Ryan K's Eleven as Astros Win Critical Series vs Reds

National League
St. Louis 5 at New York 2 (Game 1)
-Lou Brock hit his 3^rd home run of the season and Lynn McGlothen (7-4, 2.77) improved to 2-0 as a Cardinal in the win. Mark Littell earned his 20^th save.
St. Louis 7 at New York 2 (Game 2)
-Keith Hernandez’s three-run double in the 7^th blew the game open as the Cardinals sweep the twin bill. Bob Forsch (12-5, 4.16) earned the win for St. Louis
Chicago 0 at Philadelphia 4
-Steve Carlton (10-9, 2.63) strikes out nine and walks none in a masterful four-hit shutout that keeps the Phillies from falling below .500
Montreal 12 at Pittsburgh 6
- Yesterday the Pirates scored 24 runs in a doubleheader, today the Expos pound out 24 hits in a bludgeoning of the Bucs. Al Oliver – acquired from the Pirates last week – had five hits while Jerry White, Larry Parrish and Bill Almon had four hits each for the Expos. Parrish also hit his 14^th home run of the season and drove in five. The Pirates did hit four home runs in the game, making that eleven total in the three game series
Cincinnati 0 at Houston 2
-Nolan Ryan (13-9, 3.37) guts out eight innings of two hit shutout baseball. He struck out eleven but also walked seven. The Reds were shutout despite Joe Morgan swiping three bases to give him a MLB best 53 on the season. More importantly the Astros take two of three in this pivotal series with the Reds
 Atlanta 0 at Los Angeles 3
-Andy Messersmith (13-6, 2.85) pitches a two-hitter and Dusty Baker hits his 13^th home run of the season as the Dodgers take two of three from the Braves
San Francisco 1 at San Diego 3
-Randy Jones improves to 15-3, 3.08 as he Danny Frisella (2.79) and Rollie Fingers (23Sv, 2.64) hold down the Giants. The Padres have won eight of ten.

NL East: A reverse of yesterday as the Pirates lead is trimmed by 1.5 games by the Cardinals who now trail by 5
NL West:  The Astros extend their lead over the Reds to 3.5

American League:
New York 3 at Cleveland 6
- Gorman Thomas hit his AL best 29^th home run and rookie Ron Pruitt drove in three as Ross Grimsley (11-5, 4.00) and the Tribe down the Yankees
Baltimore 3 at Milwaukee 0
-Jim Palmer (12-9, 3.26) tosses a four-hit shutout and had two hits and an RBI in the victory
Minnesota 4 at Texas 7
- Stan Perzanowski (16-2, 2.11) wins again and Leon Roberts (.327 12HR) had four hits and a home run as the Rangers complete a sweep of the Twins.
Kansas City 3 at California 4
-The Angels rallies for three runs in the bottom of the ninth for a thrilling victory to take two of three in their showdown with the first place Royals. Ron Jackson lashed a two-run game tying double off eventual loser Al Hrabosky (0-1, 2.77) and fellow rookie Jason Thompson would cash him in with the game winning single.
Chicago 6 at Oakland 3
-Jerry Koosman (15-5, 2.93) did not allow an earned run and Bobby Bonds hit his 26^th home run of the season as the White  Sox win two of  three versus the free-falling A’s..
Detroit at Boston ppd

AL East: The rained out Red Sox see their lead over the Orioles trimmed to a half game
AL West: The Royals nearly extend their lead to 5.5 but the Angels thrilling rally trims it to 3.5

Houston 2, Cincinnati 0

8/8/1976, CIN76-HOU76, Astrodome
 
                       1  2  3  4  5  6  7  8  9     R  H  E   LOB DP
1976 Cincinnati        0  0  0  0  0  0  0  0  0     0  2  0     5  1
1976 Houston           0  0  0  1  0  0  0  1  x     2  5  1     8  1
 
Cincinnati           AB  R  H BI   AVG    Houston              AB  R  H BI   AVG
Morgan            2b  2  0  0  0  .309    Lopes             2b  4  0  0  0  .271
Rose              3b  3  0  0  0  .332    Cedeno            cf  2  0  1  0  .287
Driessen          1b  4  0  1  0  .294    Gross             rf  3  1  1  0  .351
Foster            lf  3  0  0  0  .281    Ivie              1b  3  0  3  0  .312
Bench             c   3  0  0  0  .255    Cruz              lf  3  1  0  0  .265
Biittner          rf  2  0  0  0  .362    Herrmann          c   3  0  0  1  .276
Geronimo          cf  3  0  0  0  .269    Boswell           3b  2  0  0  0  .282
Auerbach          ss  2  0  0  0  .183     Howe             3b  1  0  0  0  .221
 Bell             ph  1  0  0  0  .274    Reynolds          ss  2  0  0  0  .263
 Concepcion       ss  0  0  0  0  .285    Ryan              p   3  0  0  0  .081
Nolan             p   1  0  0  0  .064     Forsch           p   0  0  0  0  .000
 Armbrister       ph  1  0  1  0  .250                         26  2  5  1
 Carroll,C        p   0  0  0  0  .000
                     25  0  2  0
 
Cincinnati                       INN  H  R ER BB  K PCH STR   ERA
Nolan            L 11-9          7.0  3  1  1  4  1  96  55  3.56
Carroll,C                        1.0  2  1  1  1  1  22  10  3.00
                                 8.0  5  2  2  5  2 118  65 
 
Houston                          INN  H  R ER BB  K PCH STR   ERA
Ryan             W 13-9          8.0  2  0  0  7 11 146  83  3.37
Forsch           S 26            1.0  0  0  0  0  0   7   4  2.57
                                 9.0  2  0  0  7 11 153  87 
 
CIN: Bell batted for Auerbach in the 8th
     Armbrister batted for Nolan in the 8th
     Concepcion inserted at ss in the 8th
HOU: Howe inserted at 3b in the 8th
 
E-Cruz. 2B-Gross, Ivie. SB-Morgan 3(53), Armbrister(7), Cedeno(30), Cruz(36). 
CS-Morgan, Foster, Geronimo, Nolan, Gross. K-Morgan, Driessen 2, Foster, 
Bench 2, Biittner 2, Geronimo, Auerbach, Nolan, Cruz, Howe. BB-Morgan 2, 
Rose, Foster, Bench, Biittner, Nolan, Gross, Ivie, Cruz, Boswell, Reynolds. 
SF-Herrmann. HBP-Cedeno 2. HB-Nolan 2. WP-Nolan.