Joe Niekro, getting relief help from Joe Sambito, posted his 12th victory -- tops in the league -- as the Astros won their fifth straight, beating the Padres, 4-1. The game was scoreless going into the ninth inning when Terry Puhl opened the Astros' winning surge with a safe bunt and advanced to second on a sacrifice by Craig Reynolds.

Walks to Cesar Cedeno and pinch-hitter Art Howe loaded the bases and Enos Cabell then hit a bouncer to third. Puhl scored when Paul Dade's throw hit him and Cedeno also crossed the plate when the ball deflected away from catcher Fred Kendall. A single by Jose Cruz plated another run and the final tally came across on a squeeze bunt by Julio Gonzalez. [The Sporting News]



Houston Astros 4, San Diego Padres 1
Game Played on Sunday, July      1, 1979 (Day game) at San Diego Stadium
Astros       0  0  0    0  0  0    0  0  4  -   4  7  0
Padres       0  0  0    0  0  0    0  0  1  -   1  8  2


Astros               AB   R   H RBI    BB  SO    AVG      Padres               AB   R   H RBI    BB  SO    AVG
Puhl cf               4   1   1   0     0   1   .277      Richards cf           3   0   1   0     0   0   .260
Reynolds ss           3   0   1   0     0   0   .287      Smith ss              3   0   2   0     0   0   .181
Cedeno 3b             3   1   1   0     1   1   .264      Dade 3b               4   1   1   0     0   1   .286
Leonard rf            3   0   0   0     0   1   .287      Winfield rf           4   0   0   0     0   1   .323
  Howe ph             0   0   0   0     1   0   .233      Turner lf             4   0   1   1     0   0   .273
  Walling pr,rf       0   1   0   0     0   0   .352      Johnstone 1b          3   0   2   0     1   1   .267
Cabell 1b             4   1   1   0     0   1   .263      Kendall c             3   0   0   0     0   1   .238
Cruz lf               4   0   3   1     0   1   .285        Tenace ph           0   0   0   0     1   0   .249
Gonzalez 2b           2   0   0   1     0   0   .247      Almon 2b              3   0   0   0     0   1   .235
Ashby c               3   0   0   0     1   2   .230        Bevacqua ph         1   0   0   0     0   0   .229
Niekro p              4   0   0   0     0   1   .089      Jones p               3   0   1   0     0   0   .190
  Sambito p           0   0   0   0     0   0   .250        Gonzalez ph         1   0   0   0     0   1   .236

Totals               30   4   7   2     3   8             Totals               32   1   8   1     2   6

Time of Game: 2:25   Attendance: 11,615
Left on Base: Astros 5, Padres 8
DP: Astros 1, Padres 2
Errors: Smith, Dade
Doubles: Reynolds (11), Turner (15)
Stolen Bases: Cruz (21), Dade (1), Smith (12)
Caught Stealing: Cruz (5), Smith (5)
Sacrifice Hits: Gonzalez 2 (6), Reynolds (18), Smith (12)
GIDP: Gonzalez (4), Leonard (4), Richards (4)
Hit by Pitch: Richards (5,by Niekro)


Astros                 IP     H   R  ER  BB  SO  HR BFP    ERA
Niekro W(12-3)          8.1   8   1   1   2   5   0  34   2.90
Sambito SV(8)           0.2   0   0   0   0   1   0   2   1.12
Totals                  9     8   1   1   2   6   0  36

Padres                 IP     H   R  ER  BB  SO  HR BFP    ERA
Jones L(6-6)            9     7   4   2   3   8   0  36   3.69
Totals                  9     7   4   2   3   8   0  36

Hit by Pitch: Niekro (5)

Umpires: HP - Lanny Harris, 1B - Frank Pulli, 2B - Eric Gregg, 3B - Doug Harvey


ASTROS 1ST: Puhl flied out to right; Reynolds doubled to right;
Cedeno struck out; Leonard grounded out (pitcher to first); 0 R,
1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Astros 0, Padres 0.

PADRES 1ST: Richards was hit by a pitch; On a bunt Smith made an
out to first; Dade forced Richards (shortstop to second); Dade
stole second; Winfield struck out (catcher to first); 0 R, 0 H,
0 E, 1 LOB.  Astros 0, Padres 0.

