The Cubs squandered all of their 7-0 lead in the eighth inning, but pulled out a 9-7 victory over the Astros when Larry Biittner socked a two-run homer in the bottom of the eighth. Chicago's Bill Bonham carried a two-hit shutout into the eighth when Houston struck for a seven-spot.

The rally was climaxed by a run-scoring triple by Cesar Cedeno, who then stole home with the tying marker. Paul Reuschel and Willie Hernandez finally put out the Astro fire, Hernandez getting the victory thanks to Biittner. [The Sporting News]



Chicago Cubs 9, Houston Astros 7
Game Played on Monday, July      25, 1977 (Day game) at Wrigley Field
Astros       0  0  0    0  0  0    0  7  0  -   7  8  1
Cubs         2  0  1    0  0  4    0  2  x  -   9  9  3


Astros               AB   R   H RBI    BB  SO    AVG      Cubs                 AB   R   H RBI    BB  SO    AVG
Puhl lf               4   1   2   0     1   2   .227      Cardenal lf           4   1   0   0     1   1   .222
Cabell 3b             4   0   1   0     0   1   .272      Biittner 1b           5   2   3   3     0   0   .294
Cruz rf               5   1   1   1     0   0   .294      Clines rf             5   1   1   0     0   1   .316
Watson 1b             4   1   0   0     1   1   .284      Morales cf            3   0   1   1     1   0   .328
Howe 2b               4   1   1   2     0   1   .288      Ontiveros 3b          2   1   1   0     2   1   .286
Ferguson c            3   1   1   2     1   1   .266      Trillo 2b             2   0   0   1     1   1   .300
Cedeno cf             4   1   1   1     0   0   .207      Rosello ss            2   1   0   0     2   2   .170
Metzger ss            3   0   0   0     0   1   .182        G. Hernandez p      0   0   0   0     0   0   .000
  Howard ph           1   0   0   0     0   1   .222      Mitterwald c          3   2   1   1     1   0   .251
  Lemongello p        0   0   0   0     0   0   .027      Bonham p              3   1   2   2     0   1   .213
Bannister p           1   0   0   0     0   0   .250        P. Reuschel p       0   0   0   0     0   0   .000
  McLaughlin p        1   0   0   0     0   1   .000        De Jesus ss         1   0   0   0     0   1   .254
  Boswell ph          1   1   1   0     0   0   .246
  Gonzalez ph,ss      1   0   0   0     0   1   .258

Totals               36   7   8   6     3  10             Totals               30   9   9   8     8   8

Time of Game: 2:46   Attendance: 14,577
Left on Base: Astros 6, Cubs 6
DP: Astros 3, Cubs 0
Errors: Cabell, Ontiveros, Rosello 2
Doubles: Ferguson (14), Clines (7), Mitterwald (14), Bonham (2), Biittner (16)
Triples: Cedeno (3)
Home Runs: Biittner (8)
Stolen Bases: Puhl (2), Cedeno 2 (32)
Caught Stealing: Cabell (14), Morales (3)
Sacrifice Hits: Cabell (2)
Sacrifice Flies: Trillo (7)
GIDP: Biittner (11), Trillo (9)


Astros                 IP     H   R  ER  BB  SO  HR BFP    ERA
Bannister               2     3   3   2   4   1   0  13   4.84
McLaughlin              5     5   4   4   3   5   0  21   4.57
Lemongello L(3-12)      1     1   2   2   1   2   1   5   4.11
Totals                  8     9   9   8   8   8   1  39

Cubs                   IP     H   R  ER  BB  SO  HR BFP    ERA
Bonham                  7.1   6   6   5   3   6   0  33   4.33
P. Reuschel             0.1   1   1   1   0   1   0   2   2.34
G. Hernandez W(4-3)     1.1   1   0   0   0   3   0   5   2.16
Totals                  9     8   7   5*  3  10   0  40

Umpires: HP - Harry Wendelstedt, 1B - Satch Davidson, 2B - Terry Tata, 3B - Ed Vargo


ASTROS 1ST: Puhl singled to left; Puhl stole second; Cabell
reached on a fielder's choice [Puhl out at third (pitcher to
third)]; Cruz grounded out (second to first) [Cabell to second];
Watson walked; Cabell was caught stealing third (catcher to
third); 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Astros 0, Cubs 0.

CUBS 1ST: Cardenal walked; Biittner singled to right [Cardenal
to third]; Clines popped to third in foul territory; Morales
reached on an error by Cabell [Cardenal scored (RBI), Biittner
to second, Morales to first]; Ontiveros walked [Biittner to
third, Morales to second]; Trillo hit a sacrifice fly to right
[Biittner scored (unearned)]; Rosello walked [Morales to third,
Ontiveros to second]; Mitterwald flied out to center; 2 R (1
ER), 1 H, 1 E, 3 LOB.  Astros 0, Cubs 2.

