Scoring three runs in the third inning, the Astros downed the Cardinals, 4-2. Terry Puhl led off the third with a single, took second on an errant pickoff attempt, stole third and counted on a ground out by Enos Cabell. Jose Cruz singled, stole second and tallied on a double by Bob Watson. A single by Art Howe plated Watson.

Watson pulled a hamstring rounding third, limped toward the plate and collapsed as he scored. He was carried off the field on a stretcher and was expected to be lost to the team for at least three weeks. [The Sporting News]

Houston Astros 4, St. Louis Cardinals 2

Game Played on Wednesday, August 16, 1978 (Day game) at Busch Stadium II

Astros 0 0 3 0 0 0 0 1 0 - 4 9 0 Cardinals 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 - 2 6 1 Astros AB R H RBI BB SO AVG Cardinals AB R H RBI BB SO AVG Puhl cf 4 1 2 0 1 0 .299 Brock lf 4 1 1 0 0 0 .218 Gonzalez ss 5 0 1 0 0 1 .241 Templeton ss 4 0 1 0 0 2 .282 Cabell 3b 4 0 0 1 1 0 .285 Hendrick cf 3 1 1 2 1 1 .274 Cruz rf 4 2 2 0 0 1 .300 Simmons c 3 0 0 0 0 0 .286 Watson 1b 2 1 1 1 0 0 .296 Swisher c 1 0 0 0 0 1 .296 Walling lf 1 0 1 0 1 0 .231 Hernandez 1b 4 0 0 0 0 0 .255 Howe 2b 4 0 2 2 0 0 .288 Mumphrey rf 4 0 1 0 0 0 .240 Bergman lf,1b 2 0 0 0 2 0 .245 Reitz 3b 4 0 1 0 0 1 .233 Pujols c 3 0 0 0 1 0 .130 Phillips 2b 3 0 1 0 0 0 .272 Niekro p 4 0 0 0 0 1 .200 Schultz p 0 0 0 0 0 0 .200 Martinez p 1 0 0 0 0 0 .152 Scott ph 1 0 0 0 0 0 .236 Bruno p 0 0 0 0 0 0 .250 Tyson 2b 1 0 0 0 0 0 .244 Totals 33 4 9 4 6 3 Totals 33 2 6 2 1 5 Time of Game: 2:24 Attendance: 10,829 Left on Base: Astros 8, Cardinals 5 DP: Astros 0, Cardinals 2 Errors: Martinez Doubles: Puhl (21), Watson (25), Walling (5) Home Runs: Hendrick (14) Stolen Bases: Puhl (22), Cruz 3 (24), Mumphrey (11) GIDP: Watson (14), Niekro (1) Astros IP H R ER BB SO HR BFP ERA Niekro W(10-9) 9 6 2 2 1 5 1 34 4.18 Totals 9 6 2 2 1 5 1 34 Cardinals IP H R ER BB SO HR BFP ERA Martinez L(6-6) 5 6 3 3 3 3 0 21 3.07 Bruno 2.1 3 1 1 2 0 0 12 1.20 Schultz 1.2 0 0 0 1 0 0 6 3.59 Totals 9 9 4 4 6 3 0 39 Passed Balls: Pujols (8) Umpires: HP - Jim Quick, 1B - Jerry Crawford, 2B - Doug Harvey, 3B - Andy Olsen ASTROS 1ST: Puhl doubled to center; Gonzalez singled to right [Puhl to third]; Cabell walked [Gonzalez to second]; Cruz struck out; Watson grounded into a double play (shortstop to second to first) [Cabell out at second]; 0 R, 2 H, 0 E, 2 LOB. Astros 0, Cardinals 0. CARDINALS 1ST: Brock grounded out (first to pitcher); Templeton grounded out (shortstop to first); Hendrick popped to third; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB. Astros 0, Cardinals 0. ASTROS 2ND: Howe popped to shortstop; Bergman walked; Pujols walked [Bergman to second]; On a bunt Niekro grounded into a double play (first to shortstop to second) [Pujols out at second]; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 1 LOB. Astros 0, Cardinals 0. CARDINALS 2ND: Simmons flied out to center; Hernandez grounded out (first to pitcher); On a bunt Mumphrey singled to third; Mumphrey stole second; Reitz flied out to left; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB. Astros 0, Cardinals 0. ASTROS 3RD: Puhl singled to left; Puhl was picked off first but was safe on an error by Martinez [Puhl to second]; Puhl stole third; Gonzalez grounded out (third to first); Cabell grounded out (shortstop to first) [Puhl scored]; Cruz singled to right; Cruz stole second; Watson doubled to left [Cruz scored]; Howe singled to left [Watson