ASTROS 2ND: Cabell singled to third; Cruz struck out; Gonzalez
grounded into a double play (shortstop to second to first)
[Cabell out at second]; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Astros 0, Padres
0.

PADRES 2ND: Turner grounded out (second to first); Johnstone was
called out on strikes; Kendall struck out; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.
 Astros 0, Padres 0.

ASTROS 3RD: Ashby struck out; Niekro struck out; Puhl grounded
out (pitcher to first); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Astros 0, Padres
0.

PADRES 3RD: Almon struck out; Jones singled to center; Richards
grounded into a double play (first to shortstop) [Jones out at
second]; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Astros 0, Padres 0.

ASTROS 4TH: Reynolds flied out to center; Cedeno singled to
left; Leonard grounded into a double play (shortstop to second
to first) [Cedeno out at second]; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Astros
0, Padres 0.

PADRES 4TH: Smith singled to third; Smith stole second; Dade
struck out; Winfield grounded out (third to first) [Smith to
third]; Turner popped to first in foul territory; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E,
1 LOB.  Astros 0, Padres 0.

ASTROS 5TH: Cabell grounded out (second to first); Cruz singled
to center; Cruz was picked off and caught stealing second
(pitcher to first to shortstop to first to second to first);
Gonzalez reached on an error by Smith [Gonzalez to first]; Ashby
struck out; 0 R, 1 H, 1 E, 1 LOB.  Astros 0, Padres 0.

PADRES 5TH: Johnstone singled to right; Kendall grounded out
(shortstop to first) [Johnstone to second]; Almon flied out to
center; Jones reached on a fielder's choice [Johnstone out at
third (third unassisted)]; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Astros 0,
Padres 0.

ASTROS 6TH: Niekro grounded out (third to first); Puhl struck
out; Reynolds lined to right; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Astros 0,
Padres 0.

PADRES 6TH: Richards singled to second; Smith out on a sacrifice
bunt (pitcher to second) [Richards to second]; Dade lined to
left [Richards to third]; Winfield grounded out (first
unassisted); 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Astros 0, Padres 0.

ASTROS 7TH: Cedeno grounded out (pitcher to first); Leonard
struck out; Cabell struck out; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Astros 0,
Padres 0.

PADRES 7TH: Turner grounded out (second to first); Johnstone
singled to left; Kendall flied out to center; Almon flied out to
left; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Astros 0, Padres 0.

ASTROS 8TH: Cruz singled to center; Gonzalez out on a sacrifice
bunt (first to second) [Cruz to second]; Ashby flied out to
left; Niekro grounded out (third to first); 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1
LOB.  Astros 0, Padres 0.

PADRES 8TH: Jones flied out to center; Richards grounded out
(pitcher to first); Smith singled to center; Smith was caught
stealing second (catcher to shortstop); 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.
Astros 0, Padres 0.

ASTROS 9TH: Puhl singled to right; Reynolds out on a sacrifice
bunt (pitcher to second) [Puhl to second]; Cedeno was walked
intentionally; HOWE BATTED FOR LEONARD; Howe walked [Puhl to
third, Cedeno to second]; WALLING RAN FOR HOWE; Cabell reached
on an error by Dade [Puhl scored (no RBI), Cedeno scored (no
RBI), Walling to third, Cabell to first]; Cruz singled to right
[Walling scored (unearned), Cabell to third]; Gonzalez out on a
sacrifice bunt (pitcher to first) [Cabell scored (unearned),
Cruz to second]; Cruz stole third; Ashby was walked
intentionally; Niekro grounded out (catcher to first); 4 R (2
ER), 2 H, 1 E, 2 LOB.  Astros 4, Padres 0.

PADRES 9TH: WALLING STAYED IN GAME (PLAYING RF); Dade singled to
right; Winfield popped to first in foul territory; Turner
doubled to left [Dade scored]; Johnstone walked; TENACE BATTED
FOR KENDALL; Tenace walked [Turner to third, Johnstone to
second]; SAMBITO REPLACED NIEKRO (PITCHING); BEVACQUA BATTED FOR
ALMON; Bevacqua made an out to first; GONZALEZ BATTED FOR JONES;
Gonzalez struck out; 1 R, 2 H, 0 E, 3 LOB.  Astros 4, Padres 1.