Pinch-hitter Wilbur Howard doubled home a run and then scored on pinch-hitter Jesus Alou's single to lift the Astros to a 3-2 triumph over the Padres. The Astros trailed, 2-1, going into the bottom of the seventh when Denny Walling smacked a leadoff triple. Howard drove him home with a two-bagger. After a sacrifice bunt, Howard scored on Alou's looping hit to right. J.R. Richard gave up two runs in the first frame and blanked the Padres the rest of the way in pitching his 15th complete game in 32 starts. [The Sporting News]



Houston Astros 3, San Diego Padres 2
Game Played on Sunday, September 10, 1978 (Day game) at Astrodome
Padres       2  0  0    0  0  0    0  0  0  -   2  8  0
Astros       0  1  0    0  0  0    2  0  x  -   3 10  0


Padres               AB   R   H RBI    BB  SO    AVG      Astros               AB   R   H RBI    BB  SO    AVG
Richards lf           4   1   2   0     0   1   .299      Landestoy ss          3   0   0   0     0   0   .278
Smith ss              4   1   2   0     0   0   .267        Alou ph             1   0   1   1     0   0   .331
Perkins 1b            4   0   2   1     0   0   .235        Sexton pr,ss        0   0   0   0     0   0   .188
  Almon pr            0   0   0   0     0   0   .255      Gonzalez 2b           4   0   1   0     0   0   .238
  Tenace 1b           0   0   0   0     0   0   .221      Puhl cf               4   0   1   0     0   0   .299
Winfield rf           3   0   1   1     1   1   .299      Cruz rf               3   0   1   0     1   0   .313
Turner cf             3   0   0   0     1   1   .280      Cabell 3b             4   1   2   0     0   0   .293
Thomas 3b             2   0   0   0     0   0   .229      Watson 1b             3   0   1   0     1   0   .297
  Evans 3b            2   0   0   0     0   2   .308        Bergman pr,1b       0   0   0   0     0   0   .234
Roberts c             3   0   0   0     0   2   .221      Walling lf            4   1   2   1     0   0   .263
  Reynolds ph         1   0   0   0     0   1   .256      Bochy c               2   0   0   0     0   0   .257
Baker 2b              3   0   0   0     0   2   .220        Howard ph           1   1   1   1     0   0   .252
  Gamble ph           1   0   0   0     0   1   .276        Pujols c            0   0   0   0     0   0   .125
Rasmussen p           3   0   1   0     0   0   .136      Richard p             2   0   0   0     0   1   .169
  Shirley p           0   0   0   0     0   0   .135

Totals               33   2   8   2     2  11             Totals               31   3  10   3     2   1

Time of Game: 2:23   Attendance:  5,720
Left on Base: Padres 6, Astros 7
DP: Padres 2, Astros 0
Doubles: Howard (4), Cruz (29)
Triples: Walling (3)
Stolen Bases: Turner (3), Gonzalez (5)
Caught Stealing: Richards (17)
Sacrifice Hits: Richard (5)
GIDP: Bochy (8), Gonzalez (6)


Padres                 IP     H   R  ER  BB  SO  HR BFP    ERA
Rasmussen L(14-12)      6.1   8   3   2   1   1   0  27   3.97
Shirley                 1.2   2   0   0   1   0   0   7   3.90
Totals                  8    10   3   2   2   1   0  34

Astros                 IP     H   R  ER  BB  SO  HR BFP    ERA
Richard W(16-11)        9     8   2   2   2  11   0  35   3.17
Totals                  9     8   2   2   2  11   0  35

Passed Balls: Roberts (3)
Balks: Rasmussen (5)

Umpires: HP - Joe West, 1B - Bill Williams, 2B - Dick Stello, 3B - Bruce Froemming


PADRES 1ST: Richards singled; Smith singled [Richards to
second]; Perkins singled [Richards scored, Smith to second];
Winfield singled to center [Smith scored, Perkins out at third
(center to third), Winfield to second (on throw to 3b)]; Turner
struck out; Thomas grounded out (second to first); 2 R, 4 H, 0
E, 1 LOB.  Padres 2, Astros 0.

