DODGERS EXTEND 'W' STREAK TO 10
All 3 LA Hits 2Bs, Factor in Scoring
LOS ANGELES, Aug. 3 (AP) - The Los Angeles Dodgers extended their season-best
winning streak to 10 with a 3-2 victory over the Houston Astros at Dodger
Stadium. Los Angeles starter Burt Hooton, who opened the season a dismal
3-11, won his fifth consecutive start, tossing seven innings of two-run
ball. Charlie Hough closed out the game for the Dodgers with a pair of
hitless innings of relief. Los Angeles won the game despite amassing only
three hits off Astros pitching. All three hits, however, were doubles and
directly factored in all of the Dodgers' scoring.
The contest was scoreless entering the fourth inning as Hooton and Houston's Dan
Larson exchanged zeroes through three. But in the top of the fourth
inning, the Astros got on the board. Cesar Cedeno led off with a single
and promptly stole second. Bob Watson's infield single moved Cedeno to
third and Houston took a 1-0 lead when Jose Cruz's fielder's choice grounder
scored Cedeno.
The Dodgers took the lead in the bottom of the fourth. Davey Lopes drew a
lead-off walk from Larson and stole second base. Bill Buckner then
recorded the first Los Angeles hit of the contest when he doubled into the right
field corner, scoring Lopes to tie the game. Lee Lacy drew a free pass,
putting runners on first and second, and Steve Garvey dropped a successful
sacrifice bunt, giving the Dodgers two men in scoring position. Ron Cey's
grounder to short then plated Buckner, making the score 2-1.
Things remained that way until the Astros knotted things up in the top of the
sixth when Cesar Cedeno led off the frame with a home run. The drive,
which landed in the left field pavilion, was Cedeno's seventh of the season.
Once again, the Dodgers answered immediately. In the home half of the
sixth inning, Larson retired Buckner and Lacy easily, but Garvey doubled to
right-center with two outs and Cey drew a walk from Larson. Bill Russell
then doubled over the head of Cedeno in center field, scoring Garvey and
advancing Cey to third. Larson retired Dusty Baker on an infield roller
for the final out of the inning but Los Angeles now led, 3-2.
Hooton set the Astros down in order in the seventh, but was removed for a pinch
hitter in the bottom half of the inning. Hough replaced him in the eighth
and set Houston down without incident. In the ninth, Watson drew a
lead-off walk from Hough and was replaced at first base by pinch runner Wilbur
Howard. But Hough came back to strike out Cruz, Ed Herrmann and Rob
Andrews to end the game.
Despite the hot streak, which has propelled the Dodgers to the third best record
in the National League, Los Angeles remains eight games behind the NL West
leading Cincinnati Reds. The Reds have won eight of their last 10 games,
including four straight.
8/3/1976, Hou76-LA 76, Dodger Stadium 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E LOB DP 1976 Astros 0 0 0 1 0 1 0 0 0 2 5 1 5 0 1976 Dodgers 0 0 0 2 0 1 0 0 x 3 3 1 5 0 Astros AB R H BI AVG Dodgers AB R H BI AVG Gross,G rf 4 0 0 0 .294 Lopes 2b 2 1 0 0 .243 Cabell 3b 4 0 0 0 .266 Buckner lf 4 1 1 1 .303 Cedeno cf 4 2 2 1 .245 Lacy cf 3 0 0 0 .246 Watson 1b 3 0 1 0 .328 Garvey 1b 3 1 1 0 .309 Howard,W pr 0 0 0 0 .243 Cey 3b 3 0 0 1 .266 Cruz,J lf 4 0 1 1 .278 Russell ss 3 0 1 1 .272 Herrmann c 4 0 0 0 .222 Baker,D rf 3 0 0 0 .228 Andrews,R 2b 4 0 0 0 .242 Rodriguez,El c 2 0 0 0 .346 Metzger,R ss 3 0 1 0 .225 Hooton p 1 0 0 0 .083 Larson p 2 0 0 0 .000 Walton ph 1 0 0 0 .235 Boswell ph 1 0 0 0 .238 Hough p 0 0 0 0 .000 Niekro,J p 0 0 0 0 .148 25 3 3 3 33 2 5 2 Astros INN H R ER BB K PCH STR ERA Larson L 1-3 6.0 3 3 3 4 1 110 64 4.34 Niekro,J 2.0 0 0 0 1 1 28 14 4.06 8.0 3 3 3 5 2 138 78 Dodgers INN H R ER BB K PCH STR ERA Hooton W 8-11 7.0 5 2 2 0 5 88 59 2.61 Hough S 11 2.0 0 0 0 1 3 31 18 3.42 9.0 5 2 2 1 8 119 77 Hou: Boswell batted for Larson in the 7th Howard,W ran for Watson in the 9th LA : Walton batted for Hooton in the 7th E-Herrmann, Rodriguez,El. 2B-Buckner(12), Garvey(27), Russell(13). HR-Cedeno(7). RBI-Cedeno(40), Cruz,J(22), Buckner(38), Cey(48), Russell(32). SB-Cedeno(27), Howard,W(7), Lopes 2(32). K-Gross,G 2, Cabell, Watson, Cruz,J, Herrmann 2, Andrews,R, Lopes, Buckner. BB-Watson, Lopes 2, Lacy, Cey, Rodriguez,El. SH-Garvey, Hooton. WP-Hooton. GWRBI: Russell Temperature: 67, Sky: clear, Wind: left to right at 4 MPH. Attendance: 19,662 Game Time: 2:14