Bob Watson lined a single to center with the bases loaded in the ninth inning to give the Astros a 4-2 decision over the Cardinals. The winning blow was preceded by an infield hit by Roger Metzger, sacrifice bunt by Mark Lemongello, an intentional walk to Wilbur Howard, Enos Cabell's infield out and an intentional walk to Cesar Cedeno. Lemongello recorded his first complete game in 18 starts. The Cards' bullpen was their downfall as Rawly Eastwick failed to hold a one-run margin and Clay Carroll gave up the winning counter. [The Sporting News]



Houston Astros 4, St. Louis Cardinals 2
Game Played on Friday, July      22, 1977 (Night game) at Busch Stadium II
Astros       0  0  0    0  0  1    0  1  2  -   4  8  1
Cardinals    0  0  0    0  2  0    0  0  0  -   2  9  2


Astros               AB   R   H RBI    BB  SO    AVG      Cardinals            AB   R   H RBI    BB  SO    AVG
Puhl lf               2   1   0   0     1   1   .154      Mumphrey rf           5   1   2   0     0   0   .307
  Howard ph,lf        1   1   0   0     1   0   .224      Templeton ss          4   0   1   1     0   1   .316
Cabell 3b             4   0   0   0     1   1   .271      Scott cf              3   0   1   1     1   0   .301
Cedeno cf             3   0   0   0     2   0   .206      Simmons c             4   0   1   0     0   0   .328
Watson 1b             5   1   3   2     0   0   .283      Brock lf              4   0   0   0     0   1   .265
Ferguson c            4   0   2   2     0   0   .265        Cruz lf             0   0   0   0     0   0   .257
Cruz rf               3   0   1   0     1   1   .294      Hernandez 1b          3   0   0   0     1   1   .311
Gonzalez 2b           4   0   0   0     0   1   .259      Reitz 3b              4   0   1   0     0   0   .293
Metzger ss            4   1   2   0     0   0   .195      Tyson 2b              3   0   1   0     0   0   .242
Lemongello p          2   0   0   0     0   2   .027        Rader ph            1   0   0   0     0   0   .305
                                                          Underwood p           3   1   2   0     0   1   .143
                                                            Eastwick p          0   0   0   0     0   0   .222
                                                            Carroll p           0   0   0   0     0   0   .100
                                                            Iorg ph             1   0   0   0     0   0   .211

Totals               32   4   8   4     6   6             Totals               35   2   9   2     2   4

Time of Game: 2:19   Attendance: 20,744
Left on Base: Astros 9, Cardinals 8
DP: Astros 0, Cardinals 0
Errors: Lemongello, Templeton, Brock
Doubles: Watson (18)
Stolen Bases: Cabell (29), Brock (17), Scott (11)
Caught Stealing: Cruz (12)
Sacrifice Hits: Lemongello 2 (4)


Astros                 IP     H   R  ER  BB  SO  HR BFP    ERA
Lemongello W(3-11)      9     9   2   2   2   4   0  37   3.99
Totals                  9     9   2   2   2   4   0  37

Cardinals              IP     H   R  ER  BB  SO  HR BFP    ERA
Underwood               7     3   1   1   4   5   0  28   4.98
Eastwick                0.2   3   1   1   0   1   0   5   3.24
Carroll L(4-2)          1.1   2   2   2   2   0   0   7   2.30
Totals                  9     8   4   4   6   6   0  40

Umpires: HP - John McSherry, 1B - Art Williams, 2B - Paul Runge, 3B - Lee Weyer


ASTROS 1ST: Puhl grounded out (second to first); Cabell walked;
Cabell stole second; Cedeno reached on a fielder's choice
[Cabell out at third (pitcher to third), Cedeno to second];
Watson flied out to right; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Astros 0,
Cardinals 0.

CARDINALS 1ST: Mumphrey grounded out (shortstop to first);
Templeton struck out; Scott lined to right; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0
LOB.  Astros 0, Cardinals 0.

ASTROS 2ND: Ferguson flied out to center; Cruz walked; Cruz was
caught stealing second (catcher to shortstop); Gonzalez grounded
out (second to first); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Astros 0,
Cardinals 0.

CARDINALS 2ND: Simmons singled to center; Brock forced Simmons
(pitcher to shortstop); Brock stole second; Hernandez walked;
Reitz flied out to right; Tyson grounded out (second to first);
0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 2 LOB.  Astros 0, Cardinals 0.