scored, Howe out at second (left to third to second)]; Bob Watson pulled hamstring, limped from 3B, collapsed on the plate and removed on a stretcher; 3 R, 4 H, 1 E, 0 LOB. Astros 3, Cardinals 0. CARDINALS 3RD: WALLING REPLACED WATSON (PLAYING LF); BERGMAN CHANGED POSITIONS (PLAYING 1B); Phillips flied out to right; Martinez lined to third; Brock grounded out (second to first); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB. Astros 3, Cardinals 0. ASTROS 4TH: Bergman flied out to left; Pujols popped to first in foul territory; Niekro struck out; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB. Astros 3, Cardinals 0. CARDINALS 4TH: Templeton struck out; Hendrick struck out (catcher to first); Simmons flied out to right; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB. Astros 3, Cardinals 0. ASTROS 5TH: Puhl grounded out (second to first); Gonzalez struck out; Cabell flied out to right; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB. Astros 3, Cardinals 0. CARDINALS 5TH: Hernandez grounded out (second to first); Mumphrey grounded out (second to first); Reitz singled to left; Phillips singled to center [Reitz to second]; SCOTT BATTED FOR MARTINEZ; Scott grounded out (second to first); 0 R, 2 H, 0 E, 2 LOB. Astros 3, Cardinals 0. ASTROS 6TH: BRUNO REPLACED SCOTT (PITCHING); Cruz popped to third; Walling doubled to right; Howe grounded out (shortstop to first); Bergman was walked intentionally; Pujols forced Walling (third unassisted); 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 2 LOB. Astros 3, Cardinals 0. CARDINALS 6TH: Brock flied out to center; Templeton singled to center; Hendrick walked [Templeton to second]; Simmons grounded out (first to second to pitcher) [Templeton to third, Hendrick to second]; Hernandez grounded out (pitcher to first); 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 2 LOB. Astros 3, Cardinals 0. ASTROS 7TH: Niekro grounded out (third to first); Puhl grounded out (second to first); Gonzalez grounded out (second to first); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB. Astros 3, Cardinals 0. CARDINALS 7TH: Mumphrey lined to second; Reitz popped to first in foul territory; Phillips grounded out (second to first); Ted Simmons ejected by HP umpire Jim Quick; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB. Astros 3, Cardinals 0. ASTROS 8TH: SWISHER REPLACED SIMMONS (PLAYING C ); Cabell popped to second; Cruz singled to first; Cruz stole second; Cruz stole third; Walling walked; Howe singled to shortstop [Cruz scored, Walling to second]; TYSON REPLACED BRUNO (PLAYING 2B); SCHULTZ REPLACED PHILLIPS (PITCHING); Bergman forced Howe (second to shortstop) [Walling to third]; Pujols popped to third in foul territory; 1 R, 2 H, 0 E, 2 LOB. Astros 4, Cardinals 0. CARDINALS 8TH: Tyson popped to third; Brock singled to left; Pujols allowed a passed ball [Brock to second]; Templeton struck out; Hendrick homered [Brock scored]; Swisher struck out; 2 R, 2 H, 0 E, 0 LOB. Astros 4, Cardinals 2. ASTROS 9TH: Niekro flied out to right; Puhl walked; Gonzalez forced Puhl (shortstop to second); Cabell forced Gonzalez (shortstop to second); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 1 LOB. Astros 4, Cardinals 2. CARDINALS 9TH: Hernandez popped to catcher in foul territory; Mumphrey flied out to left; Reitz struck out (catcher to first); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB. Astros 4, Cardinals 2.

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