Ray Burris, who had lost four decisions since winning last on June 25, regained his touch and pitched the Cubs to a 4-1 victory over the Astros. Enos Cabell singled and Bob Watson doubled for the Astros' run in the first inning. The Cubs tied the score in the second with a walk to Bobby Murcer and singles by Steve Ontiveros and Mick Kelleher before beating the Astros with three runs in the sixth.

Greg Gross singled and, after two outs, scored the tie-breaking run on a double by Jerry Morales. Murcer followed with a single, driving in Morales, and then crossed the plate himself on a double by Ontiveros. [The Sporting News]



Chicago Cubs 4, Houston Astros 1
Game Played on Sunday, July      31, 1977 (Day game) at Astrodome
Cubs         0  1  0    0  0  3    0  0  0  -   4  8  0
Astros       1  0  0    0  0  0    0  0  0  -   1  8  0


Cubs                 AB   R   H RBI    BB  SO    AVG      Astros               AB   R   H RBI    BB  SO    AVG
De Jesus ss           4   0   0   0     0   1   .251      Puhl lf               4   0   0   0     0   0   .258
Gross lf              4   1   1   0     0   0   .278      Cabell 3b             4   1   1   0     0   0   .270
Buckner 1b            4   0   0   0     0   0   .279      Cedeno cf             4   0   0   0     0   1   .220
Morales cf            4   1   1   1     0   0   .327      Watson 1b             4   0   3   1     0   0   .287
Murcer rf             3   2   1   1     1   0   .273      Cruz rf               4   0   0   0     0   1   .292
Ontiveros 3b          3   0   2   1     1   0   .296      Howe 2b               4   0   0   0     0   1   .271
Kelleher 2b           4   0   1   1     0   0   .288      Herrmann c            3   0   0   0     0   0   .234
Swisher c             4   0   2   0     0   0   .181      Metzger ss            3   0   1   0     0   0   .187
Burris p              4   0   0   0     0   2   .163        Forsch p            0   0   0   0     0   0   .077
                                                          Richard p             2   0   2   0     0   0   .214
                                                            Pentz p             0   0   0   0     0   0   .000
                                                            Gonzalez ss         1   0   1   0     0   0   .259

Totals               34   4   8   4     2   3             Totals               33   1   8   1     0   3

Time of Game: 1:57   Attendance: 20,094
Left on Base: Cubs 5, Astros 5
DP: Cubs 2, Astros 1
Doubles: Morales (29), Ontiveros (12), Watson 2 (23)
Stolen Bases: Murcer (9)
GIDP: Puhl 2 (2)


Cubs                   IP     H   R  ER  BB  SO  HR BFP    ERA
Burris W(11-10)         9     8   1   1   0   3   0  33   5.12
Totals                  9     8   1   1   0   3   0  33

Astros                 IP     H   R  ER  BB  SO  HR BFP    ERA
Richard L(9-9)          5.2   5   4   4   2   2   0  23   2.96
Pentz                   1.1   2   0   0   0   1   0   6   4.99
Forsch                  2     1   0   0   0   0   0   7   2.81
Totals                  9     8   4   4   2   3   0  36

Wild Pitches: Burris (5)

Umpires: HP - Jim Quick, 1B - Bill Williams, 2B - Dick Stello, 3B - Bruce Froemming


CUBS 1ST: De Jesus was called out on strikes; Gross flied out to
left; Buckner grounded out (first unassisted); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0
LOB.  Cubs 0, Astros 0.

ASTROS 1ST: Puhl grounded out (second to first); Cabell singled
to center; Cedeno grounded out (second to first) [Cabell to
second]; Watson doubled to center [Cabell scored]; Cruz grounded
out (shortstop to first); 1 R, 2 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Cubs 0, Astros
1.

CUBS 2ND: Morales grounded out (shortstop to first); Murcer
walked; Ontiveros singled to right [Murcer to third]; Kelleher
singled to right [Murcer scored, Ontiveros to second]; Swisher
lined into a double play (shortstop unassisted) [Ontiveros out
at second]; 1 R, 2 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Cubs 1, Astros 1.

ASTROS 2ND: Howe struck out; Herrmann flied out to center;
Metzger grounded out (second to first); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.
Cubs 1, Astros 1.

CUBS 3RD: Burris flied out to left; De Jesus grounded out
(shortstop to first); Gross flied out to left; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0
LOB.  Cubs 1, Astros 1.

ASTROS 3RD: Richard singled to shortstop; Puhl grounded into a
double play (second to shortstop to first) [Richard out at
second]; Cabell grounded out (pitcher to first); 0 R, 1 H, 0 E,
0 LOB.  Cubs 1, Astros 1.

CUBS 4TH: Buckner lined to right; Morales grounded out (third to
first); Murcer grounded out (second to first); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0
LOB.  Cubs 1, Astros 1.

ASTROS 4TH: Cedeno lined to left; Watson grounded out (shortstop
to first); Cruz struck out; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Cubs 1,
Astros 1.

CUBS 5TH: Ontiveros walked; Kelleher lined to center; Swisher
grounded out (third to first) [Ontiveros to second]; Burris
struck out; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Cubs 1, Astros 1.

ASTROS 5TH: Howe popped to shortstop; Herrmann grounded out
(pitcher to first); Metzger singled to center; Richard singled
to shortstop [Metzger to second]; Puhl lined to second; 0 R, 2
H, 0 E, 2 LOB.  Cubs 1, Astros 1.

CUBS 6TH: De Jesus lined to left; Gross singled to center;
Buckner grounded out (pitcher to first) [Gross to second];
Morales doubled to left [Gross scored]; Murcer singled to right
[Morales scored]; PENTZ REPLACED RICHARD (PITCHING); Murcer
stole second; Ontiveros doubled to right [Murcer scored];
Kelleher grounded out (shortstop to first); 3 R, 4 H, 0 E, 1
LOB.  Cubs 4, Astros 1.

ASTROS 6TH: Cabell grounded out (second to first); Cedeno struck
out; Watson singled to left; Cruz flied out to right; 0 R, 1 H,
0 E, 1 LOB.  Cubs 4, Astros 1.

CUBS 7TH: Swisher singled to center; On a bunt Burris struck
out; De Jesus grounded out (third to first) [Swisher to second];
Gross flied out to right; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Cubs 4, Astros
1.

ASTROS 7TH: Howe flied out to center; Herrmann grounded out
(first unassisted); Metzger lined to second; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0
LOB.  Cubs 4, Astros 1.

CUBS 8TH: FORSCH REPLACED METZGER (PITCHING); GONZALEZ REPLACED
PENTZ (PLAYING SS); Buckner lined to center; Morales grounded
out (third to first); Murcer flied out to center; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E,
0 LOB.  Cubs 4, Astros 1.

ASTROS 8TH: Gonzalez singled to left; Puhl grounded into a
double play (second to shortstop to first) [Gonzalez out at
second]; Cabell grounded out (third to first); 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 0
LOB.  Cubs 4, Astros 1.

CUBS 9TH: Ontiveros lined to first; Kelleher grounded out
(shortstop to first); Swisher singled to center; Burris grounded
out (shortstop to first); 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Cubs 4, Astros
1.

ASTROS 9TH: Cedeno popped to center; Watson doubled to left;
Burris threw a wild pitch [Watson to third]; Cruz popped to
shortstop; Howe grounded out (shortstop to first); 0 R, 1 H, 0
E, 1 LOB.  Cubs 4, Astros 1.