DIERKER’S 2-HIT GEM PUSHES ASTROS PAST EXPOS
Houston Starter Fans 11, Out-Duels Stanhouse
HOUSTON, July 9 (AP) – Larry Dierker fired a complete game two-hit shutout and
the Houston Astros slipped past the Montreal Expos, 1-0, at the Astrodome.
Dierker fanned a season-high 11 batters, out-dueling Expos starter Don Stanhouse
who tossed a complete game of his own, holding the Astros to one run on just six
hits without issuing a walk. The victory snapped a personal three-game
losing streak for Dierker whose last win came on June 20 at Pittsburgh.
Dierker surrendered a lead-off single in the top of the second to Larry Parrish
who moved to second on Pete Mackanin’s sacrifice. After striking out
Larry Johnson, Dierker walked Pepe Frias intentionally and struck out Stanhouse
to end the inning. That began a streak of 12 consecutive batters retired;
Montreal’s next baserunner didn’t come until Mike Jorgensen drew a two-out
walk in the sixth. Dierker followed that up by setting down the next seven
Expos he faced before yielding a lead-off single to Jimmy Lyttle in the ninth.
The game’s only run came in the bottom of the third. Ed Hermannn opened
the frame with a double to the base of the wall in right-center field and, but
Stanhouse retired Roger Metzger on a shallow fly to center and Dierker on
strikes, with Hermman remaining on second. But Gregg Gross came up with a
big two-out hit—a single through the box—scoring Hermann and putting Houston
on top, 1-0. The Astros had a chance to add to their lead in the same
inning when Rob Andrews’ single and a wild pitch put runners on second and
third but Enos Cabell flied to center, allowing Stanhouse to avoid any further
damage.
The Astros missed a chance to add an insurance run in the fifth with the same
cast of characters involved as in the third. Herrmann started things off
again, this time with a single to right. For the second consecutive plate
appearance Metzger flied out to center, but Dierker advanced the runner into
scoring position with a successful bunt. Gross then dropped a single into
shallow center field but this time Pepe Mangual gunned Herrmann down at the
plate to end the inning.
That was the final baserunner the Astros managed in the game as Stanhouse
cruised through the remainder of the contest, retiring the last nine batters he
faced.
After Lyttle reached base to open the Expos ninth inning, the potential go-ahead
run stood at home plate but Dierker resumed his dominance, striking out both
Jorgensen and Andre Thornton and taking care of Parrish on a line drive to Jose
Cruz in left field.
Dierker is the first Houston pitcher to allow fewer than three hits in a
complete game effort this season. J.R. Richard tossed a pair of three-hit
shutouts earlier this year, against the Expos on May 12 and the Dodgers on June
23.
7/8/1976, Mon76-Hou76, Astrodome 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E LOB DP 1976 Expos 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 3 4 7 12 1 12 1 1976 Astros 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 3 3 8 1 11 1 Expos AB R H BI AVG Astros AB R H BI AVG Mangual,P cf 6 0 2 0 .276 Howard,W cf 5 0 1 2 .252 Dunning p 0 0 0 0 .000 Andrews,R 2b 4 0 1 0 .246 Murray,D p 0 0 0 0 .000 Cabell 3b 5 0 3 1 .261 Foli ss 5 0 1 0 .237 Watson 1b 4 0 0 0 .343 Mackanin 2b 4 2 1 1 .212 Roberts,L rf 4 0 1 0 .319 Thornton 1b 4 0 0 0 .182 Johnson,C lf 3 0 0 0 .236 Foote c 5 0 2 0 .231 Herrmann c 3 0 1 0 .233 White,J pr 0 1 0 0 .278 Pentz p 0 0 0 0 .000 Parrish 3b 1 2 1 0 .201 Niekro,J p 0 0 0 0 .125 Jorgensen rf 3 2 1 1 .265 Boswell ph 1 1 1 0 .239 Rivera lf 3 0 1 0 .219 Metzger,R ss 3 1 0 0 .226 Dwyer ph 1 0 1 1 .184 Cosgrove p 2 0 0 0 .043 Kerrigan p 0 0 0 0 .000 Gross,G rf 1 1 0 0 .289 Morales,Jo ph 1 0 1 2 .347 35 3 8 3 Johnson,La c 0 0 0 0 .000 Fryman p 2 0 0 0 .171 Lyttle ph 1 0 1 0 .194 36 7 12 5 Expos INN H R ER BB K PCH STR ERA Fryman W 6-8 7.0 3 0 0 4 3 112 64 3.56 Kerrigan H 1 1.0 2 0 0 0 1 17 14 0.00 Dunning 0.2 3 3 1 2 0 31 17 2.61 Murray,D S 9 0.1 0 0 0 0 0 2 1 5.92 9.0 8 3 1 6 4 162 96 Astros INN H R ER BB K PCH STR ERA Cosgrove 6.0 5 0 0 4 1 108 60 6.75 Pentz L 0-2 1.2 4 3 3 2 0 47 26 3.90 Niekro,J 1.1 3 4 4 3 1 34 14 3.84 9.0 12 7 7 9 2 189 100 Mon: Dwyer batted for Rivera in the 8th Lyttle batted for Fryman in the 8th Jorgensen moved to lf in the 8th Lyttle moved to rf in the 8th Morales,Jo batted for Kerrigan in the 9th White,J ran for Foote in the 9th White,J moved to cf in the 9th Johnson,La inserted at c in the 9th Hou: Roberts,L moved to lf in the 7th Johnson,C moved to c in the 7th Gross,G inserted at rf in the 7th Boswell batted for Niekro,J in the 9th E-Lyttle, Howard,W. 2B-Herrmann(5). HR-Mackanin(5). RBI-Mackanin(20), Jorgensen(20), Dwyer(3), Morales,Jo 2(16), Howard,W 2(13), Cabell(18). SB-Mangual,P(14). CS-Parrish. K-Mangual,P, Rivera, Cabell, Johnson,C 2, Herrmann. BB-Mackanin, Thornton, Parrish 4, Jorgensen 2, Lyttle, Andrews,R, Watson, Roberts,L, Johnson,C, Metzger,R, Gross,G. SH-Fryman. WP-Niekro,J. GWRBI: Jorgensen Temperature: 70, Wind: none. Attendance: 8,548 Game Time: 3:16