A throwing error by catcher Bob Boone gave the Astros two runs and that was all they needed to subdue the Phillies, 2-1. The error came after the Astros loaded the bases with one out in the third inning on a walk to Joe Ferguson, double by Roger Metzger and walk to Terry Puhl. Enos Cabell then grounded to third and Mike Schmidt threw home to force Ferguson. But Boone's relay to first in an attempt for a double play went into right field and two runs scored.

A double by Richie Hebner drove in the Phillies' run in the fourth. Joaquin Andujar allowed the Phils two hits in five innings but left the game with a rib cage tear after throwing one pitch in the sixth. Tom Dixon earned the save with four scoreless innings of relief. The victory was the fifth straight for the Astros, while the Phillies took their fifth loss in last the six games. [The Sporting News]

Houston Astros 2, Philadelphia Phillies 1

Game Played on Wednesday, May 17, 1978 (Night game) at Astrodome

Phillies 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 - 1 5 1 Astros 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 x - 2 5 1 Phillies AB R H RBI BB SO AVG Astros AB R H RBI BB SO AVG McBride rf 3 0 1 0 1 0 .278 Puhl lf 3 1 2 0 1 1 .312 Bowa ss 4 0 0 0 0 1 .282 Cabell 3b 4 0 1 0 0 0 .248 Schmidt 3b 4 1 2 0 0 1 .292 Cedeno cf 4 0 0 0 0 0 .279 Luzinski lf 4 0 0 0 0 3 .274 Watson 1b 3 0 0 0 0 0 .283 Hebner 1b 4 0 1 1 0 0 .286 Howe 2b 3 0 1 0 0 0 .283 Maddox cf 3 0 1 0 1 0 .279 Cruz rf 3 0 0 0 0 1 .270 Boone c 3 0 0 0 1 0 .243 Ferguson c 2 0 0 0 1 0 .217 Harrelson 2b 2 0 0 0 1 1 .278 Metzger ss 3 1 1 0 0 0 .247 Johnstone ph 1 0 0 0 0 0 .154 Andujar p 2 0 0 0 0 2 .067 Lerch p 3 0 0 0 0 1 .267 Dixon p 1 0 0 0 0 0 .333 Totals 31 1 5 1 4 7 Totals 28 2 5 0 2 4 Time of Game: 2:14 Attendance: 11,856 Left on Base: Phillies 7, Astros 4 DP: Phillies 1, Astros 1 Errors: Boone, Ferguson Doubles: Hebner (5), Metzger (4), Howe (11) Stolen Bases: Maddox (8), Schmidt (4), McBride (4) GIDP: Lerch (1), Cedeno (4) Phillies IP H R ER BB SO HR BFP ERA Lerch L(3-3) 8 5 2 0 2 4 0 30 3.66 Totals 8 5 2 0 2 4 0 30 Astros IP H R ER BB SO HR BFP ERA Andujar W(3-2) 5 2 1 1 3 5 0 20 2.10 Dixon SV(1) 4 3 0 0 1 2 0 15 2.70 Totals 9 5 1 1 4 7 0 35 Umpires: HP - Bill Williams, 1B - Dick Stello, 2B - Bruce Froemming, 3B - Eric Gregg PHILLIES 1ST: McBride grounded out (second to first); Bowa flied out to right; Schmidt struck out; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB. Phillies 0, Astros 0. ASTROS 1ST: Puhl struck out; Cabell grounded out (third to first); Cedeno flied out to center; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB. Phillies 0, Astros 0. PHILLIES 2ND: Luzinski flied out to center; Hebner flied out to right; Maddox walked; Maddox stole second; Boone walked; Harrelson struck out; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 2 LOB. Phillies 0, Astros 0. ASTROS 2ND: Watson flied out to center; Howe grounded out (shortstop to first); Cruz grounded out (shortstop to first); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB. Phillies 0, Astros 0. PHILLIES 3RD: Lerch grounded out (shortstop to first); McBride grounded out (first to pitcher); Bowa grounded out (second to first); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB. Phillies 0, Astros 0. ASTROS 3RD: Ferguson walked; Metzger doubled to center [Ferguson to third]; Andujar struck out; Puhl walked; Cabell forced Ferguson (third to catcher) [Metzger scored (error by Boone) (unearned) (no RBI), Puhl scored (unearned) (no RBI), Cabell to third]; Cedeno grounded out (catcher to first); 2 R (0 ER), 1 H, 1 E, 1 LOB. Phillies 0, Astros 2. PHILLIES 4TH: Schmidt singled to third; Schmidt stole second [Schmidt to third (error by Ferguson)]; Luzinski struck out; Hebner doubled to left [Schmidt scored]; Maddox flied out to center [Hebner to third]; Boone flied out to left; 1 R, 2 H, 1 E, 1 LOB. Phillies 1, Astros 2. ASTROS 4TH: Watson grounded out (shortstop to first); Howe doubled to left; Cruz grounded out (first to pitcher) [Howe to third]; Ferguson grounded out (shortstop to first); 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB. Phillies 1, Astros 2. PHILLIES 5TH: Harrelson grounded out (second to first); Lerch was called out on strikes; McBride walked; Bowa struck out; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 1 LOB. Phillies 1, Astros 2. ASTROS 5TH: Metzger grounded out (second to first); Andujar struck out; Joaquin Andujar injured during AB; Puhl singled to pitcher; Cabell flied out to left; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB. Phillies 1, Astros 2. PHILLIES 6TH: DIXON REPLACED ANDUJAR (PITCHING); Schmidt singled to left; Luzinski struck out; Hebner made an out to second; Maddox singled to right [Schmidt to second]; Boone lined to left; 0 R, 2 H, 0 E, 2 LOB. Phillies 1, Astros 2. ASTROS 6TH: Cedeno flied out to center; Watson flied out to center; Howe grounded out (shortstop to first); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB. Phillies 1, Astros 2. PHILLIES 7TH: Harrelson walked; Lerch grounded into a double play (second to shortstop to first) [Harrelson out at second]; McBride singled to right; McBride stole second; Bowa flied out to right; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB. Phillies 1, Astros 2. ASTROS 7TH: Cruz struck out; Ferguson flied out to center; Metzger grounded out (shortstop to first); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB. Phillies 1, Astros 2. PHILLIES 8TH: Schmidt flied out to right; Luzinski struck out; Hebner made an out to second; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB. Phillies 1, Astros 2. ASTROS 8TH: Dixon grounded out (third to first); Puhl singled to right; Cabell singled to center [Puhl to third]; Cedeno grounded into a double play (second to shortstop to first) [Cabell out at second]; 0 R, 2 H, 0 E, 1 LOB. Phillies 1, Astros 2. PHILLIES 9TH: Maddox grounded out (second to first); Boone flied out to left; JOHNSTONE BATTED FOR HARRELSON; Johnstone flied out to center; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB. Phillies 1, Astros 2.

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