A four-run outburst in the fourth inning highlighted an 8-3 victory by the Astros over the Cubs. In the fourth frame, Denny Walling doubled and scored on a single by Jimmy Sexton. Sexton took second on the throw to the plate, advanced to third on a sacrifice and scored on a single by J.R. Richard. An infield single by Puhl and a hit batsman loaded the bases before Jose Cruz capped the rally with a two-run single. The win ended a six-game losing streak for the Astros. [The Sporting News]



Houston Astros 8, Chicago Cubs 3
Game Played on Monday, August    21, 1978 (Night game) at Astrodome
Cubs         0  0  0    0  0  0    0  3  0  -   3  6  0
Astros       0  2  0    4  0  0    2  0  x  -   8 13  0


Cubs                 AB   R   H RBI    BB  SO    AVG      Astros               AB   R   H RBI    BB  SO    AVG
Scott 3b              3   1   1   0     1   0   .286      Puhl cf               5   1   2   0     0   0   .295
Gross cf              3   1   1   0     1   0   .262      Gonzalez 2b           5   0   1   0     0   2   .238
Buckner 1b            4   0   1   2     0   1   .304      Cabell 1b             2   1   0   0     1   1   .289
Murcer rf             3   0   0   0     1   1   .276        Bochy c             1   0   0   0     0   0   .254
Biittner lf           3   0   2   0     0   1   .269      Cruz rf               4   2   4   4     0   0   .302
  Vail ph,lf          1   0   0   0     0   0   .304      Howe 3b               4   1   1   0     0   1   .290
Trillo 2b             3   0   0   0     0   0   .263      Walling lf            4   1   2   1     0   0   .241
  Kelleher 2b         1   0   0   0     0   1   .265      Sexton ss             3   1   2   2     1   0   .183
De Jesus ss           4   0   1   0     0   0   .266      Pujols c,1b           3   0   0   0     0   2   .124
Blackwell c           4   0   0   0     0   2   .208      Richard p             3   1   1   1     0   1   .163
R. Reuschel p         1   0   0   0     0   1   .111        Sambito p           1   0   0   0     0   1   .000
  Clines ph           1   0   0   0     0   1   .265
  Holtzman p          0   1   0   0     1   0   .333
  Johnson ph          1   0   0   0     0   1   .210

Totals               32   3   6   2     4   9             Totals               35   8  13   8     2   8

Time of Game: 2:27   Attendance:  9,906
Left on Base: Cubs 6, Astros 7
DP: Cubs 0, Astros 1
Doubles: Howe (32), Sexton (1), Walling (6)
Home Runs: Cruz (10)
Sacrifice Hits: Pujols (2)
GIDP: Gross (5)
Hit by Pitch: Cabell (3,by R. Reuschel)


Cubs                   IP     H   R  ER  BB  SO  HR BFP    ERA
R. Reuschel L(12-11)    5    10   6   6   0   4   0  25   3.05
Holtzman                3     3   2   2   2   4   1  14   5.40
Totals                  8    13   8   8   2   8   1  39

Astros                 IP     H   R  ER  BB  SO  HR BFP    ERA
Richard W(13-11)        7.2   5   3   3   4   6   0  31   3.03
Sambito                 1.1   1   0   0   0   3   0   5   2.61
Totals                  9     6   3   3   4   9   0  36

Hit by Pitch: R. Reuschel (5)
Wild Pitches: Sambito (1)

Umpires: HP - Lee Weyer, 1B - Ed Montague, 2B - Harry Wendelstedt, 3B - Dutch Rennert


CUBS 1ST: Scott lined to left; Gross lined to shortstop; Buckner
struck out; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Cubs 0, Astros 0.

ASTROS 1ST: Puhl grounded out (second to first); Gonzalez struck
out; Cabell struck out; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Cubs 0, Astros 0.

CUBS 2ND: Murcer flied out to center; Biittner struck out;
Trillo grounded out (second to first); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.
Cubs 0, Astros 0.

