Making just his second start of the season, Joe Niekro pitched a five-hitter and singled and scored a run as the Astros topped the Pirates, 5-0. Loser Jerry Reuss held the Astros to four hits, including an RBI single by Cesar Cedeno, scoring Niekro in the third.

The Astros broke loose with four in the eighth against Dave Giusti when Greg Gross hit an RBI triple, Cedeno singled and Cliff Johnson homered. The Pirates loaded the bases in the first on Richie Hebner's double and two walks but Richie Zisk grounded out to end the threat. [The Sporting News]



Houston Astros 5, Pittsburgh Pirates 0
Game Played on Saturday, August    9, 1975 (Night game) at Astrodome
Pirates      0  0  0    0  0  0    0  0  0  -   0  5  0
Astros       0  0  1    0  0  0    0  4  x  -   5  8  0


Pirates              AB   R   H RBI    BB  SO    AVG      Astros               AB   R   H RBI    BB  SO    AVG
Stennett 2b           4   0   0   0     0   1   .254      Howard lf             4   1   0   0     0   1   .307
Hebner 3b             4   0   1   0     0   0   .259      Gross rf              4   1   2   1     0   0   .310
Oliver cf             4   0   1   0     0   0   .280      Cedeno cf             4   1   2   2     0   1   .261
Stargell 1b           3   0   1   0     1   1   .301      Johnson 1b            4   1   2   2     0   0   .282
Parker rf             3   0   0   0     1   0   .324      Rader 3b              4   0   0   0     0   0   .236
Zisk lf               4   0   0   0     0   1   .272      Helms 2b              4   0   0   0     0   0   .184
Sanguillen c          4   0   1   0     0   0   .327      Jutze c               3   0   1   0     0   0   .222
Reynolds ss           3   0   1   0     0   0   .261      DaVanon ss            2   0   0   0     1   0   .316
Reuss p               2   0   0   0     0   1   .212      Niekro p              2   1   1   0     1   0   .273
  Kirkpatrick ph      1   0   0   0     0   0   .228
  Giusti p            0   0   0   0     0   0   .286
  Tekulve p           0   0   0   0     0   0   .000

Totals               32   0   5   0     2   4             Totals               31   5   8   5     2   2

Time of Game: 2:02   Attendance: 13,531
Left on Base: Pirates 7, Astros 4
DP: Pirates 0, Astros 0
Doubles: Hebner (14), Stargell (26), Johnson (8)
Triples: Gross (8)
Home Runs: Johnson (9)
Stolen Bases: Howard (15), Cedeno (37)


Pirates                IP     H   R  ER  BB  SO  HR BFP    ERA
Reuss L(12-8)           6     4   1   1   1   2   0  22   2.30
Giusti                  1.1   4   4   4   1   0   1   9   2.49
Tekulve                 0.2   0   0   0   0   0   0   2   1.88
Totals                  8     8   5   5   2   2   1  33

Astros                 IP     H   R  ER  BB  SO  HR BFP    ERA
Niekro W(4-4)           9     5   0   0   2   4   0  34   3.65
Totals                  9     5   0   0   2   4   0  34

Passed Balls: Jutze (4)

Umpires: HP - Andy Olsen, 1B - Terry Tata, 2B - Ed Sudol, 3B - Bill Williams


PIRATES 1ST: Stennett popped to first in foul territory; Hebner
doubled to right; Oliver grounded out (pitcher to first);
Stargell walked; Parker walked [Hebner to third, Stargell to
second]; Zisk grounded out (first to pitcher); 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 3
LOB.  Pirates 0, Astros 0.

ASTROS 1ST: Howard struck out; Gross flied out to left; Cedeno
grounded out (pitcher to first); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Pirates
0, Astros 0.

PIRATES 2ND: Sanguillen made an out to shortstop; Reynolds flied
out to center; Reuss was called out on strikes; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0
LOB.  Pirates 0, Astros 0.

ASTROS 2ND: Johnson doubled to left; Rader grounded out (third
to first); Helms grounded out (shortstop to first); Jutze
grounded out (second to first); 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Pirates
0, Astros 0.

PIRATES 3RD: Stennett flied out to right; Hebner flied out to
right; Oliver popped to second; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Pirates
0, Astros 0.

ASTROS 3RD: DaVanon grounded out (shortstop to first); Niekro
singled to left; Howard grounded out (second to first) [Niekro
to second]; Gross singled to pitcher [Niekro to third]; Cedeno
singled to left [Niekro scored, Gross out at third (left to
third)]; 1 R, 3 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Pirates 0, Astros 1.

PIRATES 4TH: Stargell doubled to left; Parker flied out to left;
Zisk grounded out (third to first); Jutze allowed a passed ball
[Stargell to third]; Sanguillen lined to pitcher; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E,
1 LOB.  Pirates 0, Astros 1.

ASTROS 4TH: Johnson flied out to center; Rader lined to left;
Helms grounded out (pitcher to first); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.
Pirates 0, Astros 1.

PIRATES 5TH: On a bunt Reynolds made an out to catcher; Reuss
flied out to left; Stennett struck out; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.
Pirates 0, Astros 1.

ASTROS 5TH: Jutze grounded out (pitcher to first); DaVanon
walked; On a bunt Niekro popped to catcher in foul territory;
Howard flied out to right; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Pirates 0,
Astros 1.

PIRATES 6TH: Hebner flied out to center; Oliver singled to left;
Stargell reached on a fielder's choice [Oliver out at second
(first to third)]; Parker flied out to center; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1
LOB.  Pirates 0, Astros 1.

ASTROS 6TH: Gross flied out to left; Cedeno struck out; Johnson
popped to second; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Pirates 0, Astros 1.

PIRATES 7TH: Zisk made an out to second; Sanguillen singled to
center; Reynolds singled to right [Sanguillen to second];
KIRKPATRICK BATTED FOR REUSS; Kirkpatrick flied out to center
[Sanguillen to third]; Stennett flied out to right; 0 R, 2 H, 0
E, 2 LOB.  Pirates 0, Astros 1.

ASTROS 7TH: GIUSTI REPLACED KIRKPATRICK (PITCHING); Rader flied
out to right; Helms popped to first; Jutze singled to right;
DaVanon flied out to right; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Pirates 0,
Astros 1.

PIRATES 8TH: Hebner flied out to center; Oliver grounded out
(second to first); Stargell struck out; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.
Pirates 0, Astros 1.

ASTROS 8TH: Niekro walked; Howard forced Niekro (pitcher to
shortstop); Howard stole second; Gross tripled to right [Howard
scored]; Cedeno singled to center [Gross scored]; Cedeno stole
second; Johnson homered [Cedeno scored]; TEKULVE REPLACED GIUSTI
(PITCHING); Rader grounded out (pitcher to first); Helms
grounded out (third to first); 4 R, 3 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Pirates 0,
Astros 5.

PIRATES 9TH: Parker flied out to center; Zisk struck out;
Sanguillen lined to center; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Pirates 0,
Astros 5.