Gaining his second straight complete-game victory over the Phillies, J.R. Richard spun a two-hitter to carry the Astros to a 5-0 triumph. Bob Watson unloaded a two-run homer in the fourth inning after Cesar Cedeno walked. The first Astro run came in the opening frame on a single by Cedeno and double by Jose Cruz.

A throwing error by catcher Bob Boone allowed two more runs to score in the fifth after the Astros loaded the bases with singles by Terry Puhl and Enos Cabell and a pass to Cedeno. Richard, who gave up only back-to-back singles by Richie Hebner and Garry Maddox in the fifth, struck out nine to run his league-leading total to 66. [The Sporting News]



Houston Astros 5, Philadelphia Phillies 0
Game Played on Monday, May       15, 1978 (Night game) at Astrodome
Phillies     0  0  0    0  0  0    0  0  0  -   0  2  2
Astros       1  0  0    2  2  0    0  0  x  -   5 11  0


Phillies             AB   R   H RBI    BB  SO    AVG      Astros               AB   R   H RBI    BB  SO    AVG
McBride rf            4   0   0   0     0   3   .270      Puhl lf               3   0   1   0     1   0   .297
  Garber p            0   0   0   0     0   0   .000      Cabell 3b             4   1   1   0     0   0   .250
Bowa ss               4   0   0   0     0   2   .296      Cedeno cf             2   3   2   0     2   0   .289
Johnstone 1b          4   0   0   0     0   1   .160      Cruz rf               4   0   1   1     0   0   .275
Luzinski lf           3   0   0   0     1   0   .293      Watson 1b             4   1   2   2     0   0   .280
Hebner 3b             3   0   1   0     0   0   .299      Howe 2b               4   0   2   0     0   1   .278
Maddox cf             3   0   1   0     0   2   .281      Ferguson c            4   0   1   0     0   0   .227
Boone c               2   0   0   0     0   0   .257      Metzger ss            4   0   1   0     0   0   .243
  Foote c             1   0   0   0     0   1   .286      Richard p             4   0   0   0     0   1   .050
Harrelson 2b          2   0   0   0     0   0   .308
  Brusstar p          0   0   0   0     0   0   .000
  Martin ph,rf        0   0   0   0     1   0   .211
Lonborg p             0   0   0   0     1   0   .214
  Morrison 2b         2   0   0   0     0   0   .186

Totals               28   0   2   0     3   9             Totals               33   5  11   3     3   2

Time of Game: 2:14   Attendance:  9,943
Left on Base: Phillies 4, Astros 7
DP: Phillies 2, Astros 0
Errors: Boone 2
Doubles: Cruz (7), Howe (10)
Home Runs: Watson (5)
Stolen Bases: Cedeno 2 (14)
Caught Stealing: Lonborg (1)
GIDP: Cabell (6)


Phillies               IP     H   R  ER  BB  SO  HR BFP    ERA
Lonborg L(4-3)          4     5   3   3   1   0   1  18   3.83
Brusstar                3     5   2   1   2   2   0  14   2.30
Garber                  1     1   0   0   0   0   0   4   1.06
Totals                  8    11   5   4   3   2   1  36

Astros                 IP     H   R  ER  BB  SO  HR BFP    ERA
Richard W(3-3)          9     2   0   0   3   9   0  31   4.04
Totals                  9     2   0   0   3   9   0  31

Wild Pitches: Lonborg (1), Richard (3)

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


PHILLIES 1ST: McBride lined to second; Bowa struck out;
Johnstone lined to second; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Phillies 0,
Astros 0.

ASTROS 1ST: Puhl grounded out (second to first); Cabell flied
out to left; Cedeno singled to left; Cedeno stole second [Cedeno
to third (error by Boone)]; Cruz doubled to left [Cedeno
scored]; Watson grounded out (third to first); 1 R, 2 H, 1 E, 1
LOB.  Phillies 0, Astros 1.

PHILLIES 2ND: Luzinski lined to left; Hebner flied out to right;
Maddox was called out on strikes; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.
Phillies 0, Astros 1.

ASTROS 2ND: Howe grounded out (third to first); Ferguson flied
out to right; Metzger grounded out (pitcher to first); 0 R, 0 H,
0 E, 0 LOB.  Phillies 0, Astros 1.

