Extending their winning streak to seven games, the Pirates won both ends of a doubleheader from the Astros, 7-6 and 3-1, for a sweep of the unusual six-game series. In the first game, Willie Stargell batted in three runs and Frank Taveras went 4-for-5 to lead the attack. Stargell drove in one run with a single in the first inning and smashed a two-run homer in the third. Dale Berra hit his first major league home run in the fourth.

Jerry Reuss scattered nine hits to go the route and win for the first time this season in the nightcap. Ed Ott hit a solo homer in the fourth. Phil Garner followed with a single, went to third on a single by Berra and scored on the front end of a double steal. Ott hit another bases-empty homer in the sixth. [The Sporting News]

Pittsburgh Pirates 7, Houston Astros 6 (Game 1)

Game Played on Sunday, August 20, 1978 (Day game) at Three Rivers Stadium

Astros 0 0 0 2 2 0 0 2 0 - 6 11 1 Pirates 2 0 3 1 0 1 0 0 x - 7 14 3 Astros AB R H RBI BB SO AVG Pirates AB R H RBI BB SO AVG Puhl cf 4 0 1 0 1 0 .296 Taveras ss 5 2 4 1 0 0 .279 Gonzalez 2b 5 1 0 0 0 2 .232 Moreno cf 2 0 1 1 0 0 .233 Cabell 1b 4 0 2 1 1 0 .288 Parker rf 4 2 2 1 0 1 .306 Howe 3b 5 1 2 1 0 1 .288 Stargell 1b 4 1 3 3 0 0 .287 Alou lf 3 1 1 0 0 0 .333 Ott lf,c 4 0 0 0 0 0 .245 Andujar p 0 0 0 0 0 0 .130 Garner 2b 4 0 0 0 0 1 .262 Howard ph 1 0 0 0 0 0 .246 Sanguillen c 2 0 0 0 0 0 .250 Forsch p 0 0 0 0 0 0 .182 Brye lf 2 1 2 0 0 0 .229 Baldwin ph 1 0 0 0 0 0 .241 Berra 3b 4 1 2 1 0 1 .151 Cruz rf 4 1 2 1 0 0 .298 Rooker p 2 0 0 0 0 0 .191 Bochy c 4 0 2 1 0 0 .258 Tekulve p 2 0 0 0 0 1 .118 Sexton ss 3 1 1 0 1 1 .167 Dixon p 1 0 0 0 0 0 .111 Williams p 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000 Landestoy ph 0 1 0 0 1 0 .250 Walling lf 2 0 0 1 0 0 .234 Totals 37 6 11 5 4 4 Totals 35 7 14 7 0 4 Time of Game: 2:45 Left on Base: Astros 8, Pirates 6 DP: Astros 1, Pirates 0 Errors: Bochy, Ott 2, Tekulve Doubles: Cruz (23), Taveras (27), Parker (21) Home Runs: Stargell (17), Berra (1) Stolen Bases: Cruz (25), Sexton (10), Taveras (32), Parker (14) Caught Stealing: Cruz (6), Cabell (12) Sacrifice Hits: Moreno (10) Sacrifice Flies: Moreno (2) GIDP: Ott (5) Astros IP H R ER BB SO HR BFP ERA Dixon L(6-10) 3.2 9 6 6 0 2 2 20 3.90 Williams 0.1 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 4.45 Andujar 2 4 1 1 0 2 0 9 2.99 Forsch 2 1 0 0 0 0 0 7 3.16 Totals 8 14 7 7 0 4 2 37 Pirates IP H R ER BB SO HR BFP ERA Rooker W(8-8) 5.2 8 4 2 4 2 0 28 4.39 Tekulve SV(23) 3.1 3 2 1 0 2 0 13 1.97 Totals 9 11 6 3 4 4 0 41 Umpires: HP - Bill Williams, 1B - Dick Stello, 2B - Bruce Froemming, 3B - Eric Gregg ASTROS 1ST: Puhl walked; Gonzalez grounded out (second to first) [Puhl to second]; Cabell walked; Howe struck out; Alou forced Cabell (shortstop to second); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 2 LOB. Astros 0, Pirates 0. PIRATES 1ST: Taveras doubled to center; Moreno out on a sacrifice bunt (pitcher to first) [Taveras to third]; Parker doubled to center [Taveras scored]; Stargell singled to right [Parker scored]; Ott flied out to center; Garner struck out; 2 R, 3 H, 0 E, 1 LOB. Astros 0, Pirates 2. ASTROS 2ND: Cruz popped to shortstop; Bochy popped to second in foul territory; Sexton flied out to right; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB. Astros 0, Pirates 2. PIRATES 2ND: Sanguillen grounded out (shortstop to first); Berra struck out; Rooker lined to left; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB. Astros 0, Pirates 2. ASTROS 3RD: Dixon grounded out (second to first); Puhl grounded out (second to first); Gonzalez grounded out (shortstop to first); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB. Astros 