Turning in a two-hit relief performance over 6 2/3 innings, Joe Niekro gained his first victory since May 13 when the Astros defeated the Cubs, 5-4. Niekro entered the game when a pulled leg muscle forced Joaquin Andujar off the mound.

The Cubs went ahead against Niekro, 4-2, with two runs in the fourth, but Bob Watson came to the rescue of his teammate, driving in one run with an infield out in the sixth and knocking in the tying and winning tallies with a double in the eighth. [The Sporting News]



Houston Astros 5, Chicago Cubs 4
Game Played on Saturday, June      17, 1978 (Night game) at Astrodome
Cubs         0  0  2    2  0  0    0  0  0  -   4  7  0
Astros       0  2  0    0  0  1    0  2  x  -   5  7  0


Cubs                 AB   R   H RBI    BB  SO    AVG      Astros               AB   R   H RBI    BB  SO    AVG
De Jesus ss           4   1   1   0     0   2   .269      Howard lf             4   0   0   0     0   3   .255
Gross cf              4   0   1   2     0   0   .297      Walling cf            3   0   0   0     1   0   .262
Buckner 1b            4   0   1   0     0   0   .307      Cabell 3b             4   2   2   0     0   0   .296
Murcer rf             4   0   0   0     0   1   .237      Cruz rf               3   1   1   0     1   0   .286
Biittner lf           4   0   1   0     0   0   .304      Watson 1b             4   1   2   3     0   0   .267
Ontiveros 3b          4   0   1   0     0   1   .201        Bergman pr,1b       0   0   0   0     0   0   .103
Trillo 2b             4   0   0   0     0   0   .264      Howe 2b               4   1   1   0     0   0   .278
Rader c               3   2   1   0     0   0   .234      Ferguson c            2   0   0   0     1   1   .222
  Kingman ph          1   0   0   0     0   1   .229      Fischlin ss           3   0   0   0     0   0   .000
Geisel p              1   0   0   0     0   1   .000      Andujar p             1   0   1   2     0   0   .130
  Meoli ph            1   1   1   1     0   0   .133        Niekro p            2   0   0   0     0   2   .231
  Moore p             1   0   0   0     0   1   .333
  Hernandez p         0   0   0   0     0   0   .000
  Sutter p            0   0   0   0     0   0   .000

Totals               35   4   7   3     0   7             Totals               30   5   7   5     3   6

Time of Game: 2:20   Attendance: 28,091
Left on Base: Cubs 4, Astros 4
DP: Cubs 1, Astros 0
Doubles: Howe (17), Andujar (1), Watson (9)
Triples: Ontiveros (3), Meoli (1)
Stolen Bases: Cabell 3 (11), Cruz (10)


Cubs                   IP     H   R  ER  BB  SO  HR BFP    ERA
Geisel                  3     4   2   2   2   2   0  14   4.50
Moore                   4     1   1   1   0   4   0  13   4.36
Hernandez L(5-2)        0.2   1   2   2   1   0   0   4   3.82
Sutter                  0.1   1   0   0   0   0   0   2   1.63
Totals                  8     7   5   5   3   6   0  33

Astros                 IP     H   R  ER  BB  SO  HR BFP    ERA
Andujar                 2.1   5   2   2   0   2   0  12   3.07
Niekro W(3-4)           6.2   2   2   1   0   5   0  23   6.84
Totals                  9     7   4   3   0   7   0  35

Passed Balls: Ferguson (5)
Wild Pitches: Niekro (2)
Balks: Andujar (3)

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


CUBS 1ST: De Jesus struck out; Gross grounded out (first to
pitcher); Buckner flied out to right; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.
Cubs 0, Astros 0.

ASTROS 1ST: Howard struck out; Walling flied out to left; Cabell
flied out to right; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Cubs 0, Astros 0.

CUBS 2ND: Murcer grounded out (pitcher to first); Biittner
singled; Ontiveros flied out to left; Trillo flied out to right;
0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Cubs 0, Astros 0.

