A homer by Cliff Johnson in the seventh inning and shutout pitching by Bo McLaughlin enabled the Astros to extend their winning streak to seven games with a 1-0 victory over the Phillies, who lost for the sixth time in a row. McLaughlin's complete game was the sixth straight to the credit of the Astros' staff, tying the club record. [The Sporting News]



Houston Astros 1, Philadelphia Phillies 0
Game Played on Wednesday, September 1, 1976 (Night game) at Astrodome
Phillies     0  0  0    0  0  0    0  0  0  -   0  6  0
Astros       0  0  0    0  0  0    1  0  x  -   1  5  1


Phillies             AB   R   H RBI    BB  SO    AVG      Astros               AB   R   H RBI    BB  SO    AVG
Maddox cf             4   0   1   0     0   1   .327      Andrews 2b            4   0   1   0     0   0   .261
Bowa ss               4   0   0   0     0   0   .250      Cabell 3b             3   0   0   0     1   1   .276
Johnstone rf          3   0   1   0     1   0   .339      Cedeno cf             4   0   0   0     0   2   .295
Schmidt 3b            4   0   0   0     0   2   .270      Watson 1b             3   0   1   0     0   0   .300
McCarver 1b           4   0   0   0     0   1   .264      Johnson c             3   1   1   1     0   0   .222
Boone c               4   0   0   0     0   1   .297      Cruz rf               3   0   1   0     0   0   .312
Tolan lf              3   0   2   0     0   0   .258      Roberts lf            3   0   0   0     0   2   .285
Harmon 2b             3   0   1   0     0   0   .326        Howard lf           0   0   0   0     0   0   .223
Kaat p                2   0   1   0     0   0   .171      Metzger ss            3   0   1   0     0   1   .216
  Cash ph             0   0   0   0     1   0   .277      McLaughlin p          3   0   0   0     0   0   .000
  Reed p              0   0   0   0     0   0   .174

Totals               31   0   6   0     2   5             Totals               29   1   5   1     1   6

Time of Game: 1:40   Attendance:  6,395
Left on Base: Phillies 6, Astros 5
DP: Phillies 0, Astros 2
Errors: Andrews
Doubles: Metzger (12)
Home Runs: Johnson (8)
Stolen Bases: Cruz (23), Cabell (30)
Caught Stealing: Johnstone (5)
GIDP: Harmon (1)


Phillies               IP     H   R  ER  BB  SO  HR BFP    ERA
Kaat L(11-10)           7     5   1   1   0   5   1  26   3.19
Reed                    1     0   0   0   1   1   0   4   2.51
Totals                  8     5   1   1   1   6   1  30

Astros                 IP     H   R  ER  BB  SO  HR BFP    ERA
McLaughlin W(3-2)       9     6   0   0   2   5   0  33   2.00
Totals                  9     6   0   0   2   5   0  33

Umpires: HP - Jim Quick, 1B - Bill Williams, 2B - Harry Wendelstedt, 3B - Dick Stello


PHILLIES 1ST: Maddox struck out; Bowa flied out to right;
Johnstone reached on an error by Andrews [Johnstone to first];
Schmidt forced Johnstone (shortstop to second); 0 R, 0 H, 1 E, 1
LOB.  Phillies 0, Astros 0.

ASTROS 1ST: Andrews lined to third; Cabell grounded out
(shortstop to first); Cedeno flied out to left; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0
LOB.  Phillies 0, Astros 0.

PHILLIES 2ND: McCarver popped to third; Boone struck out; Tolan
grounded out (pitcher to first); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Phillies
0, Astros 0.

ASTROS 2ND: Watson grounded out (third to first); Johnson
grounded out (third to first); Cruz grounded out (third to
first); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Phillies 0, Astros 0.

PHILLIES 3RD: Harmon flied out to center; Kaat singled to
shortstop; Maddox lined into a double play (right to first)
[Kaat out at first]; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Phillies 0, Astros 0.

ASTROS 3RD: Roberts struck out; Metzger doubled to center;
McLaughlin grounded out (shortstop to first); Andrews flied out
to left; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Phillies 0, Astros 0.

PHILLIES 4TH: Bowa grounded out (second to first); Johnstone
singled to center; Johnstone was caught stealing second (catcher
to second); Schmidt flied out to center; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.
Phillies 0, Astros 0.

ASTROS 4TH: Cabell grounded out (shortstop to first); Cedeno
struck out; Watson singled to right; Johnson flied out to
center; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Phillies 0, Astros 0.

PHILLIES 5TH: McCarver struck out; Boone grounded out (third to
first); Tolan singled to right; Harmon singled to left [Tolan to
second]; Kaat flied out to center; 0 R, 2 H, 0 E, 2 LOB.
Phillies 0, Astros 0.

ASTROS 5TH: Cruz flied out to center; Roberts lined to third;
Metzger grounded out (shortstop to first); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.
 Phillies 0, Astros 0.

PHILLIES 6TH: Maddox singled to center; Bowa forced Maddox
(second to shortstop); Johnstone walked [Bowa to second];
Schmidt struck out; McCarver popped to shortstop; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E,
2 LOB.  Phillies 0, Astros 0.

ASTROS 6TH: McLaughlin grounded out (shortstop to first);
Andrews singled to left; Cabell struck out; Cedeno made an out
to first; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Phillies 0, Astros 0.

PHILLIES 7TH: Boone flied out to center; Tolan singled to right;
Harmon grounded into a double play (third to second to first)
[Tolan out at second]; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Phillies 0, Astros
0.

ASTROS 7TH: Watson flied out to left; Johnson homered; Cruz
singled to right; Cruz stole second; Roberts struck out; Metzger
struck out; 1 R, 2 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Phillies 0, Astros 1.

PHILLIES 8TH: HOWARD REPLACED ROBERTS (PLAYING LF); CASH BATTED
FOR KAAT; Cash walked; Maddox forced Cash (shortstop to second);
Bowa grounded out (third to first) [Maddox to second]; Johnstone
grounded out (second to first); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Phillies
0, Astros 1.

ASTROS 8TH: REED REPLACED CASH (PITCHING); McLaughlin grounded
out (shortstop to first); Andrews flied out to center; Cabell
walked; Cabell stole second; Cedeno struck out; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 1
LOB.  Phillies 0, Astros 1.

PHILLIES 9TH: Schmidt struck out; McCarver flied out to right;
Boone flied out to left; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Phillies 0,
Astros 1.