A throwing error by catcher Bob Boone gave the Astros two runs and that was all they needed to subdue the Phillies, 2-1. The error came after the Astros loaded the bases with one out in the third inning on a walk to Joe Ferguson, double by Roger Metzger and walk to Terry Puhl. Enos Cabell then grounded to third and Mike Schmidt threw home to force Ferguson. But Boone's relay to first in an attempt for a double play went into right field and two runs scored.

A double by Richie Hebner drove in the Phillies' run in the fourth. Joaquin Andujar allowed the Phils two hits in five innings but left the game with a rib cage tear after throwing one pitch in the sixth. Tom Dixon earned the save with four scoreless innings of relief. The victory was the fifth straight for the Astros, while the Phillies took their fifth loss in last the six games. [The Sporting News]



Houston Astros 2, Philadelphia Phillies 1
Game Played on Wednesday, May       17, 1978 (Night game) at Astrodome
Phillies     0  0  0    1  0  0    0  0  0  -   1  5  1
Astros       0  0  2    0  0  0    0  0  x  -   2  5  1


Phillies             AB   R   H RBI    BB  SO    AVG      Astros               AB   R   H RBI    BB  SO    AVG
McBride rf            3   0   1   0     1   0   .278      Puhl lf               3   1   2   0     1   1   .312
Bowa ss               4   0   0   0     0   1   .282      Cabell 3b             4   0   1   0     0   0   .248
Schmidt 3b            4   1   2   0     0   1   .292      Cedeno cf             4   0   0   0     0   0   .279
Luzinski lf           4   0   0   0     0   3   .274      Watson 1b             3   0   0   0     0   0   .283
Hebner 1b             4   0   1   1     0   0   .286      Howe 2b               3   0   1   0     0   0   .283
Maddox cf             3   0   1   0     1   0   .279      Cruz rf               3   0   0   0     0   1   .270
Boone c               3   0   0   0     1   0   .243      Ferguson c            2   0   0   0     1   0   .217
Harrelson 2b          2   0   0   0     1   1   .278      Metzger ss            3   1   1   0     0   0   .247
  Johnstone ph        1   0   0   0     0   0   .154      Andujar p             2   0   0   0     0   2   .067
Lerch p               3   0   0   0     0   1   .267        Dixon p             1   0   0   0     0   0   .333

Totals               31   1   5   1     4   7             Totals               28   2   5   0     2   4

Time of Game: 2:14   Attendance: 11,856
Left on Base: Phillies 7, Astros 4
DP: Phillies 1, Astros 1
Errors: Boone, Ferguson
Doubles: Hebner (5), Metzger (4), Howe (11)
Stolen Bases: Maddox (8), Schmidt (4), McBride (4)
GIDP: Lerch (1), Cedeno (4)


Phillies               IP     H   R  ER  BB  SO  HR BFP    ERA
Lerch L(3-3)            8     5   2   0   2   4   0  30   3.66
Totals                  8     5   2   0   2   4   0  30

Astros                 IP     H   R  ER  BB  SO  HR BFP    ERA
Andujar W(3-2)          5     2   1   1   3   5   0  20   2.10
Dixon SV(1)             4     3   0   0   1   2   0  15   2.70
Totals                  9     5   1   1   4   7   0  35

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


PHILLIES 1ST: McBride grounded out (second to first); Bowa flied
out to right; Schmidt struck out; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.
Phillies 0, Astros 0.

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

PHILLIES 2ND: Luzinski flied out to center; Hebner flied out to
right; Maddox walked; Maddox stole second; Boone walked;
Harrelson struck out; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 2 LOB.  Phillies 0, Astros
0.

ASTROS 2ND: Watson flied out to center; Howe grounded out
(shortstop to first); Cruz grounded out (shortstop to first); 0
R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Phillies 0, Astros 0.

PHILLIES 3RD: Lerch grounded out (shortstop to first); McBride
grounded out (first to pitcher); Bowa grounded out (second to
first); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Phillies 0, Astros 0.

ASTROS 3RD: Ferguson walked; Metzger doubled to center [Ferguson
to third]; Andujar struck out; Puhl walked; Cabell forced
Ferguson (third to catcher) [Metzger scored (error by Boone)
(unearned) (no RBI), Puhl scored (unearned) (no RBI), Cabell to
third]; Cedeno grounded out (catcher to first); 2 R (0 ER), 1 H,
1 E, 1 LOB.  Phillies 0, Astros 2.

PHILLIES 4TH: Schmidt singled to third; Schmidt stole second
[Schmidt to third (error by Ferguson)]; Luzinski struck out;
Hebner doubled to left [Schmidt scored]; Maddox flied out to
center [Hebner to third]; Boone flied out to left; 1 R, 2 H, 1
E, 1 LOB.  Phillies 1, Astros 2.

ASTROS 4TH: Watson grounded out (shortstop to first); Howe
doubled to left; Cruz grounded out (first to pitcher) [Howe to
third]; Ferguson grounded out (shortstop to first); 0 R, 1 H, 0
E, 1 LOB.  Phillies 1, Astros 2.

PHILLIES 5TH: Harrelson grounded out (second to first); Lerch
was called out on strikes; McBride walked; Bowa struck out; 0 R,
0 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Phillies 1, Astros 2.

ASTROS 5TH: Metzger grounded out (second to first); Andujar
struck out; Joaquin Andujar injured during AB; Puhl
singled to pitcher; Cabell flied out to left; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1
LOB.  Phillies 1, Astros 2.

PHILLIES 6TH: DIXON REPLACED ANDUJAR (PITCHING); Schmidt singled
to left; Luzinski struck out; Hebner made an out to second;
Maddox singled to right [Schmidt to second]; Boone lined to
left; 0 R, 2 H, 0 E, 2 LOB.  Phillies 1, Astros 2.

ASTROS 6TH: Cedeno flied out to center; Watson flied out to
center; Howe grounded out (shortstop to first); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0
LOB.  Phillies 1, Astros 2.

PHILLIES 7TH: Harrelson walked; Lerch grounded into a double
play (second to shortstop to first) [Harrelson out at second];
McBride singled to right; McBride stole second; Bowa flied out
to right; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Phillies 1, Astros 2.

ASTROS 7TH: Cruz struck out; Ferguson flied out to center;
Metzger grounded out (shortstop to first); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.
 Phillies 1, Astros 2.

PHILLIES 8TH: Schmidt flied out to right; Luzinski struck out;
Hebner made an out to second; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Phillies 1,
Astros 2.

ASTROS 8TH: Dixon grounded out (third to first); Puhl singled to
right; Cabell singled to center [Puhl to third]; Cedeno grounded
into a double play (second to shortstop to first) [Cabell out at
second]; 0 R, 2 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Phillies 1, Astros 2.

PHILLIES 9TH: Maddox grounded out (second to first); Boone flied
out to left; JOHNSTONE BATTED FOR HARRELSON; Johnstone flied out
to center; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Phillies 1, Astros 2.