The Astros handed the Padres their third straight loss, 5-1, as Joe Niekro spaced four hits, drove in a pair of runs and scored two others. The first two Astros' runs were unearned. Joe Ferguson singled in the second inning and moved to second when left fielder Oscar Gamble booted the ball. After taking third on a single by Art Howe, Ferguson scored on Niekro's squeeze bunt.

Niekro reached first on the play and came around on a walk to Terry Puhl and single by Enos Cabell. Howe doubled in the eighth and scored on Niekro's single. Niekro was driven home by Cesar Cedeno's single. [The Sporting News]

Houston Astros 5, San Diego Padres 1

Game Played on Tuesday, April 18, 1978 (Night game) at San Diego Stadium

Astros 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 2 1 - 5 14 0 Padres 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 - 1 4 2 Astros AB R H RBI BB SO AVG Padres AB R H RBI BB SO AVG Puhl lf 5 0 1 0 1 1 .261 Richards 1b 3 1 0 0 1 1 .194 Cabell 3b 4 0 1 1 1 0 .300 Thomas 2b 4 0 1 0 0 0 .333 Cedeno cf 5 0 1 1 0 1 .333 Winfield rf 3 0 1 0 1 0 .294 Watson 1b 4 0 3 0 1 0 .293 Gamble lf 4 0 1 1 0 1 .194 Bergman pr,1b 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000 Hendrick cf 3 0 0 0 1 1 .276 Cruz rf 4 0 0 0 1 0 .326 Sweet c 4 0 0 0 0 0 .000 Ferguson c 4 2 2 0 1 1 .231 Almon 3b 3 0 0 0 0 0 .308 Howe 2b 5 1 2 0 0 0 .302 Smith ss 3 0 1 0 0 0 .238 Metzger ss 5 0 2 1 0 1 .242 Shirley p 2 0 0 0 0 1 .000 Niekro p 3 2 2 2 0 0 .333 Turner ph 1 0 0 0 0 1 .250 Fingers p 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000 Lolich p 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000 Totals 39 5 14 5 5 4 Totals 30 1 4 1 3 5 Time of Game: 2:34 Attendance: 10,840 Left on Base: Astros 14, Padres 5 DP: Astros 0, Padres 0 Errors: Richards, Gamble Doubles: Howe (5), Ferguson (2), Metzger (1), Thomas (3), Winfield (2) Caught Stealing: Howe (1), Puhl (2) Sacrifice Hits: Niekro 2 (3) Astros IP H R ER BB SO HR BFP ERA Niekro W(1-1) 9 4 1 1 3 5 0 33 6.00 Totals 9 4 1 1 3 5 0 33 Padres IP H R ER BB SO HR BFP ERA Shirley L(0-3) 7 8 2 0 4 4 0 33 4.76 Fingers 0.2 4 2 2 1 0 0 7 4.15 Lolich 1.1 2 1 1 0 0 0 6 1.42 Totals 9 14 5 3 5 4 0 46 Umpires: HP - Bruce Froemming, 1B - Eric Gregg, 2B - Bill Williams, 3B - Dick Stello ASTROS 1ST: Puhl reached on an error by Richards [Puhl to first]; Cabell walked [Puhl to second]; Cedeno struck out; Watson flied out to right [Puhl to third]; Cruz made an out to second; 0 R, 0 H, 1 E, 2 LOB. Astros 0, Padres 0. PADRES 1ST: Richards flied out to center; Thomas grounded out (third to first); Winfield flied out to left; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB. Astros 0, Padres 0. ASTROS 2ND: Ferguson singled to left [Ferguson to second (error by Gamble)]; Howe singled [Ferguson to third]; Metzger struck out; Niekro reached on a fielder's choice on a sacrifice bunt [Ferguson scored (unearned), Howe to second]; Howe was picked off and caught stealing third (pitcher to third) [Niekro to second]; Puhl walked; Cabell singled [Niekro scored (unearned), Puhl to third]; Puhl was picked off and caught stealing home (pitcher to first to shortstop to catcher); 2 R (0 ER), 3 H, 1 E, 1 LOB. Astros 2, Padres 0. PADRES 2ND: Gamble grounded out (shortstop to first); Hendrick walked; Sweet flied out to right; Almon out on an unknown play; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 1 LOB. Astros 2, Padres 0. ASTROS 3RD: Cedeno grounded out (shortstop to first); Watson singled; Cruz flied out to right; Ferguson walked [Watson to second]; Howe flied out to center; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 2 LOB. Astros 2, Padres 0. PADRES 3RD: Smith lined to third; Shirley struck out; Richards walked; Thomas doubled [Richards to third]; Winfield walked; Gamble singled [Richards scored, Thomas out at home (second to catcher), Winfield to second]; 1 R, 2 H, 0 E, 2 LOB. Astros 2, Padres 1. ASTROS 4TH: Metzger grounded out (third to first); Niekro singled; Puhl struck out; Cabell grounded out (pitcher to first); 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB. Astros 2, Padres 1. PADRES 4TH: Hendrick struck out; Sweet grounded out (first to pitcher); Almon grounded out (third to first); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB. Astros 2, Padres 1. ASTROS 5TH: Cedeno made an out to shortstop; Watson singled; Cruz flied out to left; Ferguson struck out; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB. Astros 2, Padres 1. PADRES 5TH: Smith singled; Shirley grounded out (catcher to first) [Smith to second]; Richards grounded out (first to pitcher) [Smith to third]; Thomas flied out to left; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB. Astros 2, Padres 1. ASTROS 6TH: Howe grounded out (shortstop to first); Metzger singled; Niekro out on a sacrifice bunt (pitcher unassisted) [Metzger to second]; Puhl flied out to right; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB. Astros 2, Padres 1. PADRES 6TH: Winfield doubled; Gamble struck out; Hendrick flied out to left; Sweet made an out to first; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB. Astros 2, Padres 1. ASTROS 7TH: Cabell grounded out (shortstop to first); Cedeno grounded out (shortstop to first); Watson singled; Cruz walked [Watson to second]; Ferguson flied out to right; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 2 LOB. Astros 2, Padres 1. PADRES 7TH: Almon grounded out (second to first); Smith made an out to third; TURNER BATTED FOR SHIRLEY; Turner struck out; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB. Astros 2, Padres 1. ASTROS 8TH: FINGERS REPLACED TURNER (PITCHING); Howe doubled; Metzger grounded out (second to pitcher) [Howe to third]; Niekro singled [Howe scored]; Puhl singled [Niekro to second]; Cabell made an out to second; Cedeno singled [Niekro scored, Puhl to third, Cedeno to second (on throw)]; Watson was walked intentionally; BERGMAN RAN FOR WATSON; LOLICH REPLACED FINGERS (PITCHING); Cruz grounded out (first unassisted); 2 R, 4 H, 0 E, 3 LOB. Astros 4, Padres 1. PADRES 8TH: BERGMAN STAYED IN GAME (PLAYING 1B); Richards was called out on strikes; Thomas flied out to right; Winfield flied out to right; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB. Astros 4, Padres 1. ASTROS 9TH: Ferguson doubled; Howe grounded out (third to first); Metzger doubled [Ferguson scored]; Niekro flied out to left; Puhl grounded out (second to first); 1 R, 2 H, 0 E, 1 LOB. Astros 5, Padres 1. PADRES 9TH: Gamble made an out to shortstop; Hendrick grounded out (shortstop to first); Sweet flied out to center; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB. Astros 5, Padres 1.

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