0, Pirates 2. PIRATES 3RD: Taveras singled to left; Taveras stole second [Taveras to third (error by Bochy)]; Moreno hit a sacrifice fly to center [Taveras scored]; Parker singled to right; Parker stole second; Stargell homered [Parker scored]; Ott flied out to center; Garner flied out to center; 3 R, 3 H, 1 E, 0 LOB. Astros 0, Pirates 5. ASTROS 4TH: Cabell singled to center; Howe singled to right [Cabell to second]; Alou singled to center [Cabell out at home (center to catcher), Howe to second]; Cruz doubled to right [Howe scored, Alou to third]; Bochy singled to shortstop [Alou scored, Cruz to third]; Cruz was caught stealing home (catcher unassisted) [Bochy to second]; Sexton struck out; 2 R, 5 H, 0 E, 1 LOB. Astros 2, Pirates 5. PIRATES 4TH: Sanguillen grounded out (shortstop to first); Berra homered; Rooker popped to shortstop; Taveras singled to left; Moreno singled to right [Taveras to second]; WILLIAMS REPLACED DIXON (PITCHING); Parker grounded out (pitcher to first); 1 R, 3 H, 0 E, 2 LOB. Astros 2, Pirates 6. ASTROS 5TH: LANDESTOY BATTED FOR WILLIAMS; Landestoy walked; Puhl made an out to shortstop; Gonzalez reached on an error by Ott [Landestoy to third, Gonzalez to second]; Cabell grounded out (shortstop to first) [Landestoy scored (unearned)]; Howe singled to left [Gonzalez scored (unearned)]; Alou popped to second; 2 R (0 ER), 1 H, 1 E, 1 LOB. Astros 4, Pirates 6. PIRATES 5TH: WALLING REPLACED LANDESTOY (PLAYING LF); ANDUJAR REPLACED ALOU (PITCHING); Stargell singled to right; Ott grounded into a double play (shortstop to first) [Stargell out at second]; Garner grounded out (shortstop to first); 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 0 LOB. Astros 4, Pirates 6. ASTROS 6TH: BRYE REPLACED SANGUILLEN (PLAYING LF); OTT CHANGED POSITIONS (PLAYING C ); Cruz lined to left; Bochy singled to left; Sexton walked [Bochy to second]; Walling flied out to center; Puhl singled to left [Bochy to third, Sexton to second]; TEKULVE REPLACED ROOKER (PITCHING); Gonzalez struck out; 0 R, 2 H, 0 E, 3 LOB. Astros 4, Pirates 6. PIRATES 6TH: Brye singled to center; Berra singled to right [Brye to third]; On a bunt Tekulve struck out; Taveras singled to right [Brye scored, Berra to second]; Moreno flied out to center; Parker struck out; 1 R, 3 H, 0 E, 2 LOB. Astros 4, Pirates 7. ASTROS 7TH: Cabell grounded out (third to first); Howe flied out to left; HOWARD BATTED FOR ANDUJAR; Howard grounded out (pitcher to first); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB. Astros 4, Pirates 7. PIRATES 7TH: FORSCH REPLACED HOWARD (PITCHING); Stargell lined to third; Ott flied out to left; Garner grounded out (shortstop to first); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB. Astros 4, Pirates 7. ASTROS 8TH: Cruz singled to left; Cruz stole second; Bochy grounded out (third to first); Sexton singled to second [Cruz to third]; Sexton stole second [Cruz scored (error by Ott), Sexton to third]; Walling grounded out (second to first) [Sexton scored (unearned)]; Puhl reached on an error by Tekulve [Puhl to first]; Gonzalez struck out; 2 R (1 ER), 2 H, 2 E, 1 LOB. Astros 6, Pirates 7. PIRATES 8TH: Brye singled to right; Berra popped to first in foul territory; Tekulve forced Brye (pitcher to shortstop); Taveras popped to second; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB. Astros 6, Pirates 7. ASTROS 9TH: Cabell singled to center; Cabell was caught stealing second (catcher to shortstop); Howe grounded out (shortstop to first); BALDWIN BATTED FOR FORSCH; Baldwin grounded out (pitcher to first); 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 0 LOB. Astros 6, Pirates 7.

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