ivie to second];
Champion struck out; Tomlin was called out on strikes; 2 R, 1 H,
0 E, 3 LOB.  Padres 7, Astros 2.

ASTROS 7TH: ROBERTS BATTED FOR PENTZ; Roberts flied out to
right; Cedeno singled to left; Cabell walked [Cedeno to second];
Cruz grounded out (pitcher to first) [Cedeno to third, Cabell to
second]; Watson flied out to right; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 2 LOB.
Padres 7, Astros 2.

PADRES 8TH: SAMBITO REPLACED ROBERTS (PITCHING); Turner struck
out; Almon grounded out (third to first); Winfield struck out; 0
R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Padres 7, Astros 2.

ASTROS 8TH: Crawford grounded out (first unassisted); Ferguson
flied out to right; Gonzalez made an out to shortstop; 0 R, 0 H,
0 E, 0 LOB.  Padres 7, Astros 2.

PADRES 9TH: Hendrick flied out to center; Tenace made an out to
second; Ivie made an out to shortstop; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.
Padres 7, Astros 2.

ASTROS 9TH: Sperring grounded out (third to first); HOWE BATTED
FOR SAMBITO; Howe doubled to left; Cedeno was called out on
strikes; Cabell flied out to right; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.
Padres 7, Astros 2.