Bob Gordon’s 1979 postseason: Astros stay alive in Game 3 of NLCS

Bob Gordon continues his recap of his 1979 postseason.  He’s in Game 3 of the NLCS.   Tom

The series moves to Pittsburgh and the Astros have their backs to the wall. In game 2, they put 7 runs on the board against one of the best hurlers the NL has to offer. And they like the pitching matchup – Andujar (Grade B, 17-13, 2.89) against Kison (Grade CYZ, 24-6, 3.66).

Even the first inning feels different. Walling leads off with a single over Foli’s head and in to center field. Bill Virdon gets aggressive and calls for the hit and run. Walling is thrown out at second by Ott – but the ‘Stros are feeling it. Reynolds lines one to center. The fleet footed and (usually) sure-gloved Omar Moreno boots it, and Reynolds is aboard. Cedeno grounds Kison’s offering to Foli for the force at second. Reynolds isn’t getting up….he’s twisted an ankle and will miss the rest of the series. (For those of you following at home, those last two rolls were a 13-23 and 62-41.)

Julio Gonzalez was hitting the ball well during the last regular season series and will come on in the bottom half to play short. Cruz is the batter with two gone. He drives one to right field and Cedeno is heading for third on Parker’s arm. (Anyone think that sounds like a good idea?) Parker comes up firing and the Bucs come up to bat. Cedeno out at third. Felt like the Astros could have put up a crooked number. The Bucs start with a single by Moreno. One out later, Parker walks. Up comes Stargell – he hit 2 dingers in Game 2. Andujar goes right at ‘em. (Anyone think that’s a good idea?) And Willie whiffs. Milner skies to right and the Pirates are gone in the first.

Cabell starts the second with yet another Astro base knock – and steals second on the first pitch. Leonard skies to right and Cabell thinks better of running on Parker and holds second. Landestoy grounds to the sure-handed Foli at short and – you guessed it – it caroms in to short left field. Cabell scores an unearned run and Houston has its first lead of the series. Ashby bangs in to a 4-6-3 and the Pirates come to bat. Once again, they waste a chance – Madlock walked and Ott singled, but Garner rolled in to a 6-4-3 double play. Andujar got Kison to ground out to Gonzalez to end the inning.

Andujar starts the third by striking out. Walling grounds out Foli to Stargell. Gonzalez hits a 27 hopper to Madlock at third and Kison is easing to the dugout. Madlock can’t make the play and it’s an E5. The Bucs with three errors in three innings. Without a caught stealing, a runner thrown out at third and the DP ball, this could be really ugly. Cedeno hopes to make the most of his chance at bat. Kison’s pitch catches the barrell of Cesar’s bat and that one is just over the wall in left! Cedeno had all of 6 homers on the year (the team had 47 – one less than Stargell and 15 less than Kingman who led the majors with 62). Three zero Houston. Cruz singled to left center, but was stranded there. The Buccos waste Moreno’s leadoff single and stolen base in the third, and strand Ott after a two out single in the 4th.

Meanwhile, Kison gets 7 in a row and hasn’t allowed an earned run through five innings of work. He’s due to lead off the 5th, but Tanner sends up Lee Lacy to try to eat in to the 3 run deficit. No dice for Lee – he grounds to Landestoy at second. Moreno picks up his third hit of the game – and his second steal. Foli walks – the third walk by Andujar. Parker hits a can of corn to Walling in center and here comes Stargell. Willie lines it to left field for an RBI single – Foli stopping at second. Milner walks to load them up for Madlock. Madlock hits a screamer , but right at Landestoy and the Astros get out of it. The lead is down to 3-1. Bill Robinson comes in to play left field and bat 9th. Dave Roberts (D(B*Z) will bat in the five hole and take the hill.

Cedeno starts the Astro 6th with a single. Cruz is 2-2 on the day, but he beats out a slow roller to third for an infield hit. Pirate fans getting nervous. Cabell lines one over second base and in to center field – Cedeno scores, Cruz to third. Enos takes off on the first pitch and beats Ott’s throw easily. Second and third and no out for Leonard – and he works a base on balls. Sacks loaded, no out. 4-1 Houston. Landestoy batting righty against the lefty Roberts. And Roberts fans him. Up steps Ashby – he’s 0-2 and hit in to one DP already. And here is the pitcher’s best friend – a grounder to Foli – who lets it go through his legs and on to left field to score 2! Andujar grounds to Garner, to Foli, to Stargell. Inning over, but Houston with a comfortable 6-1 lead. Andujar gets the first two Bucs (stealing 8’s) before Robinson takes him over the wall in right. Moreno flies to Walling in center – and I think Walling just tied the record for put outs in an inning….

Astros bat in the 7th looking to build on their 6-2 lead. Walling leads off – and gets a free pass to first. Gonzalez singles to right and Walling is safe at third – no throw by Parker. Cedeno lifts one to short right. Parker makes the catch and Walling thinks better of it. Cruz on with 1st and 3rd, 1 out. Jose is 3-3, make that 4-4. Chuck Tanner comes out to get Roberts (and glares at Cruz standing at first base). Don Robinson makes his first appearance of the series. He was the Pirates #4 starter for most of the season. Cruz takes off on the first pitch and swipes second. Then Robinson gets Cabell to fly to right and the runners hold. Up comes Jeff Leonard and he drills a single to left scoring both runners. Pirates trail 9-2. Landestoy fouls out to Ott to end the 7th. Foli flies to Walling in center (another 8 stolen….) and Walling has 4 putouts in a row. Andujar gets the next 2 hitters and retires the Bucs in the 8th giving up just a lead off walk to pinch hitter Rennie Stennett in the 8th.

Joe Coleman – the ex Tiger hurler comes out to pitch the top of the 9th. The Astros get 3 straight singles from Cedeno, Cruz and Cabell. Cruz has gone 5-5 and 7 for his last 8. Tanner calls Tekulve to try and stem the tide. Coleman was unable to record an out. Leonard hits a SF to left and its 11-2 Houston as the home team comes up for their last at bats. Manager Virdon has gone to Sambito to finish for Andujar. Joaquin allowed 2 ER on 7 hits in his 8 inning effort. He walked 5 and fanned 1. Sambito (Grade AXZ) worked to a 2.56 ERA with 35 saves in the regular season. Robinson strikes out and Moreno pops to Cabell at third (a stolen 9). Two gone and Foli draws a walk. Parker singles over Cedeno and in to right field, Foli taking third. Parker takes off for second (down by 9? I think Chuck might have a chat with him…) and is in with a stolen base. Stargell doubles to deep right to score two. Steve Nicosia pinch hits for Teke and flies to Cruz in left. The Astros stave off elimination. Their 3,4,5 hitters were a combined 11-15 with 8 runs and 5 RBIs.

They’ll be looking to keep their hot hitting going tomorrow to back JR Richard as he takes the mound for the second time in the series.