The Astros handed the Padres their third straight loss, 5-1, as Joe Niekro spaced four hits, drove in a pair of runs and scored two others. The first two Astros' runs were unearned. Joe Ferguson singled in the second inning and moved to second when left fielder Oscar Gamble booted the ball. After taking third on a single by Art Howe, Ferguson scored on Niekro's squeeze bunt.

Niekro reached first on the play and came around on a walk to Terry Puhl and single by Enos Cabell. Howe doubled in the eighth and scored on Niekro's single. Niekro was driven home by Cesar Cedeno's single. [The Sporting News]



Houston Astros 5, San Diego Padres 1
Game Played on Tuesday, April     18, 1978 (Night game) at San Diego Stadium
Astros       0  2  0    0  0  0    0  2  1  -   5 14  0
Padres       0  0  1    0  0  0    0  0  0  -   1  4  2


Astros               AB   R   H RBI    BB  SO    AVG      Padres               AB   R   H RBI    BB  SO    AVG
Puhl lf               5   0   1   0     1   1   .261      Richards 1b           3   1   0   0     1   1   .194
Cabell 3b             4   0   1   1     1   0   .300      Thomas 2b             4   0   1   0     0   0   .333
Cedeno cf             5   0   1   1     0   1   .333      Winfield rf           3   0   1   0     1   0   .294
Watson 1b             4   0   3   0     1   0   .293      Gamble lf             4   0   1   1     0   1   .194
  Bergman pr,1b       0   0   0   0     0   0   .000      Hendrick cf           3   0   0   0     1   1   .276
Cruz rf               4   0   0   0     1   0   .326      Sweet c               4   0   0   0     0   0   .000
Ferguson c            4   2   2   0     1   1   .231      Almon 3b              3   0   0   0     0   0   .308
Howe 2b               5   1   2   0     0   0   .302      Smith ss              3   0   1   0     0   0   .238
Metzger ss            5   0   2   1     0   1   .242      Shirley p             2   0   0   0     0   1   .000
Niekro p              3   2   2   2     0   0   .333        Turner ph           1   0   0   0     0   1   .250
                                                            Fingers p           0   0   0   0     0   0   .000
                                                            Lolich p            0   0   0   0     0   0   .000

Totals               39   5  14   5     5   4             Totals               30   1   4   1     3   5

Time of Game: 2:34   Attendance: 10,840
Left on Base: Astros 14, Padres 5
DP: Astros 0, Padres 0
Errors: Richards, Gamble
Doubles: Howe (5), Ferguson (2), Metzger (1), Thomas (3), Winfield (2)
Caught Stealing: Howe (1), Puhl (2)
Sacrifice Hits: Niekro 2 (3)


Astros                 IP     H   R  ER  BB  SO  HR BFP    ERA
Niekro W(1-1)           9     4   1   1   3   5   0  33   6.00
Totals                  9     4   1   1   3   5   0  33

Padres                 IP     H   R  ER  BB  SO  HR BFP    ERA
Shirley L(0-3)          7     8   2   0   4   4   0  33   4.76
Fingers                 0.2   4   2   2   1   0   0   7   4.15
Lolich                  1.1   2   1   1   0   0   0   6   1.42
Totals                  9    14   5   3   5   4   0  46

Umpires: HP - Bruce Froemming, 1B - Eric Gregg, 2B - Bill Williams, 3B - Dick Stello


ASTROS 1ST: Puhl reached on an error by Richards [Puhl to
first]; Cabell walked [Puhl to second]; Cedeno struck out;
Watson flied out to right [Puhl to third]; Cruz made an out to
second; 0 R, 0 H, 1 E, 2 LOB.  Astros 0, Padres 0.

PADRES 1ST: Richards flied out to center; Thomas grounded out
(third to first); Winfield flied out to left; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0
LOB.  Astros 0, Padres 0.