ASTROS 2ND: Howe reached on an error by Ontiveros [Howe to
first]; Ferguson walked [Howe to second]; Cedeno forced Ferguson
(second to shortstop) [Howe to third]; Cedeno stole second;
Metzger struck out; Bannister grounded out (pitcher to first); 0
R, 0 H, 1 E, 2 LOB.  Astros 0, Cubs 2.

CUBS 2ND: Bonham singled to left; Cardenal struck out; Biittner
grounded into a double play (second to shortstop to first)
[Bonham out at second]; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Astros 0, Cubs 2.

ASTROS 3RD: Puhl singled to shortstop; Cabell out on a sacrifice
bunt (third to first) [Puhl to second]; Cruz grounded out
(shortstop to first); Watson lined to right; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1
LOB.  Astros 0, Cubs 2.

CUBS 3RD: Clines doubled to left; Morales walked; MCLAUGHLIN
REPLACED BANNISTER (PITCHING); Ontiveros walked [Clines to
third, Morales to second]; Trillo grounded into a double play
(shortstop to second to first) [Clines scored, Morales to third,
Ontiveros out at second]; Rosello struck out; 1 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1
LOB.  Astros 0, Cubs 3.

ASTROS 4TH: Howe struck out; Ferguson grounded out (first to
pitcher); Cedeno grounded out (first unassisted); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E,
0 LOB.  Astros 0, Cubs 3.

CUBS 4TH: Mitterwald grounded out (third to first); Bonham
struck out; Cardenal flied out to center; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.
Astros 0, Cubs 3.

ASTROS 5TH: Metzger grounded out (catcher to first); McLaughlin
was called out on strikes; Puhl was called out on strikes; 0 R,
0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Astros 0, Cubs 3.

CUBS 5TH: Biittner lined to right; Clines flied out to center;
Morales grounded out (second to first); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.
Astros 0, Cubs 3.

ASTROS 6TH: Cabell grounded out (second to first); Cruz grounded
out (second to first); Watson grounded out (shortstop to first);
0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Astros 0, Cubs 3.

CUBS 6TH: Ontiveros singled to right; Trillo was called out on
strikes; Rosello walked [Ontiveros to second]; Mitterwald
doubled to left [Ontiveros scored, Rosello to third]; Bonham
doubled to right [Rosello scored, Mitterwald scored]; Cardenal
grounded out (third to first); Biittner doubled to right [Bonham
scored]; Clines lined to right; 4 R, 4 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Astros 0,
Cubs 7.

ASTROS 7TH: Howe lined to center; Ferguson was called out on
strikes; Cedeno reached on an error by Rosello [Cedeno to
first]; Metzger forced Cedeno (second to shortstop); 0 R, 0 H, 1
E, 1 LOB.  Astros 0, Cubs 7.

CUBS 7TH: Morales singled to center; Ontiveros struck out while
Morales was caught stealing second (catcher to shortstop);
Trillo walked; Rosello was called out on strikes; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E,
1 LOB.  Astros 0, Cubs 7.

ASTROS 8TH: BOSWELL BATTED FOR MCLAUGHLIN; Boswell singled to
right; Puhl walked [Boswell to second]; Cabell struck out; Cruz
singled to center [Boswell scored, Puhl to second]; Watson
reached on an error by Rosello [Puhl to third, Cruz to second,
Watson to first]; Howe singled to right [Puhl scored, Cruz
scored, Watson to second]; Ferguson doubled to center [Watson
scored (unearned), Howe scored]; P. REUSCHEL REPLACED BONHAM
(PITCHING); Cedeno tripled to center [Ferguson scored]; HOWARD
BATTED FOR METZGER; Howard struck out; G. HERNANDEZ REPLACED
ROSELLO (PITCHING); DE JESUS REPLACED P. REUSCHEL (PLAYING SS);
GONZALEZ BATTED FOR BOSWELL; Cedeno stole home; Gonzalez struck
out; 7 R (6 ER), 5 H, 1 E, 0 LOB.  Astros 7, Cubs 7.

CUBS 8TH: GONZALEZ STAYED IN GAME (PLAYING SS); LEMONGELLO
REPLACED HOWARD (PITCHING); Mitterwald walked; De Jesus was
called out on strikes; Cardenal flied out to left; Biittner
homered [Mitterwald scored]; Clines struck out; 2 R, 1 H, 0 E, 0
LOB.  Astros 7, Cubs 9.

ASTROS 9TH: Puhl struck out; Cabell singled to center; Cruz
grounded out (second to first) [Cabell to second]; Watson struck
out; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Astros 7, Cubs 9.