Ken Holtzman turned in his first complete game since 1976 and pitched the Cubs to a 2-0 victory in the nightcap of a doubleheader to gain a split with the Astros, who won the opener, 11-3. The Astros started the lidlifter with six runs in the first inning, all charged against Lynn McGlothen, who was able to retire only one batter. Terry Puhl and Craig Reynolds combined for five hits, five RBIs and four runs scored between them in the first three innings as the Astros went on to make it 10-2. Puhl, Reynolds and Jose Cruz each finished with three of the Astros' 16 hits.

In the nightcap, Holtzman was a three-hit man for the Cubs while holding the Astros to six. Bobby Murcer whacked two doubles, scoring one of the Cubs' runs and driving in Holtzman with the other. [The Sporting News]



Houston Astros 11, Chicago Cubs 3 (Game 1)
Game Played on Saturday, May       12, 1979 (Night game) at Astrodome
Cubs         2  0  0    1  0  0    0  0  0  -   3  7  4
Astros       6  1  3    0  0  0    0  1  x  -  11 16  1


Cubs                 AB   R   H RBI    BB  SO    AVG      Astros               AB   R   H RBI    BB  SO    AVG
De Jesus ss           4   0   0   0     0   0   .205      Puhl rf               4   2   3   2     1   0   .283
Murcer rf             2   1   1   0     1   0   .269      Reynolds ss           5   2   3   3     0   1   .261
  Biittner lf         1   0   0   0     0   0   .273      Cedeno cf             2   1   1   1     1   0   .272
Buckner 1b            4   1   1   0     0   0   .254      Cruz lf               4   1   3   2     0   0   .345
Kingman lf            2   0   2   0     0   0   .283        Leonard lf          1   0   0   0     0   0   .353
  Thompson lf,rf      2   0   1   0     0   0   .333      Cabell 3b             5   0   0   0     0   2   .311
Ontiveros 3b          4   0   0   0     0   1   .321        Sexton 3b           0   0   0   0     0   0   .250
Martin cf             3   1   1   0     0   0   .269      Watson 1b             5   2   2   1     0   0   .285
  Caudill p           0   0   0   0     0   0   .000      Ashby c               3   2   2   1     2   0   .242
  Vail ph             1   0   0   0     0   0   .400      Gonzalez 2b           4   1   2   1     1   0   .333
Foote c               3   0   0   0     0   0   .176      Forsch p              4   0   0   0     0   4   .120
Sizemore 2b           3   0   1   1     0   0   .275
McGlothen p           0   0   0   0     0   0   .273
  Moore p             2   0   0   0     0   1   .000
  Mejias cf           1   0   0   0     0   0   .000

Totals               32   3   7   1     1   2             Totals               37  11  16  11     5   7

e of Game: 2:20
Left on Base: Cubs 3, Astros 10
DP: Cubs 1, Astros 1
Errors: De Jesus 3, Foote, Cruz
Doubles: Watson (4), Puhl (4)
Stolen Bases: Puhl (7), Reynolds 2 (2)
Sacrifice Hits: Forsch (4)
Sacrifice Flies: Cedeno (4)
GIDP: Ontiveros (3)
Hit by Pitch: Cedeno (1,by Caudill)


Cubs                   IP     H   R  ER  BB  SO  HR BFP    ERA
McGlothen L(4-4)        0.1   5   6   6   2   1   0   8   5.89
Moore                   4.2  10   4   4   2   2   0  24   5.14
Caudill                 3     1   1   0   1   4   0  13   0.00
Totals                  8    16  11  10   5   7   0  45

Astros                 IP     H   R  ER  BB  SO  HR BFP    ERA
Forsch W(4-2)           9     7   3   2   1   2   0  33   2.58
Totals                  9     7   3   2   1   2   0  33

Hit by Pitch: Caudill (1)
Wild Pitches: Caudill (1)




CUBS 1ST: De Jesus made an out to second; Murcer singled to
center; Buckner singled to center [Murcer to second]; Kingman
singled to left [Murcer scored (error by Cruz) (no RBI), Buckner
scored (unearned) (no RBI), Kingman to second]; Ontiveros
grounded out (second to first); Martin grounded out (second to
first); 2 R (1 ER), 3 H, 1 E, 1 LOB.  Cubs 2, Astros 0.

ASTROS 1ST: Puhl singled to left; Puhl stole second; Reynolds
singled to right [Puhl scored]; Reynolds stole second [Reynolds
to third (error by Foote)]; Cedeno walked; Cruz singled to left
[Reynolds scored, Cedeno to second]; Cabell struck out; Watson
doubled to left [Cedeno scored, Cruz to third]; Ashby was walked
intentionally; Gonzalez singled to left [Cruz scored, Watson to
third, Ashby to second]; MOORE REPLACED MCGLOTHEN (PITCHING);
Forsch struck out; Puhl doubled to left [Watson scored, Ashby
scored, Gonzalez out at home (left to catcher)]; 6 R, 6 H, 1 E,
1 LOB.  Cubs 2, Astros 6.

