A homer by Johnny Bench and three hits by Joe Morgan sparked the Reds to a 6-3 victory over the Astros. The Reds scored twice in the second inning on a single by Dan Driessen, a pair of walks, single by Bill Bonham and bases-loaded walk to Pete Rose.

They added a run in the third when Morgan singled and scored on an error by first baseman Dave Bergman. A double by Ken Griffey and single by Morgan produced another tally in the fifth and the Reds got two more in the seventh on a double by Cesar Geronimo. Bonham gained his 10th victory, but the Reds also used three relievers. Doug Bair finished for his 24th save. [The Sporting News]

Cincinnati Reds 6, Houston Astros 3

Game Played on Monday, September 4, 1978 (Night game) at Astrodome

Reds 0 2 1 0 1 0 2 0 0 - 6 10 0 Astros 0 0 0 1 0 0 1 1 0 - 3 11 2 Reds AB R H RBI BB SO AVG Astros AB R H RBI BB SO AVG Rose 3b 4 0 0 1 1 0 .300 Landestoy ss 5 1 4 0 0 0 .278 Concepcion ss 5 0 1 0 0 0 .295 Drumright 2b 4 1 0 0 1 0 .250 Griffey rf 5 1 1 0 0 0 .287 Puhl cf 1 0 1 1 3 0 .298 Morgan 2b 5 1 3 1 0 1 .250 Cruz rf 4 0 3 1 0 1 .309 Bench c 5 1 1 1 0 1 .248 Walling lf 4 1 1 1 0 0 .247 Driessen 1b 3 2 1 0 2 0 .264 Bergman 1b 3 0 0 0 0 2 .240 Lum lf 2 1 1 0 2 0 .291 Watson ph 0 0 0 0 1 0 .296 Geronimo cf 3 0 1 1 1 0 .226 Sexton pr 0 0 0 0 0 0 .181 Bonham p 4 0 1 1 0 0 .200 Andujar p 0 0 0 0 0 0 .130 Sarmiento p 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000 Gonzalez 3b 4 0 1 0 0 2 .227 Tomlin p 0 0 0 0 0 0 .200 Pujols c 2 0 1 0 0 0 .121 Bair p 0 0 0 0 0 0 .182 Alou ph 1 0 0 0 0 0 .328 Dixon p 0 0 0 0 0 0 .111 Cabell 1b 1 0 0 0 0 0 .287 Niekro p 1 0 0 0 0 0 .173 Howard ph 1 0 0 0 0 0 .240 Warthen p 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000 Bochy ph,c 2 0 0 0 0 1 .269 Totals 36 6 10 5 6 2 Totals 33 3 11 3 5 6 Time of Game: 2:47 Attendance: 11,090 Left on Base: Reds 9, Astros 8 DP: Reds 4, Astros 2 Errors: Drumright, Bergman Doubles: Griffey (30), Geronimo (14), Cruz (26), Landestoy (4) Home Runs: Bench (20), Walling (2) Stolen Bases: Driessen (26) Caught Stealing: Puhl (13) GIDP: Bench (7), Drumright (1), Walling (2) Reds IP H R ER BB SO HR BFP ERA Bonham W(10-4) 6 8 2 2 2 3 1 23 3.52 Sarmiento 1.1 1 1 1 2 1 0 7 3.87 Tomlin 0.1 1 0 0 0 0 0 2 5.52 Bair SV(24) 1.1 1 0 0 1 2 0 6 1.98 Totals 9 11 3 3 5 6 1 38 Astros IP H R ER BB SO HR BFP ERA Niekro L(11-12) 6 8 4 4 5 0 0 30 4.34 Warthen 1 2 2 2 1 1 1 6 18.00 Dixon 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 3 3.88 Andujar 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 3 3.14 Totals 9 10 6 6 6 2 1 42 Wild Pitches: Niekro (6) Balks: Bonham (2), Warthen (1) Umpires: HP - Frank Pulli, 1B - Eric Gregg, 2B - John Kibler, 3B - Nick Colosi REDS 1ST: Rose grounded out (shortstop to first); Concepcion flied out to left; Griffey reached on an error by Drumright [Griffey to first]; Morgan singled [Griffey to second]; Bench popped to shortstop; 0 R, 1 H, 1 E, 2 LOB. Reds 0, Astros 0. ASTROS 1ST: Landestoy singled to second; Drumright grounded into a double play (pitcher to shortstop to first) [Landestoy out at second]; Puhl walked; Puhl was caught stealing second (catcher to shortstop); 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 0 LOB. Reds 0, Astros 0. REDS 2ND: Driessen singled; Driessen stole second; Lum walked; Geronimo walked [Driessen to third, Lum to second]; Bonham singled to center [Driessen scored, Lum to third, Geronimo to second]; Rose walked [Lum scored, Geronimo to third, Bonham to second]; Concepcion lined into a double play (second unassisted) [Bonham out at second]; Griffey grounded out (second to first); 2 R, 2 H, 0 E, 2 LOB. Reds 2, Astros 0. ASTROS 2ND: Cruz doubled to left; Walling grounded out (second to first) [Cruz to third]; Bergman hit into a double play (left to