ASTROS 3RD: Metzger grounded out (shortstop to first);
Lemongello struck out; Puhl struck out; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.
Astros 0, Cardinals 0.

CARDINALS 3RD: Underwood singled to left; Mumphrey singled to
third [Underwood to second]; Templeton forced Underwood
(shortstop to third) [Mumphrey to second]; Scott flied out to
center [Mumphrey to third]; Simmons flied out to left; 0 R, 2 H,
0 E, 2 LOB.  Astros 0, Cardinals 0.

ASTROS 4TH: Cabell grounded out (second to first); Cedeno
walked; Watson forced Cedeno (shortstop unassisted); Ferguson
popped to third in foul territory; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Astros
0, Cardinals 0.

CARDINALS 4TH: Brock grounded out (second to first); Hernandez
struck out; Reitz singled to left; Tyson popped to first in foul
territory; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Astros 0, Cardinals 0.

ASTROS 5TH: Cruz struck out; Gonzalez grounded out (third to
first); Metzger singled to right; Lemongello struck out; 0 R, 1
H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Astros 0, Cardinals 0.

CARDINALS 5TH: Underwood singled to right; Mumphrey singled to
pitcher [Underwood to third (error by Lemongello)]; Templeton
singled to left [Underwood scored, Mumphrey to third]; Templeton
was picked off first (pitcher to first); Scott singled to center
[Mumphrey scored]; Scott stole second; Simmons flied out to
center; Brock lined to left; 2 R, 4 H, 1 E, 1 LOB.  Astros 0,
Cardinals 2.

ASTROS 6TH: Puhl walked; Cabell flied out to left; Cedeno lined
to left; Watson singled to third [Puhl to second]; Ferguson
singled to center [Puhl scored, Watson to third]; Cruz popped to
shortstop; 1 R, 2 H, 0 E, 2 LOB.  Astros 1, Cardinals 2.

CARDINALS 6TH: Hernandez grounded out (second to first); Reitz
grounded out (third to first); Tyson singled to left; Underwood
struck out; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Astros 1, Cardinals 2.

ASTROS 7TH: Gonzalez struck out; Metzger reached on an error by
Templeton [Metzger to first]; Lemongello out on a sacrifice bunt
(first to second) [Metzger to second]; HOWARD BATTED FOR PUHL;
Howard flied out to right; 0 R, 0 H, 1 E, 1 LOB.  Astros 1,
Cardinals 2.

CARDINALS 7TH: HOWARD STAYED IN GAME (PLAYING LF); Mumphrey
popped to second; Templeton grounded out (first unassisted);
Scott walked; Simmons grounded out (second to first); 0 R, 0 H,
0 E, 1 LOB.  Astros 1, Cardinals 2.

ASTROS 8TH: EASTWICK REPLACED UNDERWOOD (PITCHING); Cabell was
called out on strikes; Cedeno popped to third in foul territory;
Watson doubled to left [Watson to third (error by Brock)];
Ferguson singled to center [Watson scored]; Cruz singled to
center [Ferguson to second]; CARROLL REPLACED EASTWICK
(PITCHING); Gonzalez flied out to right; 1 R, 3 H, 1 E, 2 LOB.
Astros 2, Cardinals 2.

CARDINALS 8TH: Brock was called out on strikes; Hernandez
grounded out (second to first); Reitz flied out to center; 0 R,
0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Astros 2, Cardinals 2.

ASTROS 9TH: CRUZ REPLACED BROCK (PLAYING LF); Metzger singled to
shortstop; Lemongello out on a sacrifice bunt (first to second)
[Metzger to second]; Howard was walked intentionally; Cabell
grounded out (third to first) [Metzger to third, Howard to
second]; Cedeno was walked intentionally; Watson singled to
center [Metzger scored, Howard scored, Cedeno out at third
(center to second to third)]; 2 R, 2 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Astros 4,
Cardinals 2.

CARDINALS 9TH: RADER BATTED FOR TYSON; Rader grounded out (first
unassisted); IORG BATTED FOR CARROLL; Iorg grounded out
(shortstop to first); Mumphrey grounded out (shortstop to
first); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Astros 4, Cardinals 2.