A five-hitter by Joe Niekro carried the Astros to a 3-0 victory over the Cubs. The Astros' first run came in the second inning on a single by Alan Ashby following a pair of walks.

Terry Puhl led off the Astros' third with a walk, advanced to second on a sacrifice and scored on a single by Jeff Leonard. Leonard moved to second when Cub catcher Tim Blackwell bobbled the throw to the plate and scored on a double by Jose Cruz. [The Sporting News]



Houston Astros 3, Chicago Cubs 0
Game Played on Sunday, May       13, 1979 (Day game) at Astrodome
Cubs         0  0  0    0  0  0    0  0  0  -   0  5  1
Astros       0  1  2    0  0  0    0  0  x  -   3  4  0


Cubs                 AB   R   H RBI    BB  SO    AVG      Astros               AB   R   H RBI    BB  SO    AVG
Kelleher ss           4   0   1   0     0   0   .167      Puhl rf               3   1   0   0     1   1   .272
Murcer rf             4   0   0   0     0   0   .264      Reynolds ss           3   0   0   0     0   0   .255
Buckner 1b            4   0   0   0     0   0   .252      Leonard cf            3   1   1   1     1   1   .341
Kingman lf            3   0   1   0     1   0   .280      Cruz lf               3   1   1   1     1   0   .341
Ontiveros 3b          4   0   1   0     0   1   .327      Cabell 3b             3   0   0   0     0   2   .302
Martin cf             4   0   0   0     0   0   .257        Sexton 3b           1   0   0   0     0   0   .222
Blackwell c           3   0   0   0     0   0   .211      Watson 1b             2   0   0   0     1   1   .281
Sizemore 2b           3   0   1   0     0   0   .268      Ashby c               3   0   1   1     0   0   .245
Krukow p              1   0   1   0     0   0   .300      Gonzalez 2b           3   0   0   0     0   0   .259
  Thompson ph         1   0   0   0     0   0   .325      Niekro p              3   0   1   0     0   2   .118
  Hernandez p         0   0   0   0     0   0  1.000

Totals               31   0   5   0     1   1             Totals               27   3   4   3     4   7

e of Game: 2:09   Attendance: 13,604
Left on Base: Cubs 6, Astros 5
DP: Cubs 0, Astros 0
Errors: Blackwell
Doubles: Cruz (8), Niekro (1)
Stolen Bases: Cruz (10)
Caught Stealing: Leonard (2)
Sacrifice Hits: Krukow (2), Reynolds (10)


Cubs                   IP     H   R  ER  BB  SO  HR BFP    ERA
Krukow L(1-2)           6     4   3   2   4   5   0  25   3.89
Hernandez               2     0   0   0   0   2   0   7   2.50
Totals                  8     4   3   2   4   7   0  32

Astros                 IP     H   R  ER  BB  SO  HR BFP    ERA
Niekro W(3-2)           9     5   0   0   1   1   0  33   3.22
Totals                  9     5   0   0   1   1   0  33

Passed Balls: Blackwell (1)




CUBS 1ST: Kelleher made an out to second; Murcer flied out to
center; Buckner grounded out (first to pitcher); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E,
0 LOB.  Cubs 0, Astros 0.

ASTROS 1ST: Puhl grounded out (pitcher to first); Reynolds flied
out to right; Leonard made an out to second; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0
LOB.  Cubs 0, Astros 0.

CUBS 2ND: Kingman flied out to left; Ontiveros was called out on
strikes; Martin flied out to left; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Cubs
0, Astros 0.

ASTROS 2ND: Cruz walked; Cruz stole second; Cabell struck out;
Watson walked; Ashby singled to left [Cruz scored, Watson to
second]; Gonzalez made an out to shortstop; Niekro struck out; 1
R, 1 H, 0 E, 2 LOB.  Cubs 0, Astros 1.

CUBS 3RD: Blackwell grounded out (shortstop to first); Sizemore
singled to left; Krukow out on a sacrifice bunt (pitcher to
second) [Sizemore to second]; Kelleher made an out to pitcher; 0
R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Cubs 0, Astros 1.

ASTROS 3RD: Puhl walked; Reynolds out on a sacrifice bunt
(catcher to first) [Puhl to second]; Leonard singled to right
[Puhl scored, Leonard to second (error by Blackwell)]; Cruz
doubled to left [Leonard scored (unearned)]; Cabell struck out;
Watson grounded out (third to first); 2 R (1 ER), 2 H, 1 E, 1
LOB.  Cubs 0, Astros 3.

CUBS 4TH: Murcer made an out to second; Buckner grounded out
(second to first); Kingman singled to left; Ontiveros singled to
center [Kingman to second]; Martin forced Ontiveros (second to
shortstop); 0 R, 2 H, 0 E, 2 LOB.  Cubs 0, Astros 3.

ASTROS 4TH: Ashby grounded out (shortstop to first); Gonzalez
grounded out (third to first); Niekro doubled to left; Puhl was
called out on strikes; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Cubs 0, Astros 3.

CUBS 5TH: Blackwell flied out to left; Sizemore flied out to
left; Krukow singled to left; Kelleher singled to right [Krukow
to second]; Murcer flied out to center; 0 R, 2 H, 0 E, 2 LOB.
Cubs 0, Astros 3.

ASTROS 5TH: Reynolds popped to third in foul territory; Leonard
walked; Leonard was caught stealing second (catcher to
shortstop); Cruz grounded out (first unassisted); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E,
0 LOB.  Cubs 0, Astros 3.

CUBS 6TH: Buckner grounded out (second to first); Kingman
walked; Ontiveros grounded out (pitcher to first) [Kingman to
second]; Martin grounded out (shortstop to first); 0 R, 0 H, 0
E, 1 LOB.  Cubs 0, Astros 3.

ASTROS 6TH: Cabell flied out to right; Watson was called out on
strikes; Ashby grounded out (shortstop to first); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E,
0 LOB.  Cubs 0, Astros 3.

CUBS 7TH: Blackwell flied out to center; Sizemore flied out to
left; THOMPSON BATTED FOR KRUKOW; Thompson grounded out (first
unassisted); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Cubs 0, Astros 3.

ASTROS 7TH: HERNANDEZ REPLACED THOMPSON (PITCHING); Gonzalez
made an out to second; Niekro struck out but advanced to first
on a passed ball; Puhl grounded out (first unassisted) [Niekro
to second]; Reynolds grounded out (second to first); 0 R, 0 H, 0
E, 1 LOB.  Cubs 0, Astros 3.

CUBS 8TH: SEXTON REPLACED CABELL (PLAYING 3B); Kelleher flied
out to center; Murcer popped to catcher in foul territory;
Buckner grounded out (first unassisted); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.
Cubs 0, Astros 3.

ASTROS 8TH: Leonard struck out; Cruz grounded out (first to
pitcher); Sexton grounded out (third to first); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0
LOB.  Cubs 0, Astros 3.

CUBS 9TH: Kingman lined to third; Ontiveros grounded out (second
to first); Martin flied out to center; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.
Cubs 0, Astros 3.