catcher) [Cruz out at home]; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 0 LOB. Reds 2, Astros 0. REDS 3RD: Morgan singled; Bench grounded out (first unassisted) [Morgan scored (error by Bergman) (no RBI)]; Driessen grounded out (third to first); Lum singled; Geronimo flied out to left; 1 R, 2 H, 1 E, 1 LOB. Reds 3, Astros 0. ASTROS 3RD: Gonzalez flied out to center; Pujols singled to second; Niekro lined into a double play (pitcher to first) [Pujols out at first]; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 0 LOB. Reds 3, Astros 0. REDS 4TH: Bonham grounded out (third to first); Rose grounded out (second to first); Concepcion grounded out (pitcher to first); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB. Reds 3, Astros 0. ASTROS 4TH: Landestoy singled to right; Bonham balked [Landestoy to second]; Drumright grounded out (shortstop to first) [Landestoy to third]; Puhl singled to center [Landestoy scored]; Cruz singled to left [Puhl to second]; Walling grounded into a double play (shortstop to first) [Cruz out at second]; 1 R, 3 H, 0 E, 1 LOB. Reds 3, Astros 1. REDS 5TH: Griffey doubled to center; Morgan singled to right [Griffey scored]; Bench grounded into a double play (pitcher to second to first) [Morgan out at second]; Driessen walked; Niekro threw a wild pitch [Driessen to second]; Lum walked; Geronimo grounded out (second to first); 1 R, 2 H, 0 E, 2 LOB. Reds 4, Astros 1. ASTROS 5TH: Bergman struck out; Gonzalez struck out; Pujols flied out to center; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB. Reds 4, Astros 1. REDS 6TH: Bonham grounded out (shortstop to first); Rose flied out to center; Concepcion singled to center; Griffey lined to shortstop; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB. Reds 4, Astros 1. ASTROS 6TH: HOWARD BATTED FOR NIEKRO; Howard grounded out (shortstop to first); Landestoy doubled to left; Drumright grounded out (first unassisted) [Landestoy to third]; Puhl walked; Cruz struck out; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 2 LOB. Reds 4, Astros 1. REDS 7TH: WARTHEN REPLACED HOWARD (PITCHING); Morgan struck out; Bench homered; Driessen walked; Warthen balked [Driessen to second]; Lum flied out to center; Geronimo doubled to right [Driessen scored]; Bonham lined to pitcher; 2 R, 2 H, 0 E, 1 LOB. Reds 6, Astros 1. ASTROS 7TH: Walling homered; SARMIENTO REPLACED BONHAM (PITCHING); Bergman struck out; Gonzalez singled to right; ALOU BATTED FOR PUJOLS; Alou forced Gonzalez (third to second); BOCHY BATTED FOR WARTHEN; Bochy popped to second; 1 R, 2 H, 0 E, 1 LOB. Reds 6, Astros 2. REDS 8TH: BOCHY STAYED IN GAME (PLAYING C ); DIXON REPLACED ALOU (PITCHING); Rose grounded out (first unassisted); Concepcion flied out to right; Griffey flied out to right; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB. Reds 6, Astros 2. ASTROS 8TH: Landestoy flied out to right; Drumright walked; Puhl walked [Drumright to second]; TOMLIN REPLACED SARMIENTO (PITCHING); Cruz singled to center [Drumright scored, Puhl to second]; Walling forced Cruz (shortstop to second) [Puhl to third]; WATSON BATTED FOR BERGMAN; BAIR REPLACED TOMLIN (PITCHING); Watson walked [Walling to second]; SEXTON RAN FOR WATSON; Gonzalez struck out; 1 R, 1 H, 0 E, 3 LOB. Reds 6, Astros 3. REDS 9TH: ANDUJAR REPLACED SEXTON (PITCHING); CABELL REPLACED DIXON (PLAYING 1B); Morgan flied out to center; Bench struck out; Driessen grounded out (second to first); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB. Reds 6, Astros 3. ASTROS 9TH: Cabell flied out to right; Bochy struck out; Landestoy singled to right; Drumright grounded out (shortstop to first); 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB. Reds 6, Astros 3.

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