A single by Jose Cruz with the bases loaded in the ninth inning scored Enos Cabell with the Astros' winning run in a 7-6 victory over the Expos. Bombo Rivera drove in three runs for the Expos with a double and homer before Andre Thornton hit for the circuit in the top half of the ninth to tie the score at 6-6.

In the Astros' half, Cabell walked, stole his third base of the game and continued to third on a wild throw by catcher Barry Foote. After intentional passes to Bob Watson and Leon Roberts, Cruz rapped his game-winning single. [The Sporting News]



Houston Astros 7, Montreal Expos 6
Game Played on Thursday, July      8, 1976 (Night game) at Astrodome
Expos        1  0  0    1  0  2    0  1  1  -   6  8  3
Astros       3  0  0    0  1  0    2  0  1  -   7 11  0


Expos                AB   R   H RBI    BB  SO    AVG      Astros               AB   R   H RBI    BB  SO    AVG
Mangual cf            1   1   0   0     4   0   .272      Howard cf             5   0   0   0     0   1   .210
Foli ss               4   0   1   1     0   0   .265      Andrews 2b            5   1   1   0     0   0   .288
Mackanin 2b           3   0   1   0     1   0   .241      Cabell 3b             5   3   2   0     0   1   .302
  Lyttle ph           1   0   0   0     0   0   .288      Watson 1b             3   2   1   1     2   0   .278
  Frias 2b            0   0   0   0     0   0   .263      Roberts rf,lf         4   1   1   2     1   1   .323
Thornton 1b           4   1   1   1     1   1   .211      Johnson lf            3   0   3   3     1   0   .234
Foote c               5   0   1   0     0   0   .228        Cruz pr,rf          1   0   1   1     0   0   .291
Parrish 3b            4   1   0   0     1   0   .212      Herrmann c            4   0   0   0     0   1   .175
Jorgensen rf          3   2   0   0     2   1   .241      Metzger ss            3   0   1   0     1   0   .242
Rivera lf             4   1   3   3     0   1   .277      Cosgrove p            1   0   0   0     0   0   .091
Fryman p              3   0   1   0     0   1   .088        Gross ph            1   0   1   0     0   0   .290
  Murray p            0   0   0   0     0   0   .000        Pentz p             0   0   0   0     0   0   .250
  Morales ph          1   0   0   0     0   0   .307        Forsch p            1   0   0   0     0   0   .143
  Dunning p           0   0   0   0     0   0   .000

Totals               33   6   8   5     9   4             Totals               36   7  11   7     5   4

Time of Game: 2:26   Attendance:  6,598
Left on Base: Expos 10, Astros 10
DP: Expos 1, Astros 1
Errors: Foli, Foote, Parrish
Doubles: Foli (17), Rivera (4), Cabell (8), Johnson 3 (14), Watson (12)
Home Runs: Rivera (2), Thornton (7)
Stolen Bases: Cabell 3 (18)
Sacrifice Hits: Cosgrove (4)
Sacrifice Flies: Foli (6)
GIDP: Foote (3), Howard (4)


Expos                  IP     H   R  ER  BB  SO  HR BFP    ERA
Fryman                  6.1   8   6   3   3   3   0  31   3.74
Murray                  0.2   1   0   0   0   1   0   3   2.86
Dunning L(0-3)          1.1   2   1   1   2   0   0   8   5.02
Totals                  8.1  11   7   4   5   4   0  42

Astros                 IP     H   R  ER  BB  SO  HR BFP    ERA
Cosgrove                6     5   4   4   7   3   1  29   5.15
Pentz                   1.1   2   1   1   2   1   0   8   4.01
Forsch W(2-2)           1.2   1   1   1   0   0   1   6   2.01
Totals                  9     8   6   6   9   4   2  43

Wild Pitches: Cosgrove (5)

Umpires: HP - Paul Pryor, 1B - John McSherry, 2B - Art Williams, 3B - Tom Gorman


EXPOS 1ST: Mangual walked; Foli doubled to left [Mangual to
third]; Cosgrove threw a wild pitch [Mangual scored, Foli to
third]; Mackanin walked; Thornton reached on a fielder's choice
[Foli out at home (third to catcher), Mackanin to third]; Foote
made an out to shortstop; Parrish flied out to center; 1 R, 1 H,
0 E, 2 LOB.  Expos 1, Astros 0.

ASTROS 1ST: Howard flied out to right; Andrews singled to left;
Cabell doubled [Andrews to third]; Watson walked; Roberts
singled to left [Andrews scored, Cabell scored, Watson to
third]; Johnson doubled to left [Watson scored, Roberts to
third]; Herrmann made an out to third; Metzger was walked
intentionally; Cosgrove grounded out (second to first); 3 R, 4
H, 0 E, 3 LOB.  Expos 1, Astros 3.