ASTROS 2ND: Cruz singled to shortstop; Howe doubled to right
[Cruz to third]; Walling singled to right [Cruz scored, Howe to
third]; Sexton doubled to left [Howe scored, Walling to third];
Pujols was called out on strikes; Richard reached on a fielder's
choice [Walling out at home (second to catcher), Sexton to
third]; Puhl grounded out (second to first); 2 R, 4 H, 0 E, 2
LOB.  Cubs 0, Astros 2.

CUBS 3RD: De Jesus lined to left; Blackwell popped to third; R.
Reuschel struck out; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Cubs 0, Astros 2.

ASTROS 3RD: Gonzalez grounded out (third to first); Cabell flied
out to center; Cruz singled to shortstop; Howe grounded out
(shortstop to first); 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Cubs 0, Astros 2.

CUBS 4TH: On a bunt Scott grounded out (pitcher to first); Gross
singled to center; Buckner lined to right; Murcer flied out to
right; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Cubs 0, Astros 2.

ASTROS 4TH: Walling doubled to right; Sexton singled to center
[Walling scored]; Pujols out on a sacrifice bunt (catcher to
first) [Sexton to third]; Richard singled to center [Sexton
scored]; Puhl singled to second [Richard to second]; Gonzalez
flied out to center; Cabell was hit by a pitch [Richard to
third, Puhl to second]; Cruz singled to right [Richard scored,
Puhl scored, Cabell to third, Cruz out at second (right to
shortstop to first to shortstop to first)]; 4 R, 5 H, 0 E, 1
LOB.  Cubs 0, Astros 6.

CUBS 5TH: Biittner singled to left; Trillo flied out to right;
De Jesus popped to first; Blackwell grounded out (first
unassisted); 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Cubs 0, Astros 6.

ASTROS 5TH: Howe was called out on strikes; Walling grounded out
(first unassisted); Sexton lined to left; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.
Cubs 0, Astros 6.

CUBS 6TH: CLINES BATTED FOR R. REUSCHEL; Clines struck out;
Scott singled to shortstop; Gross grounded into a double play
(second to first) [Scott out at second]; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.
Cubs 0, Astros 6.

ASTROS 6TH: HOLTZMAN REPLACED CLINES (PITCHING); Pujols lined to
shortstop; Richard struck out; Puhl singled to right; Gonzalez
struck out; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Cubs 0, Astros 6.

CUBS 7TH: Buckner grounded out (second to first); Murcer struck
out; Biittner singled to left; Trillo popped to center; 0 R, 1
H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Cubs 0, Astros 6.

ASTROS 7TH: Cabell walked; Cruz homered [Cabell scored]; Howe
grounded out (second to first); Walling flied out to center;
Sexton walked; Pujols struck out; 2 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Cubs 0,
Astros 8.

CUBS 8TH: BOCHY REPLACED CABELL (PLAYING C ); PUJOLS CHANGED
POSITIONS (PLAYING 1B); De Jesus grounded out (third to first);
Blackwell struck out; Holtzman walked; Scott walked [Holtzman to
second]; Gross walked [Holtzman to third, Scott to second];
Buckner singled to right [Holtzman scored, Scott scored, Gross
to second]; Murcer walked [Gross to third, Buckner to second];
SAMBITO REPLACED RICHARD (PITCHING); VAIL BATTED FOR BIITTNER;
Sambito threw a wild pitch [Gross scored, Buckner to third,
Murcer to second]; Vail lined to shortstop; 3 R, 1 H, 0 E, 2
LOB.  Cubs 3, Astros 8.

ASTROS 8TH: VAIL STAYED IN GAME (PLAYING LF); KELLEHER REPLACED
TRILLO (PLAYING 2B); Sambito struck out; Puhl popped to catcher
in foul territory; Gonzalez singled to center; Bochy grounded
out (first to pitcher); 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Cubs 3, Astros 8.

CUBS 9TH: Kelleher struck out; De Jesus singled to left;
Blackwell was called out on strikes; JOHNSON BATTED FOR
HOLTZMAN; Johnson struck out; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Cubs 3,
Astros 8.