Ken Forsch, Randy Niemann and Joe Sambito combined on a three-hitter and the Astros, who also were held to three hits by Craig Swan, scored two unearned runs on errors by right fielder Dan Norman to defeat the Mets, 2-0. Forsch, who had been sidelined by a sore shoulder, made his first appearance since August 7.

After retiring Joel Youngblood to start the game and giving up a single by Frank Taveras, Forsch set down the next 14 batters before leaving the mound. The Astros scored their initial run in the second inning when Jeff Leonard doubled and Norman dropped a two-out fly by Bruce Bochy. Forsch walked in the third, reached third when Norman drew his second error for mishandling a single by Cesar Cedeno, and scored on a sacrifice fly by Craig Reynolds. [The Sporting News]



Houston Astros 2, New York Mets 0
Game Played on Friday, August    31, 1979 (Night game) at Astrodome
Mets         0  0  0    0  0  0    0  0  0  -   0  3  2
Astros       0  1  1    0  0  0    0  0  x  -   2  3  0


Mets                 AB   R   H RBI    BB  SO    AVG      Astros               AB   R   H RBI    BB  SO    AVG
Youngblood lf         4   0   0   0     0   0   .287      Cedeno 1b             3   0   1   0     1   0   .270
Taveras ss            4   0   1   0     0   0   .262      Reynolds ss           3   0   0   1     0   1   .270
Mazzilli cf           4   0   1   0     0   1   .302      Puhl cf               4   0   0   0     0   0   .285
Hebner 3b,1b          2   0   0   0     1   1   .255      Cruz lf               3   0   0   0     0   0   .289
Stearns c             3   0   0   0     0   0   .245      Cabell 3b             3   0   1   0     0   0   .267
Kranepool 1b          2   0   0   0     0   0   .248      Leonard rf            3   1   1   0     0   0   .300
  Maddox ph,3b        1   0   0   0     0   0   .276      Bochy c               3   0   0   0     0   1   .217
Norman rf             3   0   0   0     0   0   .180      Landestoy 2b          3   0   0   0     0   0   .201
Flynn 2b              3   0   1   0     0   0   .250      Forsch p              0   1   0   0     1   0   .178
Swan p                2   0   0   0     0   2   .132        Heep ph             1   0   0   0     0   0   .000
  Trevino ph          1   0   0   0     0   0   .288        Niemann p           0   0   0   0     0   0   .133
  Hassler p           0   0   0   0     0   0   .000        Alou ph             1   0   0   0     0   1   .206
                                                            Sambito p           0   0   0   0     0   0   .286

Totals               29   0   3   0     1   4             Totals               27   2   3   1     2   3

Time of Game: 1:54   Attendance: 19,883
Left on Base: Mets 3, Astros 4
DP: Mets 0, Astros 1
Errors: Norman 2
Doubles: Leonard (12), Cabell (18)
Caught Stealing: Cedeno (11)
Sacrifice Flies: Reynolds (3)
GIDP: Trevino (5)


Mets                   IP     H   R  ER  BB  SO  HR BFP    ERA
Swan L(12-11)           7     3   2   0   2   1   0  26   3.18
Hassler                 1     0   0   0   0   2   0   4   4.72
Totals                  8     3   2   0   2   3   0  30

Astros                 IP     H   R  ER  BB  SO  HR BFP    ERA
Forsch W(9-6)           5     1   0   0   0   2   0  16   3.23
Niemann                 3     2   0   0   1   1   0  11   3.47
Sambito SV(18)          1     0   0   0   0   1   0   3   1.43
Totals                  9     3   0   0   1   4   0  30

Wild Pitches: Swan (2), Hassler 2 (7)

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


METS 1ST: Youngblood flied out to left; Taveras singled to left;
Mazzilli forced Taveras (second to shortstop); Hebner flied out
to right; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Mets 0, Astros 0.

ASTROS 1ST: Cedeno grounded out (shortstop to first); Reynolds
grounded out (shortstop to first); Puhl grounded out (shortstop
to first); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Mets 0, Astros 0.

METS 2ND: Stearns grounded out (shortstop to first); Kranepool
popped to second; Norman flied out to center; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0
LOB.  Mets 0, Astros 0.

ASTROS 2ND: Cruz flied out to left; Cabell popped to second in
foul territory; Leonard doubled to center; Bochy reached on an
error by Norman [Leonard scored (unearned) (no RBI), Bochy to
second]; Landestoy flied out to left; 1 R (0 ER), 1 H, 1 E, 1
LOB.  Mets 0, Astros 1.

METS 3RD: Flynn grounded out (second to first); Swan struck out;
Youngblood flied out to center; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Mets 0,
Astros 1.

ASTROS 3RD: Forsch walked; Cedeno singled to right [Forsch to
third (error by Norman)]; Reynolds hit a sacrifice fly to right
[Forsch scored (unearned)]; Swan threw a wild pitch [Cedeno to
second]; Puhl made an out to shortstop; Cruz grounded out (first
to pitcher); 1 R (0 ER), 1 H, 1 E, 1 LOB.  Mets 0, Astros 2.

METS 4TH: Taveras flied out to center; Mazzilli flied out to
center; Hebner struck out; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Mets 0, Astros
2.

ASTROS 4TH: Cabell doubled to left; Leonard grounded out (third
to first); Bochy struck out; Landestoy grounded out (first to
pitcher); 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Mets 0, Astros 2.

METS 5TH: Stearns grounded out (pitcher to first); Kranepool
grounded out (first unassisted); Norman grounded out (second to
first); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Mets 0, Astros 2.

ASTROS 5TH: HEEP BATTED FOR FORSCH; Heep popped to third;
Debut game for Danny Heep; Cedeno walked; Cedeno was caught
stealing second (catcher to shortstop); Reynolds popped to
shortstop; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Mets 0, Astros 2.

METS 6TH: NIEMANN REPLACED HEEP (PITCHING); Flynn grounded out
(shortstop to first); Swan struck out; Youngblood flied out to
left; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Mets 0, Astros 2.

ASTROS 6TH: Puhl grounded out (shortstop to first); Cruz
grounded out (second to first); Cabell flied out to right; 0 R,
0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Mets 0, Astros 2.

METS 7TH: Taveras made an out to shortstop; Mazzilli singled to
left; Hebner walked [Mazzilli to second]; Stearns flied out to
left; MADDOX BATTED FOR KRANEPOOL; Maddox flied out to center; 0
R, 1 H, 0 E, 2 LOB.  Mets 0, Astros 2.

ASTROS 7TH: MADDOX STAYED IN GAME (PLAYING 3B); HEBNER CHANGED
POSITIONS (PLAYING 1B); Leonard grounded out (pitcher to first);
Bochy flied out to center; Landestoy grounded out (second to
first); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Mets 0, Astros 2.

METS 8TH: Norman popped to first; Flynn singled to center;
TREVINO BATTED FOR SWAN; Trevino grounded into a double play
(third to second to first) [Flynn out at second]; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E,
0 LOB.  Mets 0, Astros 2.

ASTROS 8TH: HASSLER REPLACED TREVINO (PITCHING); ALOU BATTED FOR
NIEMANN; Alou was called out on strikes; Cedeno flied out to
right; Reynolds struck out but advanced to first on a wild
pitch; Hassler threw a wild pitch [Reynolds to second]; Puhl
grounded out (second to first); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Mets 0,
Astros 2.

METS 9TH: SAMBITO REPLACED ALOU (PITCHING); Youngblood popped to
shortstop; Taveras popped to second; Mazzilli struck out; 0 R, 0
H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Mets 0, Astros 2.