EXPOS 2ND: Jorgensen flied out to left; Rivera struck out;
Fryman singled to right; Mangual flied out to center; 0 R, 1 H,
0 E, 1 LOB.  Expos 1, Astros 3.

ASTROS 2ND: Howard made an out to third; Andrews flied out to
center; Cabell struck out; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Expos 1,
Astros 3.

EXPOS 3RD: Foli made an out to third; Mackanin singled to
center; Thornton walked [Mackanin to second]; Foote grounded
into a double play (shortstop to second to first) [Thornton out
at second]; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Expos 1, Astros 3.

ASTROS 3RD: Watson flied out to left; Roberts flied out to
center; Johnson walked; Herrmann made an out to catcher; 0 R, 0
H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Expos 1, Astros 3.

EXPOS 4TH: Parrish grounded out (second to first); Jorgensen
walked; Rivera doubled to left [Jorgensen scored]; Fryman struck
out; Mangual walked; Foli grounded out (second to first); 1 R, 1
H, 0 E, 2 LOB.  Expos 2, Astros 3.

ASTROS 4TH: Metzger singled to center; Cosgrove out on a
sacrifice bunt (pitcher to second) [Metzger to second]; Howard
struck out; Andrews flied out to center; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.
Expos 2, Astros 3.

EXPOS 5TH: Mackanin flied out to right; Thornton grounded out
(third to first); Foote flied out to left; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.
 Expos 2, Astros 3.

ASTROS 5TH: Cabell grounded out (third to first); Watson
grounded out (shortstop to first); Roberts reached on an error
by Parrish; Johnson doubled [Roberts scored (unearned)];
Herrmann struck out; 1 R (0 ER), 1 H, 1 E, 1 LOB.  Expos 2,
Astros 4.

EXPOS 6TH: Parrish walked; Jorgensen struck out; Rivera homered
[Parrish scored]; Fryman grounded out (pitcher to first);
Mangual walked; Foli grounded out (shortstop to first); 2 R, 1
H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Expos 4, Astros 4.

ASTROS 6TH: Metzger made an out to catcher; GROSS BATTED FOR
COSGROVE; Gross singled to left; Howard grounded into a double
play (shortstop to second to first) [Gross out at second]; 0 R,
1 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Expos 4, Astros 4.

EXPOS 7TH: PENTZ REPLACED GROSS (PITCHING); Mackanin grounded
out (pitcher to first); Thornton struck out; Foote singled to
left; Parrish flied out to center; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Expos
4, Astros 4.

ASTROS 7TH: Andrews made an out to shortstop; Cabell reached on
an error by Foli; Cabell stole second; Cabell stole third;
Watson doubled [Cabell scored (unearned)]; MURRAY REPLACED
FRYMAN (PITCHING); Roberts struck out; Johnson doubled to right
[Watson scored (unearned)]; CRUZ RAN FOR JOHNSON; Herrmann
grounded out (first unassisted); 2 R (0 ER), 2 H, 1 E, 1 LOB.
Expos 4, Astros 6.

EXPOS 8TH: CRUZ STAYED IN GAME (PLAYING RF); ROBERTS CHANGED
POSITIONS (PLAYING LF); Jorgensen walked; Rivera singled to
right [Jorgensen to second]; MORALES BATTED FOR MURRAY; Morales
made an out to shortstop; Mangual walked [Jorgensen to third,
Rivera to second]; FORSCH REPLACED PENTZ (PITCHING); Foli hit a
sacrifice fly to center [Jorgensen scored]; LYTTLE BATTED FOR
MACKANIN; Lyttle grounded out (second to first); 1 R, 1 H, 0 E,
2 LOB.  Expos 5, Astros 6.

ASTROS 8TH: FRIAS REPLACED LYTTLE (PLAYING 2B); DUNNING REPLACED
MORALES (PITCHING); Metzger grounded out (shortstop to first);
Forsch grounded out (second to first); Howard grounded out
(second to first); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Expos 5, Astros 6.

EXPOS 9TH: Thornton homered; Foote grounded out (pitcher to
first); Parrish flied out to right; Jorgensen flied out to
right; 1 R, 1 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Expos 6, Astros 6.

ASTROS 9TH: Andrews grounded out (shortstop to first); Cabell
singled; Cabell stole second [Cabell to third (error by Foote)];
Watson was walked intentionally; Roberts was walked
intentionally [Watson to second]; Cruz singled [Cabell scored,
Watson to third, Roberts to second]; 1 R, 2 H, 1 E, 3 LOB.
Expos 6, Astros 7.