A two-run pinch-double by Jesus Alou highlighted a four-run outburst in the eighth inning that lifted the Astros to a 4-1 triumph over the Giants. Alou's liner to left center chased home Dave Bergman, aboard via a pinch-single, and Cesar Cedeno, who had singled.

Denny Walling followed with a single to score pinch-runner Julio Gonzalez. Enos Cabell then doubled for the fifth hit of the inning and fourth run. [The Sporting News]



Houston Astros 4, San Francisco Giants 1
Game Played on Sunday, September 9, 1979 (Day game) at Astrodome
Giants       0  0  0    0  0  1    0  0  0  -   1  8  0
Astros       0  0  0    0  0  0    0  4  x  -   4  9  0


Giants               AB   R   H RBI    BB  SO    AVG      Astros               AB   R   H RBI    BB  SO    AVG
Venable rf            4   0   1   0     0   0   .225      Cedeno 1b,cf          4   1   1   0     0   1   .271
Andrews 2b,3b         4   0   2   0     0   1   .292      Reynolds ss           3   0   1   0     0   0   .260
Ivie 1b               4   0   1   0     0   0   .304        Alou ph             1   0   1   2     0   0   .243
Evans 3b              3   0   0   1     1   0   .253        Gonzalez pr,ss      0   1   0   0     0   0   .244
  Griffin p           0   0   0   0     0   0   .077      Puhl cf,lf            4   0   0   0     0   1   .283
Herndon cf            4   0   0   0     0   1   .256      Walling lf            4   1   2   1     0   1   .310
Johnston lf           3   0   0   0     0   0   .182        Sambito p           0   0   0   0     0   0   .286
  North ph            1   0   0   0     0   0   .263      Cabell 3b             4   0   1   1     0   3   .267
LeMaster ss           4   0   1   0     0   1   .262      Leonard rf            3   0   0   0     1   0   .289
Littlejohn c          4   0   1   0     0   1   .203      Pujols c              2   0   1   0     0   0   .280
Halicki p             3   1   2   0     0   1   .226        Heep ph             1   0   0   0     0   0   .200
  Minton p            0   0   0   0     0   0   .000        Bochy c             1   0   0   0     0   1   .210
  Lavelle p           0   0   0   0     0   0   .250      Landestoy 2b          2   0   1   0     1   0   .238
  Strain 2b           0   0   0   0     0   0   .243      Ruhle p               2   0   0   0     0   1   .077
                                                            Forsch p            0   0   0   0     0   0   .174
                                                            Bergman ph,1b       1   1   1   0     0   0   .500

Totals               34   1   8   1     1   5             Totals               32   4   9   4     2   8

Time of Game: 2:24   Attendance: 11,570
Left on Base: Giants 7, Astros 6
DP: Giants 1, Astros 1
Doubles: Venable (1), LeMaster (11), Walling (6), Alou (3), Cabell (24)
GIDP: Ivie (9)


Giants                 IP     H   R  ER  BB  SO  HR BFP    ERA
Halicki                 6     4   0   0   1   5   0  22   4.22
Minton L(2-3)           1.1   2   2   2   0   1   0   6   2.15
Lavelle                 0.1   2   2   2   0   1   0   3   2.34
Griffin                 0.1   1   0   0   1   1   0   3   3.78
Totals                  8     9   4   4   2   8   0  34

Astros                 IP     H   R  ER  BB  SO  HR BFP    ERA
Ruhle                   6     4   1   1   1   4   0  23   3.02
Forsch W(10-6)          2     3   0   0   0   0   0   8   3.18
Sambito SV(19)          1     1   0   0   0   1   0   4   1.46
Totals                  9     8   1   1   1   5   0  35

Passed Balls: Littlejohn (6)

Umpires: HP - Eric Gregg, 1B - Steve Fields, 2B - Frank Pulli, 3B - Andy Olsen


GIANTS 1ST: Venable doubled to center; Andrews was called out on
strikes; Ivie grounded out (third to first); Evans walked;
Herndon lined to third; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 2 LOB.  Giants 0, Astros
0.

ASTROS 1ST: Cedeno struck out; Reynolds singled to left; Puhl
lined into a double play (first unassisted) [Reynolds out at
first]; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Giants 0, Astros 0.