ASTROS 2ND: Ferguson singled to left [Ferguson to second (error
by Gamble)]; Howe singled [Ferguson to third]; Metzger struck
out; Niekro reached on a fielder's choice on a sacrifice bunt
[Ferguson scored (unearned), Howe to second]; Howe was picked
off and caught stealing third (pitcher to third) [Niekro to
second]; Puhl walked; Cabell singled [Niekro scored (unearned),
Puhl to third]; Puhl was picked off and caught stealing home
(pitcher to first to shortstop to catcher); 2 R (0 ER), 3 H, 1
E, 1 LOB.  Astros 2, Padres 0.

PADRES 2ND: Gamble grounded out (shortstop to first); Hendrick
walked; Sweet flied out to right; Almon out on an unknown play;
0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Astros 2, Padres 0.

ASTROS 3RD: Cedeno grounded out (shortstop to first); Watson
singled; Cruz flied out to right; Ferguson walked [Watson to
second]; Howe flied out to center; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 2 LOB.  Astros
2, Padres 0.

PADRES 3RD: Smith lined to third; Shirley struck out; Richards
walked; Thomas doubled [Richards to third]; Winfield walked;
Gamble singled [Richards scored, Thomas out at home (second to
catcher), Winfield to second]; 1 R, 2 H, 0 E, 2 LOB.  Astros 2,
Padres 1.

ASTROS 4TH: Metzger grounded out (third to first); Niekro
singled; Puhl struck out; Cabell grounded out (pitcher to
first); 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Astros 2, Padres 1.

PADRES 4TH: Hendrick struck out; Sweet grounded out (first to
pitcher); Almon grounded out (third to first); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0
LOB.  Astros 2, Padres 1.

ASTROS 5TH: Cedeno made an out to shortstop; Watson singled;
Cruz flied out to left; Ferguson struck out; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1
LOB.  Astros 2, Padres 1.

PADRES 5TH: Smith singled; Shirley grounded out (catcher to
first) [Smith to second]; Richards grounded out (first to
pitcher) [Smith to third]; Thomas flied out to left; 0 R, 1 H, 0
E, 1 LOB.  Astros 2, Padres 1.

ASTROS 6TH: Howe grounded out (shortstop to first); Metzger
singled; Niekro out on a sacrifice bunt (pitcher unassisted)
[Metzger to second]; Puhl flied out to right; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1
LOB.  Astros 2, Padres 1.

PADRES 6TH: Winfield doubled; Gamble struck out; Hendrick flied
out to left; Sweet made an out to first; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.
Astros 2, Padres 1.

ASTROS 7TH: Cabell grounded out (shortstop to first); Cedeno
grounded out (shortstop to first); Watson singled; Cruz walked
[Watson to second]; Ferguson flied out to right; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E,
2 LOB.  Astros 2, Padres 1.

PADRES 7TH: Almon grounded out (second to first); Smith made an
out to third; TURNER BATTED FOR SHIRLEY; Turner struck out; 0 R,
0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Astros 2, Padres 1.

ASTROS 8TH: FINGERS REPLACED TURNER (PITCHING); Howe doubled;
Metzger grounded out (second to pitcher) [Howe to third]; Niekro
singled [Howe scored]; Puhl singled [Niekro to second]; Cabell
made an out to second; Cedeno singled [Niekro scored, Puhl to
third, Cedeno to second (on throw)]; Watson was walked
intentionally; BERGMAN RAN FOR WATSON; LOLICH REPLACED FINGERS
(PITCHING); Cruz grounded out (first unassisted); 2 R, 4 H, 0 E,
3 LOB.  Astros 4, Padres 1.

PADRES 8TH: BERGMAN STAYED IN GAME (PLAYING 1B); Richards was
called out on strikes; Thomas flied out to right; Winfield flied
out to right; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Astros 4, Padres 1.

ASTROS 9TH: Ferguson doubled; Howe grounded out (third to
first); Metzger doubled [Ferguson scored]; Niekro flied out to
left; Puhl grounded out (second to first); 1 R, 2 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.
 Astros 5, Padres 1.

PADRES 9TH: Gamble made an out to shortstop; Hendrick grounded
out (shortstop to first); Sweet flied out to center; 0 R, 0 H, 0
E, 0 LOB.  Astros 5, Padres 1.