The Pirates moved into second place in the N. L. East with a 9-4 triumph over the Astros. Unbeaten at home since July 5, Pittsburgh struck for four runs in the first off loser Dan Larson. Al Oliver drove in the first two with a bases-loaded single and Rennie Stennett and Ed Ott followed with RBI singles.

The Astros had whittled the lead to 5-3 in the sixth when Bill Robinson insured Jim Rooker's ninth victory with a grand-slam blast after the Pirates filled the bases on three walks. Joe Ferguson and Bob Watson hit homers for the losers while Phil Garner also tagged one for the Pirates. [The Sporting News]

Pittsburgh Pirates 9, Houston Astros 4

Game Played on Thursday, July 28, 1977 (Night game) at Three Rivers Stadium

Astros       0  1  0    2  0  0    0  1  0  -   4  9  1
Pirates      4  1  0    0  0  4    0  0  x  -   9 13  0


Astros               AB   R   H RBI    BB  SO    AVG      Pirates              AB   R   H RBI    BB  SO    AVG
Howard lf             5   0   0   0     0   0   .213      Taveras ss            4   1   0   0     1   1   .224
Cabell 3b             4   1   1   0     0   0   .273      Garner 3b             5   2   2   1     0   0   .243
Cedeno cf             3   1   3   1     1   0   .219      Parker rf             4   2   2   0     1   0   .341
Watson 1b             4   1   2   2     0   0   .282      Robinson 1b           4   2   3   4     0   1   .320
Ferguson c            4   1   1   1     0   1   .258      Oliver lf             4   1   2   2     0   0   .293
Howe 2b               4   0   0   0     0   0   .281      Stennett 2b           4   0   1   1     0   0   .332
Fuller rf             4   0   1   0     0   0   .163      Ott c                 4   0   2   1     0   1   .270
Metzger ss            3   0   1   0     1   1   .186      Moreno cf             3   0   0   0     1   0   .237
Larson p              2   0   0   0     0   0   .267      Rooker p              3   1   1   0     1   0   .175
  Sperring ph         1   0   0   0     0   0   .153
  Pentz p             0   0   0   0     0   0   .000
  Gonzalez ph         1   0   0   0     0   0   .257

Totals               35   4   9   4     2   2             Totals               35   9  13   9     4   3

Time of Game: 2:17   Attendance: 16,400
Left on Base: Astros 6, Pirates 6
DP: Astros 0, Pirates 0
Errors: Metzger
Doubles: Cedeno (14), Fuller (6), Metzger (5)
Triples: Cabell (5)
Home Runs: Ferguson (14), Watson (13), Garner (13), Robinson (13)
Stolen Bases: Moreno (30)
Caught Stealing: Cedeno (9), Ott (6), Taveras (13), Parker (14)


Astros                 IP     H   R  ER  BB  SO  HR BFP    ERA
Larson L(0-4)           6    12   9   9   4   1   2  32   6.00
Pentz                   2     1   0   0   0   2   0   7   5.12
Totals                  8    13   9   9   4   3   2  39

Pirates                IP     H   R  ER  BB  SO  HR BFP    ERA
Rooker W(9-5)           9     9   4   4   2   2   2  37   3.91
Totals                  9     9   4   4   2   2   2  37

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


ASTROS 1ST: Howard grounded out (pitcher to first); Cabell flied
out to center; Cedeno singled to right; Watson singled to left
[Cedeno to second]; Cedeno was caught stealing third (catcher to
third); 0 R, 2 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Astros 0, Pirates 0.

PIRATES 1ST: Taveras grounded out (shortstop to first); Garner
singled to left; Parker singled to left [Garner to second];
Robinson singled to pitcher [Garner to third, Parker to second];
Oliver singled to center [Garner scored, Parker scored, Robinson
to third, Oliver to second (on throw)]; Stennett singled to
right [Robinson scored, Oliver to third]; Ott singled to right
[Oliver scored, Stennett to third]; Ott was caught stealing
second (catcher to shortstop); Moreno walked; Moreno stole
second; Rooker grounded out (second to first); 4 R, 6 H, 0 E, 2
LOB.  Astros 0, Pirates 4.

ASTROS 2ND: Ferguson homered; Howe made an out to shortstop;
Fuller lined to third; Metzger struck out; 1 R, 1 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.
 Astros 1, Pirates 4.

PIRATES 2ND: Taveras reached on an error by Metzger [Taveras to
first]; Taveras was caught stealing second (catcher to
shortstop); Garner homered; Parker singled to right; Parker was
caught stealing second (catcher to second); Robinson singled to
left; Oliver singled to center [Robinson to second]; Stennett
flied out to right; 1 R, 4 H, 1 E, 2 LOB.  Astros 1, Pirates 5.

ASTROS 3RD: Larson flied out to right; Howard grounded out
(second to first); Cabell grounded out (third to first); 0 R, 0
H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Astros 1, Pirates 5.

PIRATES 3RD: Ott singled to center; Moreno grounded out (second
to first) [Ott to second]; Rooker grounded out (third to first);
Taveras grounded out (third to first); 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.
Astros 1, Pirates 5.

ASTROS 4TH: Cedeno doubled to right; Watson homered [Cedeno
scored]; Ferguson struck out; Howe made an out to second; Fuller
grounded out (second to first); 2 R, 2 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Astros 3,
Pirates 5.

PIRATES 4TH: Garner grounded out (third to first); Parker
grounded out (second to first); Robinson struck out; 0 R, 0 H, 0
E, 0 LOB.  Astros 3, Pirates 5.

ASTROS 5TH: Metzger grounded out (third to shortstop to first);
Larson grounded out (second to first); Howard grounded out
(shortstop to first); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Astros 3, Pirates 5.

PIRATES 5TH: Oliver flied out to center; Stennett flied out to
center; Ott grounded out (second to first); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0
LOB.  Astros 3, Pirates 5.

ASTROS 6TH: Cabell grounded out (third to first); Cedeno walked;
Watson flied out to center; Ferguson forced Cedeno (shortstop to
second); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Astros 3, Pirates 5.

PIRATES 6TH: Moreno popped to catcher in foul territory; Rooker
walked; Taveras walked [Rooker to second]; Garner flied out to
left; Parker walked [Rooker to third, Taveras to second];
Robinson homered [Rooker scored, Taveras scored, Parker scored];
Oliver grounded out (first to pitcher); 4 R, 1 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.
Astros 3, Pirates 9.

ASTROS 7TH: Howe lined to shortstop; Fuller doubled to left;
Metzger walked; SPERRING BATTED FOR LARSON; Sperring made an out
to second; Howard made an out to second; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 2 LOB.
Astros 3, Pirates 9.

PIRATES 7TH: PENTZ REPLACED SPERRING (PITCHING); Stennett flied
out to right; Ott struck out; Moreno flied out to right; 0 R, 0
H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Astros 3, Pirates 9.

ASTROS 8TH: Cabell tripled to left; Cedeno singled to right
[Cabell scored]; Watson grounded out (third to first) [Cedeno to
second]; Ferguson grounded out (shortstop to first) [Cedeno to
third]; Howe grounded out (second to first); 1 R, 2 H, 0 E, 1
LOB.  Astros 4, Pirates 9.

PIRATES 8TH: Rooker singled to center; Taveras struck out;
Garner flied out to left; Parker grounded out (first
unassisted); 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Astros 4, Pirates 9.

ASTROS 9TH: Fuller lined to left; Metzger doubled to left;
GONZALEZ BATTED FOR PENTZ; Gonzalez flied out to center; Howard
flied out to left; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Astros 4, Pirates 9.

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