Turning in a two-hit relief performance over 6 2/3 innings, Joe Niekro gained his first victory since May 13 when the Astros defeated the Cubs, 5-4. Niekro entered the game when a pulled leg muscle forced Joaquin Andujar off the mound.

The Cubs went ahead against Niekro, 4-2, with two runs in the fourth, but Bob Watson came to the rescue of his teammate, driving in one run with an infield out in the sixth and knocking in the tying and winning tallies with a double in the eighth. [The Sporting News]

Houston Astros 5, Chicago Cubs 4

Game Played on Saturday, June 17, 1978 (Night game) at Astrodome

Cubs 0 0 2 2 0 0 0 0 0 - 4 7 0 Astros 0 2 0 0 0 1 0 2 x - 5 7 0 Cubs AB R H RBI BB SO AVG Astros AB R H RBI BB SO AVG De Jesus ss 4 1 1 0 0 2 .269 Howard lf 4 0 0 0 0 3 .255 Gross cf 4 0 1 2 0 0 .297 Walling cf 3 0 0 0 1 0 .262 Buckner 1b 4 0 1 0 0 0 .307 Cabell 3b 4 2 2 0 0 0 .296 Murcer rf 4 0 0 0 0 1 .237 Cruz rf 3 1 1 0 1 0 .286 Biittner lf 4 0 1 0 0 0 .304 Watson 1b 4 1 2 3 0 0 .267 Ontiveros 3b 4 0 1 0 0 1 .201 Bergman pr,1b 0 0 0 0 0 0 .103 Trillo 2b 4 0 0 0 0 0 .264 Howe 2b 4 1 1 0 0 0 .278 Rader c 3 2 1 0 0 0 .234 Ferguson c 2 0 0 0 1 1 .222 Kingman ph 1 0 0 0 0 1 .229 Fischlin ss 3 0 0 0 0 0 .000 Geisel p 1 0 0 0 0 1 .000 Andujar p 1 0 1 2 0 0 .130 Meoli ph 1 1 1 1 0 0 .133 Niekro p 2 0 0 0 0 2 .231 Moore p 1 0 0 0 0 1 .333 Hernandez p 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000 Sutter p 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000 Totals 35 4 7 3 0 7 Totals 30 5 7 5 3 6 Time of Game: 2:20 Attendance: 28,091 Left on Base: Cubs 4, Astros 4 DP: Cubs 1, Astros 0 Doubles: Howe (17), Andujar (1), Watson (9) Triples: Ontiveros (3), Meoli (1) Stolen Bases: Cabell 3 (11), Cruz (10) Cubs IP H R ER BB SO HR BFP ERA Geisel 3 4 2 2 2 2 0 14 4.50 Moore 4 1 1 1 0 4 0 13 4.36 Hernandez L(5-2) 0.2 1 2 2 1 0 0 4 3.82 Sutter 0.1 1 0 0 0 0 0 2 1.63 Totals 8 7 5 5 3 6 0 33 Astros IP H R ER BB SO HR BFP ERA Andujar 2.1 5 2 2 0 2 0 12 3.07 Niekro W(3-4) 6.2 2 2 1 0 5 0 23 6.84 Totals 9 7 4 3 0 7 0 35 Passed Balls: Ferguson (5) Wild Pitches: Niekro (2) Balks: Andujar (3) Umpires: HP - Eric Gregg, 1B - Bill Williams, 2B - Dick Stello, 3B - Bruce Froemming CUBS 1ST: De Jesus struck out; Gross grounded out (first to pitcher); Buckner flied out to right; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB. Cubs 0, Astros 0. ASTROS 1ST: Howard struck out; Walling flied out to left; Cabell flied out to right; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB. Cubs 0, Astros 0. CUBS 2ND: Murcer grounded out (pitcher to first); Biittner singled; Ontiveros flied out to left; Trillo flied out to right; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB. Cubs 0, Astros 0. ASTROS 2ND: Cruz flied out to center; Watson singled; Howe doubled [Watson to third]; Ferguson was walked intentionally; Fischlin flied out to right; Andujar doubled [Watson scored, Howe scored, Ferguson to third]; Howard struck out; 2 R, 3 H, 0 E, 2 LOB. Cubs 0, Astros 2. CUBS 3RD: Rader singled; Geisel struck out; De Jesus singled [Rader to second]; Andujar balked [Rader to third, De Jesus to second]; Gross singled [Rader scored, De Jesus scored]; Buckner singled [Gross to second]; Joaquin Andujar pulled right hamstring on balk; NIEKRO REPLACED ANDUJAR (PITCHING); Murcer flied out to center; Biittner flied out to center; 2 R, 4 H, 0 E, 2 LOB. Cubs 2, Astros 2. ASTROS 3RD: Walling walked; Cabell lined into a double play (second to first) [Walling out at first]; Cruz singled; Watson forced Cruz (shortstop to second); 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB. Cubs 2, Astros 2. CUBS 4TH: Ontiveros tripled; Trillo made an out to second; Rader reached on a fielder's choice [Ontiveros out at home (second to catcher)]; MEOLI BATTED FOR GEISEL; Meoli tripled [Rader scored]; Ferguson allowed a passed ball [Meoli scored (unearned)]; De Jesus struck out; 2 R (1 ER), 2 H, 0 E, 0 LOB. Cubs 4, Astros 2. ASTROS 4TH: MOORE REPLACED MEOLI (PITCHING); Howe made an out to second; Ferguson grounded out (third to first); Fischlin grounded out (shortstop to first); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB. Cubs 4, Astros 2. CUBS 5TH: Gross grounded out (second to first); Buckner flied out to right; Murcer grounded out (second to first); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB. Cubs 4, Astros 2. ASTROS 5TH: Niekro struck out; Howard struck out; Walling flied out to left; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB. Cubs 4, Astros 2. CUBS 6TH: Biittner flied out to right; Ontiveros grounded out (second to first); Trillo made an out to third; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB. Cubs 4, Astros 2. ASTROS 6TH: Cabell singled; Cabell stole second; Cruz flied out to right [Cabell to third]; Watson grounded out (second to pitcher) [Cabell scored]; Howe grounded out (third to first); 1 R, 1 H, 0 E, 0 LOB. Cubs 4, Astros 3. CUBS 7TH: Rader grounded out (second to first); Moore struck out; De Jesus grounded out (second to first); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB. Cubs 4, Astros 3. ASTROS 7TH: Ferguson struck out; Fischlin grounded out (third to first); Niekro struck out; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB. Cubs 4, Astros 3. CUBS 8TH: Gross flied out to center; Buckner grounded out (first unassisted); Murcer struck out; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB. Cubs 4, Astros 3. ASTROS 8TH: HERNANDEZ REPLACED MOORE (PITCHING); Howard grounded out (second to first); Walling grounded out (second to first); Cabell singled; Cabell stole second; Cruz walked; SUTTER REPLACED HERNANDEZ (PITCHING); Cabell stole third and Cruz stole second; Watson doubled [Cabell scored, Cruz scored]; BERGMAN RAN FOR WATSON; Howe grounded out (third to first); 2 R, 2 H, 0 E, 1 LOB. Cubs 4, Astros 5. CUBS 9TH: BERGMAN STAYED IN GAME (PLAYING 1B); Biittner grounded out (second to first); Ontiveros struck out but advanced to first on a wild pitch; Trillo grounded out (third to first) [Ontiveros to second]; KINGMAN BATTED FOR RADER; Kingman struck out; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 1 LOB. Cubs 4, Astros 5.

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