ASTROS 1ST: Landestoy grounded out (second to first); Gonzalez
singled; Gonzalez stole second; Puhl reached on a fielder's
choice [Gonzalez out at third (pitcher to third)]; Cruz grounded
out (second to first); 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Padres 2, Astros 0.

PADRES 2ND: Roberts struck out; Baker struck out; Rasmussen
grounded out (third to first); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Padres 2,
Astros 0.

ASTROS 2ND: Cabell singled; Roberts allowed a passed ball
[Cabell to second]; Watson flied out to right [Cabell to third];
Walling grounded out (second to first) [Cabell scored
(unearned)]; Bochy grounded out (pitcher to first); 1 R (0 ER),
1 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Padres 2, Astros 1.

PADRES 3RD: Richards singled; Richards was caught stealing
second (catcher to second); Smith grounded out (first
unassisted); Perkins grounded out (second to first); 0 R, 1 H, 0
E, 0 LOB.  Padres 2, Astros 1.

ASTROS 3RD: Richard struck out; Landestoy grounded out
(shortstop to first); Gonzalez grounded out (first to pitcher);
0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Padres 2, Astros 1.

PADRES 4TH: Winfield walked; Turner flied to right in foul
territory; Thomas popped to third in foul territory; Roberts
struck out; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Padres 2, Astros 1.

ASTROS 4TH: Puhl made an out to shortstop; Cruz grounded out
(third to first); Cabell grounded out (third to first); 0 R, 0
H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Padres 2, Astros 1.

PADRES 5TH: Baker struck out; Rasmussen singled; Richards made
an out to shortstop; Smith singled [Rasmussen to second];
Perkins grounded out (second to first); 0 R, 2 H, 0 E, 2 LOB.
Padres 2, Astros 1.

ASTROS 5TH: EVANS REPLACED THOMAS (PLAYING 3B); Watson singled;
Walling singled [Watson to second]; Bochy grounded into a double
play (shortstop to second to first) [Watson to third, Walling
out at second]; Richard made an out to third; 0 R, 2 H, 0 E, 1
LOB.  Padres 2, Astros 1.

PADRES 6TH: Winfield grounded out (shortstop to first); Turner
walked; Turner stole second; Evans struck out; Roberts flied out
to left; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Padres 2, Astros 1.

ASTROS 6TH: Landestoy flied out to right; Gonzalez grounded out
(shortstop to first); Puhl singled; Rasmussen balked [Puhl to
second]; Cruz walked; Cabell singled [Puhl to third, Cruz to
second]; Watson popped to catcher in foul territory; 0 R, 2 H, 0
E, 3 LOB.  Padres 2, Astros 1.

PADRES 7TH: Baker grounded out (second to first); Rasmussen
flied out to left; Richards struck out; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.
Padres 2, Astros 1.

ASTROS 7TH: Walling tripled; HOWARD BATTED FOR BOCHY; Howard
doubled [Walling scored]; Richard out on a sacrifice bunt
(pitcher to second) [Howard to third]; SHIRLEY REPLACED
RASMUSSEN (PITCHING); ALOU BATTED FOR LANDESTOY; Alou singled
[Howard scored]; SEXTON RAN FOR ALOU; Gonzalez grounded into a
double play (second to first to shortstop) [Sexton out at
second]; 2 R, 3 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Padres 2, Astros 3.

PADRES 8TH: SEXTON STAYED IN GAME (PLAYING SS); PUJOLS REPLACED
HOWARD (PLAYING C ); Smith grounded out (second to first);
Perkins singled; ALMON RAN FOR PERKINS; Winfield struck out;
Turner forced Almon; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Padres 2, Astros 3.

ASTROS 8TH: TENACE REPLACED ALMON (PLAYING 1B); Puhl grounded
out (pitcher to first); Cruz doubled; Cabell made an out to
first; Watson was walked intentionally; BERGMAN RAN FOR WATSON;
Walling grounded out (first unassisted); 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 2 LOB.
Padres 2, Astros 3.

PADRES 9TH: BERGMAN STAYED IN GAME (PLAYING 1B); Evans struck
out; REYNOLDS BATTED FOR ROBERTS; Reynolds struck out; GAMBLE
BATTED FOR BAKER; Gamble struck out; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.
Padres 2, Astros 3.