CUBS 2ND: Foote flied out to right; Sizemore grounded out (first
to pitcher); Moore grounded out (second to first); 0 R, 0 H, 0
E, 0 LOB.  Cubs 2, Astros 6.

ASTROS 2ND: Reynolds singled to center; Reynolds stole second;
Cedeno singled to right [Reynolds to third]; Cedeno was picked
off first (pitcher to first); Cruz reached on a fielder's choice
[Reynolds scored (RBI), Cruz to second (error by De Jesus)];
Cabell grounded out (second to first) [Cruz to third]; Watson
flied out to left; 1 R, 2 H, 1 E, 1 LOB.  Cubs 2, Astros 7.

CUBS 3RD: De Jesus made an out to second; Murcer walked; Buckner
forced Murcer (first to shortstop); Kingman singled to center
[Buckner to third]; Ontiveros grounded out (second to first); 0
R, 1 H, 0 E, 2 LOB.  Cubs 2, Astros 7.

ASTROS 3RD: Ashby singled to shortstop; Gonzalez singled to
center [Ashby to second]; Forsch out on a sacrifice bunt
(pitcher to second) [Ashby to third, Gonzalez to second]; Puhl
was walked intentionally; Reynolds singled to right [Ashby
scored, Gonzalez scored, Puhl to third]; Cedeno sacrifice flied
into a double play (center to first to shortstop) [Puhl scored,
Reynolds out at second]; 3 R, 3 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Cubs 2, Astros
10.

CUBS 4TH: Martin singled to right; Foote grounded out (pitcher
to first) [Martin to second]; Sizemore singled to center [Martin
scored, Sizemore out at second (center to catcher to second)];
Moore struck out; 1 R, 2 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Cubs 3, Astros 10.

ASTROS 4TH: THOMPSON REPLACED KINGMAN (PLAYING LF); Cruz singled
to right; Cabell flied out to right; Watson singled to second
[Cruz to third]; Ashby reached on a fielder's choice [Cruz out
at home (first to catcher), Watson to second]; Gonzalez walked
[Watson to third, Ashby to second]; Forsch was called out on
strikes; 0 R, 2 H, 0 E, 3 LOB.  Cubs 3, Astros 10.

CUBS 5TH: De Jesus grounded out (pitcher to first); Murcer
grounded out (second to first); Buckner grounded out (first
unassisted); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Cubs 3, Astros 10.

ASTROS 5TH: Puhl singled to center; Reynolds flied out to right;
Cedeno made an out to shortstop; Cruz singled to left [Puhl to
second]; Cabell flied out to right; 0 R, 2 H, 0 E, 2 LOB.  Cubs
3, Astros 10.

CUBS 6TH: Thompson grounded out (second to first); Ontiveros was
called out on strikes; Martin lined to shortstop; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E,
0 LOB.  Cubs 3, Astros 10.

ASTROS 6TH: MEJIAS REPLACED MOORE (PLAYING CF); CAUDILL REPLACED
MARTIN (PITCHING); BIITTNER REPLACED MURCER (PLAYING LF);
THOMPSON CHANGED POSITIONS (PLAYING RF); Watson flied out to
center; Debut game for Bill Caudill; Ashby walked;
Caudill threw a wild pitch [Ashby to second]; Gonzalez made an
out to third; Forsch struck out; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Cubs 3,
Astros 10.

CUBS 7TH: LEONARD REPLACED CRUZ (PLAYING LF); Foote popped to
catcher in foul territory; Sizemore grounded out (pitcher to
first); Mejias flied out to right; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Cubs
3, Astros 10.

ASTROS 7TH: Puhl flied out to left; Reynolds was called out on
strikes; Cedeno was hit by a pitch; Leonard flied out to right;
0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Cubs 3, Astros 10.

CUBS 8TH: De Jesus grounded out (third to first); Biittner
grounded out (pitcher unassisted); Buckner flied out to left; 0
R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Cubs 3, Astros 10.

ASTROS 8TH: Cabell struck out; Watson reached on an error by De
Jesus [Watson to second (error by De Jesus)]; Ashby singled to
right [Watson scored (unearned)]; Gonzalez flied out to center;
Forsch struck out; 1 R (0 ER), 1 H, 2 E, 1 LOB.  Cubs 3, Astros
11.

CUBS 9TH: SEXTON REPLACED CABELL (PLAYING 3B); Thompson singled
to right; Ontiveros grounded into a double play (second to
shortstop to first) [Thompson out at second]; VAIL BATTED FOR
CAUDILL; Vail grounded out (first unassisted); 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 0
LOB.  Cubs 3, Astros 11.