ASTROS 2ND: Cruz flied out to center; Watson singled; Howe
doubled [Watson to third]; Ferguson was walked intentionally;
Fischlin flied out to right; Andujar doubled [Watson scored,
Howe scored, Ferguson to third]; Howard struck out; 2 R, 3 H, 0
E, 2 LOB.  Cubs 0, Astros 2.

CUBS 3RD: Rader singled; Geisel struck out; De Jesus singled
[Rader to second]; Andujar balked [Rader to third, De Jesus to
second]; Gross singled [Rader scored, De Jesus scored]; Buckner
singled [Gross to second]; Joaquin Andujar pulled right
hamstring on balk; NIEKRO REPLACED ANDUJAR (PITCHING);
Murcer flied out to center; Biittner flied out to center; 2 R, 4
H, 0 E, 2 LOB.  Cubs 2, Astros 2.

ASTROS 3RD: Walling walked; Cabell lined into a double play
(second to first) [Walling out at first]; Cruz singled; Watson
forced Cruz (shortstop to second); 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Cubs
2, Astros 2.

CUBS 4TH: Ontiveros tripled; Trillo made an out to second; Rader
reached on a fielder's choice [Ontiveros out at home (second to
catcher)]; MEOLI BATTED FOR GEISEL; Meoli tripled [Rader
scored]; Ferguson allowed a passed ball [Meoli scored
(unearned)]; De Jesus struck out; 2 R (1 ER), 2 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.
Cubs 4, Astros 2.

ASTROS 4TH: MOORE REPLACED MEOLI (PITCHING); Howe made an out to
second; Ferguson grounded out (third to first); Fischlin
grounded out (shortstop to first); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Cubs
4, Astros 2.

CUBS 5TH: Gross grounded out (second to first); Buckner flied
out to right; Murcer grounded out (second to first); 0 R, 0 H, 0
E, 0 LOB.  Cubs 4, Astros 2.

ASTROS 5TH: Niekro struck out; Howard struck out; Walling flied
out to left; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Cubs 4, Astros 2.

CUBS 6TH: Biittner flied out to right; Ontiveros grounded out
(second to first); Trillo made an out to third; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0
LOB.  Cubs 4, Astros 2.

ASTROS 6TH: Cabell singled; Cabell stole second; Cruz flied out
to right [Cabell to third]; Watson grounded out (second to
pitcher) [Cabell scored]; Howe grounded out (third to first); 1
R, 1 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Cubs 4, Astros 3.

CUBS 7TH: Rader grounded out (second to first); Moore struck
out; De Jesus grounded out (second to first); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0
LOB.  Cubs 4, Astros 3.

ASTROS 7TH: Ferguson struck out; Fischlin grounded out (third to
first); Niekro struck out; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Cubs 4, Astros
3.

CUBS 8TH: Gross flied out to center; Buckner grounded out (first
unassisted); Murcer struck out; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Cubs 4,
Astros 3.

ASTROS 8TH: HERNANDEZ REPLACED MOORE (PITCHING); Howard grounded
out (second to first); Walling grounded out (second to first);
Cabell singled; Cabell stole second; Cruz walked; SUTTER
REPLACED HERNANDEZ (PITCHING); Cabell stole third and Cruz stole
second; Watson doubled [Cabell scored, Cruz scored]; BERGMAN RAN
FOR WATSON; Howe grounded out (third to first); 2 R, 2 H, 0 E, 1
LOB.  Cubs 4, Astros 5.

CUBS 9TH: BERGMAN STAYED IN GAME (PLAYING 1B); Biittner grounded
out (second to first); Ontiveros struck out but advanced to
first on a wild pitch; Trillo grounded out (third to first)
[Ontiveros to second]; KINGMAN BATTED FOR RADER; Kingman struck
out; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Cubs 4, Astros 5.