A bases-loaded triple by Roger Metzger capped a five-run outburst in the sixth inning and featured the Astros' 7-1 victory over the Padres. Terry Puhl doubled, Enos Cabell singled and Cesar Cedeno beat out an infield hit, Puhl scoring to break a 1-1 tie.

Bob Watson was hit by a pitched ball and Joe Ferguson walked to force in Cabell. Jose Cruz then grounded into a double play, but Art Howe walked to reload the sacks and Metzger followed with his fifth triple of the season, all against the Padres. [The Sporting News]



Houston Astros 7, San Diego Padres 1
Game Played on Thursday, September 8, 1977 (Night game) at Astrodome
Padres       0  0  0    0  1  0    0  0  0  -   1  7  0
Astros       0  0  1    0  0  5    1  0  x  -   7  9  0


Padres               AB   R   H RBI    BB  SO    AVG      Astros               AB   R   H RBI    BB  SO    AVG
Richards lf           4   0   1   0     0   0   .267      Puhl lf,rf            4   1   2   0     0   1   .296
Ivie 3b               2   0   0   1     1   1   .282      Cabell 3b             4   1   2   1     0   0   .283
Roberts c             3   0   0   0     1   1   .221      Cedeno cf             4   1   2   1     0   1   .247
Hendrick cf           4   0   2   0     0   0   .316      Watson 1b             3   1   1   1     0   0   .286
Winfield rf           3   0   0   0     1   0   .286      Ferguson c            3   1   0   1     1   1   .249
Tenace 1b             4   0   1   0     0   0   .226      Cruz rf               3   0   0   0     1   1   .297
Champion 2b           4   0   1   0     0   0   .233        Howard pr,lf        0   0   0   0     0   0   .251
Ashford ss            3   0   1   0     0   0   .213      Howe 2b               3   1   0   0     1   0   .256
Shirley p             2   1   1   0     0   1   .097      Metzger ss            4   1   2   3     0   0   .192
  Wehrmeister p       0   0   0   0     0   0   .167      Bannister p           3   0   0   0     0   2   .190
  Tomlin p            0   0   0   0     0   0   .333
  Rettenmund ph       1   0   0   0     0   0   .298
  Sawyer p            0   0   0   0     0   0   .150

Totals               30   1   7   1     3   3             Totals               31   7   9   7     3   6

Time of Game: 2:08   Attendance:  3,697
Left on Base: Padres 6, Astros 4
DP: Padres 2, Astros 1
Doubles: Shirley (2), Puhl (10), Cedeno (30), Watson (34)
Triples: Metzger (5)
Stolen Bases: Richards (42)
Caught Stealing: Winfield (7)
Sacrifice Flies: Ivie (4)
GIDP: Champion (8), Cruz (4), Metzger (5)
Hit by Pitch: Watson (7,by Wehrmeister)


Padres                 IP     H   R  ER  BB  SO  HR BFP    ERA
Shirley L(9-17)         5     5   3   3   0   6   0  20   3.80
Wehrmeister             0     1   2   2   1   0   0   3   5.18
Tomlin                  1     1   1   1   1   0   0   4   3.40
Sawyer                  2     2   1   1   1   0   0   8   5.60
Totals                  8     9   7   7   3   6   0  35

Astros                 IP     H   R  ER  BB  SO  HR BFP    ERA
Bannister W(6-8)        9     7   1   1   3   3   0  34   4.32
Totals                  9     7   1   1   3   3   0  34

Hit by Pitch: Wehrmeister (3)
Wild Pitches: Bannister (4)

Umpires: HP - Jerry Dale, 1B - Eric Gregg, 2B - Ed Montague, 3B - John Kibler


PADRES 1ST: Richards singled; Richards stole second; Bannister
threw a wild pitch [Richards to third]; Ivie walked; Roberts
made an out to second; Hendrick made an out to second; Winfield
walked [Ivie to second]; Tenace flied out to center; 0 R, 1 H, 0
E, 3 LOB.  Padres 0, Astros 0.

ASTROS 1ST: Puhl struck out; Cabell grounded out (third to
first); Cedeno struck out; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Padres 0,
Astros 0.