PHILLIES 3RD: Boone flied out to left; Harrelson grounded out
(first to pitcher); Lonborg walked; Lonborg was caught stealing
second (catcher to shortstop); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Phillies
0, Astros 1.

ASTROS 3RD: Richard grounded out (shortstop to first); Puhl
grounded out (third to first); Cabell flied out to left; 0 R, 0
H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Phillies 0, Astros 1.

PHILLIES 4TH: McBride struck out; Bowa grounded out (shortstop
to first); Johnstone struck out; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Phillies
0, Astros 1.

ASTROS 4TH: Cedeno walked; Lonborg threw a wild pitch [Cedeno to
second]; Cruz flied out to right [Cedeno to third]; Watson
homered [Cedeno scored]; On a bunt Howe singled to third;
Ferguson singled to center [Howe to second]; Metzger forced
Ferguson (first to shortstop) [Howe to third]; Richard forced
Metzger (third to second); 2 R, 3 H, 0 E, 2 LOB.  Phillies 0,
Astros 3.

PHILLIES 5TH: Luzinski flied out to right; Hebner singled to
right; Maddox singled to left [Hebner to second]; Richard threw
a wild pitch [Hebner to third, Maddox to second]; Boone made an
out to shortstop; Harrelson flied out to left; 0 R, 2 H, 0 E, 2
LOB.  Phillies 0, Astros 3.

ASTROS 5TH: BRUSSTAR REPLACED HARRELSON (PITCHING); MORRISON
REPLACED LONBORG (PLAYING 2B); Puhl singled to left; Cabell
singled to right [Puhl to second]; Cedeno walked [Puhl to third,
Cabell to second]; Cruz forced Puhl (shortstop to catcher)
[Cabell scored (error by Boone) (unearned) (no RBI), Cedeno
scored (no RBI), Cruz to second]; Watson singled to center [Cruz
to third]; Howe was called out on strikes; Ferguson grounded out
(pitcher to first); 2 R (1 ER), 3 H, 1 E, 2 LOB.  Phillies 0,
Astros 5.

PHILLIES 6TH: Morrison flied out to left; McBride struck out;
Bowa grounded out (pitcher to first); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.
Phillies 0, Astros 5.

ASTROS 6TH: Metzger singled to left; On a bunt Richard struck
out; Puhl walked [Metzger to second]; Cabell grounded into a
double play (shortstop to second to first) [Puhl out at second];
0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Phillies 0, Astros 5.

PHILLIES 7TH: Johnstone lined to second; Luzinski walked; Hebner
flied out to center; Maddox struck out; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.
Phillies 0, Astros 5.

ASTROS 7TH: Cedeno singled to left; Warren Brusstar thought
he had struck out Cesar Cedeno on a pitch that was called a ball
by HP umpire Bruce Froemming; after Cedeno singled, Brusstar
yelled at Froemming, who came out from behind the plate and
walked toward Brusstar; catcher Bob Boone ran in front of
Froemming and there was contact between the two; Boone ejected
by Froemming; FOOTE REPLACED BOONE (PLAYING C ); Cedeno
stole second; Cruz flied out to right; Watson hit into a double
play (third to first to third) [Cedeno out at third]; 0 R, 1 H,
0 E, 0 LOB.  Phillies 0, Astros 5.

PHILLIES 8TH: Foote struck out; MARTIN BATTED FOR BRUSSTAR;
Martin walked; Morrison grounded out (second to first) [Martin
to second]; McBride was called out on strikes; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 1
LOB.  Phillies 0, Astros 5.

ASTROS 8TH: MARTIN STAYED IN GAME (PLAYING RF); GARBER REPLACED
MCBRIDE (PITCHING); Howe doubled to right; Ferguson grounded out
(shortstop to first); Metzger grounded out (second to first)
[Howe to third]; Richard lined to second; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.
Phillies 0, Astros 5.

PHILLIES 9TH: Bowa was called out on strikes; Johnstone grounded
out (second to pitcher); Luzinski made an out to second; 0 R, 0
H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Phillies 0, Astros 5.