GIANTS 2ND: Johnston grounded out (first unassisted); LeMaster
flied out to left; Littlejohn made an out to first; 0 R, 0 H, 0
E, 0 LOB.  Giants 0, Astros 0.

ASTROS 2ND: Walling struck out; Cabell struck out; Leonard flied
out to right; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Giants 0, Astros 0.

GIANTS 3RD: Halicki was called out on strikes; Venable flied out
to center; Andrews grounded out (pitcher to first); 0 R, 0 H, 0
E, 0 LOB.  Giants 0, Astros 0.

ASTROS 3RD: Pujols singled to third; Littlejohn allowed a passed
ball [Pujols to second]; Landestoy walked; Ruhle struck out;
Cedeno flied out to left; Reynolds flied out to center; 0 R, 1
H, 0 E, 2 LOB.  Giants 0, Astros 0.

GIANTS 4TH: Ivie grounded out (shortstop to first); Evans
grounded out (first unassisted); Herndon flied out to center; 0
R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Giants 0, Astros 0.

ASTROS 4TH: Puhl lined to second; Walling grounded out (first
unassisted); Cabell struck out; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Giants 0,
Astros 0.

GIANTS 5TH: Johnston grounded out (shortstop to first); LeMaster
struck out; Littlejohn struck out; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Giants
0, Astros 0.

ASTROS 5TH: Leonard grounded out (shortstop to first); Pujols
made an out to shortstop; Landestoy singled to right; Ruhle
grounded out (pitcher to first); 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Giants
0, Astros 0.

GIANTS 6TH: Halicki singled to left; Venable flied out to right;
Andrews singled to right [Halicki to second]; Ivie singled to
left [Halicki to third, Andrews to second]; Evans forced Ivie
(second to shortstop) [Halicki scored, Andrews to third];
Herndon flied to left in foul territory; 1 R, 3 H, 0 E, 2 LOB.
Giants 1, Astros 0.

ASTROS 6TH: Cedeno made an out to third; Reynolds grounded out
(first to pitcher); Puhl grounded out (second to first); 0 R, 0
H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Giants 1, Astros 0.

GIANTS 7TH: FORSCH REPLACED RUHLE (PITCHING); Johnston flied out
to left; LeMaster flied out to center; Littlejohn singled to
center; Halicki singled to second [Littlejohn to second];
Venable flied out to right; 0 R, 2 H, 0 E, 2 LOB.  Giants 1,
Astros 0.

ASTROS 7TH: Walling doubled to right; MINTON REPLACED HALICKI
(PITCHING); Cabell struck out; Leonard lined to second; HEEP
BATTED FOR PUJOLS; Heep grounded out (second to first); 0 R, 1
H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Giants 1, Astros 0.

GIANTS 8TH: BOCHY REPLACED HEEP (PLAYING C ); Andrews singled to
center; Ivie grounded into a double play (third to second to
first) [Andrews out at second]; Evans flied out to center; 0 R,
1 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Giants 1, Astros 0.

ASTROS 8TH: Landestoy grounded out (shortstop to first); BERGMAN
BATTED FOR FORSCH; Bergman singled to center; Cedeno singled to
center [Bergman to second]; LAVELLE REPLACED MINTON (PITCHING);
ALOU BATTED FOR REYNOLDS; Alou doubled to right [Bergman scored,
Cedeno scored]; GONZALEZ RAN FOR ALOU; Puhl was called out on
strikes; Walling singled to center [Gonzalez scored, Walling to
second (on throw to home)]; GRIFFIN REPLACED EVANS (PITCHING);
ANDREWS CHANGED POSITIONS (PLAYING 3B); STRAIN REPLACED LAVELLE
(PLAYING 2B); Cabell doubled to left [Walling scored]; Leonard
was walked intentionally; Bochy struck out; 4 R, 5 H, 0 E, 2
LOB.  Giants 1, Astros 4.

GIANTS 9TH: BERGMAN STAYED IN GAME (PLAYING 1B); CEDENO CHANGED
POSITIONS (PLAYING CF); GONZALEZ STAYED IN GAME (PLAYING SS);
PUHL CHANGED POSITIONS (PLAYING LF); SAMBITO REPLACED WALLING
(PITCHING); Herndon was called out on strikes; NORTH BATTED FOR
JOHNSTON; North flied out to center; LeMaster doubled to left;
Littlejohn grounded out (third to first); 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.
Giants 1, Astros 4.