The Astros regained first place in the West Division, two percentage points ahead of the Dodgers, by salvaging the finale of the four-game series with the Reds, 3-2. Joe Niekro limited the Reds to six hits, including a homer by Johnny Bench with one out in the ninth inning.

Niekro then retired Junior Kennedy for the second out, but Astros Manager Bill Virdon brought in Frank LaCorte when George Foster came up as a pinch-hitter for the Reds. LaCorte retired Foster on a grounder to third baseman Enos Cabell to earn his eighth save. [The Sporting News]



Houston Astros 3, Cincinnati Reds 2
Game Played on Sunday, July      6, 1980 (Day game) at Riverfront Stadium
Astros       1  0  0    2  0  0    0  0  0  -   3 12  1
Reds         1  0  0    0  0  0    0  0  1  -   2  6  3


Astros               AB   R   H RBI    BB  SO    AVG      Reds                 AB   R   H RBI    BB  SO    AVG
Landestoy 2b          5   0   2   0     0   0   .232      Collins lf            4   1   1   0     0   0   .282
Puhl rf               5   1   2   0     0   0   .291      Concepcion ss         4   0   1   1     0   1   .239
Walling 1b            4   0   0   0     0   0   .306      Griffey rf            4   0   0   0     0   0   .314
  Bergman 1b          1   0   0   0     0   0   .128      Driessen 1b           4   0   0   0     0   1   .287
Cruz lf               4   0   2   1     0   0   .314      Knight 3b             4   0   0   0     0   0   .289
Cedeno cf             4   0   2   0     0   0   .305      Bench c               3   1   3   1     1   0   .280
Cabell 3b             4   1   1   0     0   2   .265      Kennedy 2b            4   0   1   0     0   1   .292
Ashby c               4   0   2   0     0   0   .249      Mejias cf             3   0   0   0     0   0   .300
Reynolds ss           4   1   0   0     0   0   .175        Foster ph           1   0   0   0     0   0   .229
Niekro p              3   0   1   0     0   0   .220      Pastore p             1   0   0   0     1   0   .140
  LaCorte p           0   0   0   0     0   0   .200        Spilman ph          1   0   0   0     0   0   .262
                                                            Hume p              0   0   0   0     0   0   .167

Totals               38   3  12   1     0   2             Totals               33   2   6   2     2   3

Time of Game: 2:37   Attendance: 30,045
Left on Base: Astros 9, Reds 6
DP: Astros 1, Reds 0
Errors: Walling, Collins, Kennedy, Pastore
Doubles: Cabell (12), Cedeno (13)
Home Runs: Bench (11)
Stolen Bases: Landestoy (9), Collins (40), Griffey (15)
Caught Stealing: Cruz (6)
Sacrifice Hits: Niekro (7)
GIDP: Mejias (1)


Astros                 IP     H   R  ER  BB  SO  HR BFP    ERA
Niekro W(9-7)           8.2   6   2   2   2   3   1  34   3.81
LaCorte SV(8)           0.1   0   0   0   0   0   0   1   0.90
Totals                  9     6   2   2   2   3   1  35

Reds                   IP     H   R  ER  BB  SO  HR BFP    ERA
Pastore L(10-5)         7     8   3   2   0   1   0  30   3.18
Hume                    2     4   0   0   0   1   0   9   3.31
Totals                  9    12   3   2   0   2   0  39

Passed Balls: Ashby (4)

Umpires: HP - Paul Runge, 1B - Jim Quick, 2B - Jerry Dale, 3B - Bob Engel


ASTROS 1ST: Landestoy grounded out (second to first); Puhl
singled to center; Puhl was picked off first but was safe on an
error by Pastore [Puhl to second]; Walling grounded out (first
unassisted) [Puhl to third]; Cruz singled to right [Puhl
scored]; Cedeno singled to right [Cruz to third]; Cabell struck
out; 1 R, 3 H, 1 E, 2 LOB.  Astros 1, Reds 0.