PADRES 2ND: Champion singled; Champion was picked off first
(pitcher to first to shortstop to pitcher); Ashford flied out to
right; Shirley struck out; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Padres 0,
Astros 0.

ASTROS 2ND: Watson grounded out (shortstop to first); Ferguson
grounded out (first unassisted); Cruz made an out to third; 0 R,
0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Padres 0, Astros 0.

PADRES 3RD: Richards flied out to left; Ivie struck out; Roberts
walked; Hendrick singled [Roberts to second]; Winfield grounded
out (shortstop to first); 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 2 LOB.  Padres 0,
Astros 0.

ASTROS 3RD: Howe grounded out (second to first); Metzger
singled; On a bunt Bannister struck out; Puhl singled [Metzger
to third]; Cabell singled [Metzger scored, Puhl to second];
Cedeno made an out to shortstop; 1 R, 3 H, 0 E, 2 LOB.  Padres
0, Astros 1.

PADRES 4TH: Tenace made an out to third; Champion grounded out
(third to first); Ashford flied out to right; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0
LOB.  Padres 0, Astros 1.

ASTROS 4TH: Watson made an out to shortstop; Ferguson struck
out; Cruz struck out; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Padres 0, Astros 1.

PADRES 5TH: Shirley doubled; Richards grounded out (second to
first) [Shirley to third]; Ivie hit a sacrifice fly to right
[Shirley scored]; Roberts flied out to left; 1 R, 1 H, 0 E, 0
LOB.  Padres 1, Astros 1.

ASTROS 5TH: Howe grounded out (shortstop to first); Metzger
grounded out (pitcher to first); Bannister struck out; 0 R, 0 H,
0 E, 0 LOB.  Padres 1, Astros 1.

PADRES 6TH: Hendrick singled; Winfield forced Hendrick
(shortstop to second); Winfield was caught stealing second
(catcher to shortstop); Tenace flied out to right; 0 R, 1 H, 0
E, 0 LOB.  Padres 1, Astros 1.

ASTROS 6TH: Puhl doubled; Cabell singled [Puhl to third, Cabell
to second (on throw to home)]; WEHRMEISTER REPLACED SHIRLEY
(PITCHING); Cedeno singled [Puhl scored, Cabell stayed at
second]; Watson was hit by a pitch [Cabell to third, Cedeno to
second]; Ferguson walked [Cabell scored, Cedeno to third, Watson
to second]; TOMLIN REPLACED WEHRMEISTER (PITCHING); Cruz
grounded into a double play (pitcher to catcher to first)
[Watson to third, Ferguson to second, Cedeno out at home]; Howe
was walked intentionally; Metzger tripled [Watson scored,
Ferguson scored, Howe scored]; Bannister grounded out (pitcher
to first); 5 R, 4 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Padres 1, Astros 6.

PADRES 7TH: Champion grounded out (third to first); Ashford
singled; RETTENMUND BATTED FOR TOMLIN; Rettenmund forced Ashford
(shortstop to second); Richards made an out to shortstop; 0 R, 1
H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Padres 1, Astros 6.

ASTROS 7TH: SAWYER REPLACED RETTENMUND (PITCHING); Puhl flied
out to left; Cabell grounded out (third to first); Cedeno
doubled; Watson doubled [Cedeno scored]; Ferguson flied out to
center; 1 R, 2 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Padres 1, Astros 7.

PADRES 8TH: Ivie grounded out (third to first); Roberts struck
out; Hendrick grounded out (shortstop to first); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E,
0 LOB.  Padres 1, Astros 7.

ASTROS 8TH: Cruz walked; HOWARD RAN FOR CRUZ; Howe flied out to
right; Metzger grounded into a double play (pitcher to shortstop
to first) [Howard out at second]; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Padres
1, Astros 7.

PADRES 9TH: HOWARD STAYED IN GAME (PLAYING LF); PUHL CHANGED
POSITIONS (PLAYING RF); Winfield flied out to center; Tenace
singled; Champion grounded into a double play (second to
shortstop to first) [Tenace out at second]; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 0
LOB.  Padres 1, Astros 7.