Snapping a string of 25 scoreless innings, the Astros eked out a 1-0 triumph over the Giants with a run in the ninth. Jimmy Sexton drew a one-out walk from Vida Blue to pave the way for the tally. A single by Enos Cabell moved the runner to third and Blue was replaced on the mound by Randy Moffitt.

Bob Watson received an intentional pass and Jesus Alou then hit a fly to medium left. Terry Whitfield caught the ball but his throw to the plate hit Sexton in the back. Mark Lemongello scattered seven hits in pitching his first shutout of the season. [The Sporting News]



Houston Astros 1, San Francisco Giants 0
Game Played on Wednesday, May       31, 1978 (Night game) at Astrodome
Giants       0  0  0    0  0  0    0  0  0  -   0  7  0
Astros       0  0  0    0  0  0    0  0  1  -   1  5  0


Giants               AB   R   H RBI    BB  SO    AVG      Astros               AB   R   H RBI    BB  SO    AVG
Madlock 2b            4   0   4   0     0   0   .310      Puhl cf               4   0   0   0     0   0   .322
Whitfield lf          2   0   0   0     0   0   .288      Sexton ss             3   1   0   0     1   2   .185
Clark rf              4   0   0   0     0   0   .322      Cabell 3b             4   0   3   0     0   0   .286
Evans 3b              3   0   0   0     1   0   .259      Watson 1b             3   0   0   0     1   1   .265
Ivie 1b               4   0   1   0     0   0   .384      Alou lf               3   0   0   1     0   0   .250
Herndon cf            4   0   1   0     0   0   .258      Howe 2b               3   0   2   0     0   0   .281
Harris ss             4   0   0   0     0   0   .061      Cruz rf               3   0   0   0     0   0   .283
Hill c                3   0   1   0     0   0   .205      Baldwin c             3   0   0   0     0   0   .000
Blue p                3   0   0   0     0   1   .192      Lemongello p          3   0   0   0     0   1   .111
  Moffitt p           0   0   0   0     0   0   .333

Totals               31   0   7   0     1   1             Totals               29   1   5   1     2   4

Time of Game: 1:54   Attendance: 11,400
Left on Base: Giants 7, Astros 5
DP: Giants 0, Astros 0
Doubles: Madlock (6), Hill (5)
Stolen Bases: Ivie (2)
Caught Stealing: Cabell (5)
Sacrifice Hits: Whitfield 2 (8)
Sacrifice Flies: Alou (1)


Giants                 IP     H   R  ER  BB  SO  HR BFP    ERA
Blue L(6-3)             8.1   5   1   1   1   4   0  30   2.66
Moffitt                 0.1   0   0   0   1   0   0   2   2.39
Totals                  8.2   5   1   1   2   4   0  32

Astros                 IP     H   R  ER  BB  SO  HR BFP    ERA
Lemongello W(5-5)       9     7   0   0   1   1   0  34   3.56
Totals                  9     7   0   0   1   1   0  34

Wild Pitches: Lemongello (3)

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


GIANTS 1ST: Madlock doubled to center; Whitfield grounded out
(third to first); Clark made an out to third; Evans grounded out
(second to first); 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Giants 0, Astros 0.

ASTROS 1ST: Puhl grounded out (third to first); Sexton struck
out; Cabell singled to left; Cabell was picked off and caught
stealing second (pitcher to first to shortstop); 0 R, 1 H, 0 E,
0 LOB.  Giants 0, Astros 0.

GIANTS 2ND: Ivie singled to left; Ivie stole second; Lemongello
threw a wild pitch [Ivie to third]; Herndon made an out to
second; Harris flied out to center; Hill grounded out (shortstop
to first); 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Giants 0, Astros 0.

ASTROS 2ND: Watson struck out; Alou grounded out (second to
first); Howe singled to right; Cruz forced Howe (shortstop
unassisted); 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Giants 0, Astros 0.

GIANTS 3RD: Blue made an out to third; Madlock singled to left;
Whitfield flied out to right; Clark flied out to center; 0 R, 1
H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Giants 0, Astros 0.

ASTROS 3RD: Baldwin flied out to center; Lemongello struck out;
Puhl made an out to shortstop; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Giants 0,
Astros 0.

GIANTS 4TH: Evans lined to second; Ivie grounded out (third to
first); Herndon grounded out (second to first); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0
LOB.  Giants 0, Astros 0.

ASTROS 4TH: Sexton flied out to center; Cabell singled; Watson
forced Cabell (second to shortstop); Alou flied out to right; 0
R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Giants 0, Astros 0.

GIANTS 5TH: Harris grounded out (first unassisted); Hill
grounded out (second to first); Blue grounded out (first
unassisted); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Giants 0, Astros 0.

ASTROS 5TH: Howe grounded out (shortstop to first); Cruz
grounded out (second to first); Baldwin flied out to center; 0
R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Giants 0, Astros 0.

GIANTS 6TH: Madlock singled to center; Whitfield out on a
sacrifice bunt (pitcher to first) [Madlock to second]; Clark
flied out to center; Evans walked; Ivie forced Evans (shortstop
to second); 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 2 LOB.  Giants 0, Astros 0.

ASTROS 6TH: Lemongello grounded out (second to first); Puhl
flied out to right; Sexton struck out; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.
Giants 0, Astros 0.

GIANTS 7TH: Herndon singled to center; Herndon was picked off
first (pitcher to first); Harris grounded out (shortstop to
first); Hill doubled to right; Blue struck out; 0 R, 2 H, 0 E, 1
LOB.  Giants 0, Astros 0.

ASTROS 7TH: Cabell grounded out (shortstop to first); Watson
flied out to right; Alou flied out to center; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0
LOB.  Giants 0, Astros 0.

GIANTS 8TH: Madlock singled to left; Whitfield out on a
sacrifice bunt (third to second) [Madlock to second]; Clark
popped to catcher in foul territory; Evans grounded out (second
to first); 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Giants 0, Astros 0.

ASTROS 8TH: Howe singled to center; Cruz popped to third in foul
territory; Baldwin flied out to center; Lemongello grounded out
(second to first); 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Giants 0, Astros 0.

GIANTS 9TH: Ivie made an out to third; Herndon grounded out
(third to first); Harris flied out to center; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0
LOB.  Giants 0, Astros 0.

ASTROS 9TH: Puhl grounded out (first unassisted); Sexton walked;
Cabell singled to right [Sexton to third]; MOFFITT REPLACED BLUE
(PITCHING); Watson was walked intentionally [Cabell to second];
Alou out on a sacrifice fly to left in foul territory [Sexton
scored]; 1 R, 1 H, 0 E, 2 LOB.  Giants 0, Astros 1.