REDS 1ST: Collins singled to left; Collins stole second;
Concepcion singled to right [Collins scored, Concepcion out at
second (right to first to shortstop)]; Griffey reached on an
error by Walling [Griffey to first]; Griffey stole second;
Driessen flied out to center; Knight flied out to left; 1 R, 2
H, 1 E, 1 LOB.  Astros 1, Reds 1.

ASTROS 2ND: Ashby grounded out (first unassisted); Reynolds
flied out to center; Niekro singled to left; Landestoy forced
Niekro (shortstop to second); 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Astros 1,
Reds 1.

REDS 2ND: Bench singled; Kennedy singled to center [Bench to
second]; Mejias grounded into a double play (third to first)
[Kennedy to second, Bench out at third]; Pastore popped to first
in foul territory; 0 R, 2 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Astros 1, Reds 1.

ASTROS 3RD: Puhl singled to center; Walling forced Puhl (second
to shortstop) [Walling to first]; Cruz flied out to right;
Cedeno forced Walling (shortstop unassisted); 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1
LOB.  Astros 1, Reds 1.

REDS 3RD: Collins flied out to left; Concepcion flied out to
center; Griffey flied out to center; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.
Astros 1, Reds 1.

ASTROS 4TH: Cabell doubled to left; Ashby singled to left
[Cabell scored (error by Collins) (no RBI)]; Reynolds forced
Ashby (catcher to shortstop); Niekro out on a sacrifice bunt
(first unassisted) [Reynolds to second]; Landestoy singled to
shortstop [Reynolds to third]; Puhl reached on an error by
Kennedy [Reynolds scored (unearned) (no RBI), Landestoy to
third, Puhl to first]; Walling flied out to left; 2 R (1 ER), 3
H, 2 E, 2 LOB.  Astros 3, Reds 1.

REDS 4TH: Driessen grounded out (second to first); Knight flied
out to center; Bench walked; Kennedy struck out; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E,
1 LOB.  Astros 3, Reds 1.

ASTROS 5TH: Cruz flied out to left; Cedeno popped to second;
Cabell grounded out (shortstop to first); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.
Astros 3, Reds 1.

REDS 5TH: Mejias grounded out (shortstop to first); Pastore
walked; Collins flied out to center; Concepcion flied out to
left; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Astros 3, Reds 1.

ASTROS 6TH: Ashby grounded out (first to pitcher); Reynolds
flied out to right; Niekro flied out to left; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0
LOB.  Astros 3, Reds 1.

REDS 6TH: Griffey flied out to center; Driessen struck out but
advanced to second on a passed ball; Knight flied out to center;
Bench singled to third [Driessen to third]; Kennedy popped to
second; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 2 LOB.  Astros 3, Reds 1.

ASTROS 7TH: Landestoy flied out to left; Puhl flied out to left;
Walling grounded out (second to first); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.
Astros 3, Reds 1.

REDS 7TH: BERGMAN REPLACED WALLING (PLAYING 1B); Mejias grounded
out (third to first); SPILMAN BATTED FOR PASTORE; Spilman
grounded out (second to first); Collins grounded out (first
unassisted); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Astros 3, Reds 1.

ASTROS 8TH: HUME REPLACED SPILMAN (PITCHING); Cruz singled to
center; Cruz was caught stealing second (catcher to second);
Cedeno doubled; Cabell struck out; Ashby singled to third
[Cedeno to third]; Reynolds popped to catcher in foul territory;
0 R, 3 H, 0 E, 2 LOB.  Astros 3, Reds 1.

REDS 8TH: Concepcion struck out; Griffey grounded out (first
unassisted); Driessen flied out to left; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.
Astros 3, Reds 1.

ASTROS 9TH: Niekro grounded out (third to first); Landestoy
singled to catcher; Landestoy stole second; Puhl popped to
catcher in foul territory; Bergman grounded out (second to
first); 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Astros 3, Reds 1.

REDS 9TH: Knight flied out to right; Bench homered; Kennedy
flied out to right; FOSTER BATTED FOR MEJIAS; LACORTE REPLACED
NIEKRO (PITCHING); Foster grounded out (third to first); 1 R, 1
H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Astros 3, Reds 2.