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1980 – Chris Burke is born in Louisville, KY. The outfielder/infielder bats .249 during four seasons in Houston (2004-2007) but makes his mark with a home run that wins the 2005 N.L.D.S. over Atlanta in the 18th inning, the longest game in postseason history. 

ByTom

1980 – Chris Burke is born in Louisville, KY. The outfielder/infielder bats .249 during four seasons in Houston (2004-2007) but makes his mark with a home run that wins the 2005 N.L.D.S. over Atlanta in the 18th inning, the longest game in postseason history. 

Nelson Doubleday and Fred Wilpon head a group of investors who purchase the New York Mets from the DeRoulet family for a reported $21.1 million

Nelson Doubleday and Fred Wilpon head a group of investors who purchase the New York Mets from the DeRoulet family for a reported $21.1 million

ByThis Day in Baseball

1980 – Nelson Doubleday and Fred Wilpon head a group of investors who purchase the New York Mets from the DeRoulet family for a reported $21.1 million, the highest price paid for a major league franchise up to that time. Doubleday, whose publishing company supplies 80 percent of the purchase price, and is also a relative of Abner Doubleday, will serve as chairman of the board, while Wilpon, a former teammate of Sandy Koufax’s at Brooklyn’s Lafayette High School, will serve as team president and chief operating officer.

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Joe Niekro becomes the first 21-game winner in club history with a 3-2 triumph over the Dodgers. An eighth-inning sacrifice fly by Danny Heep plates the game-winner. The Astros finish with a best-to-date 89 wins but fall 1-1/2 games short of Cincinnati for the N.L. West title. 

ByTom

1979 – Joe Niekro becomes the first 21-game winner in club history with a 3-2 triumph over the Dodgers. An eighth-inning sacrifice fly by Danny Heep plates the game-winner. The Astros finish with a best-to-date 89 wins but fall 1-1/2 games short of Cincinnati for the N.L. West title. 

JR Richards
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J.R. Richard tops the 300-strikeout barrier for the second straight year

ByTom

1979 – J.R. Richard tops the 300-strikeout barrier for the second straight year, fanning 13 during a four-hit, 8-0 blanking of Atlanta . He would add eleven more four days later against the Dodgers to close with a team record of 313 for the season.

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Bruce Bochy singles home Craig Reynolds with the game-winner as Houston clips the Reds, 3-2, in 13 innings

ByTom

1979 – Bruce Bochy singles home Craig Reynolds with the game-winner as Houston clips the Reds, 3-2, in 13 innings, closing within 1-1/2 games of Cincinnati in the N.L. West race. Terry Puhl plates the other two runs with singles off Tom Seaver. J.R. Richardfans 15 in eleven innings and shocks everyone with a bunt single in the tenth. Richard presses his luck by trying to steal second where Johnny Bench’s throw arrives well ahead of him.

Cincinnati tops Houston lead NL West
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Cincinnati tops Houston lead NL West

ByTom

1979 – Cincinnati overtakes Houston for the N.L. West lead during a tense 9-8 loss at Riverfront Stadium. It is the Astros’ first true pennant-race showdown. Both aces, Tom Seaver and J.R. Richard, start. They are long gone by the time Dave Concepcion and George Foster homer off Joe Sambito for the decisive runs. Rafael Landestoy goes 5-for-5 to pace Houston. 

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1979 – Cesar Cedeno goes five-for-five to lead a 4-1 victory over Philadelphia. His eighth-inning triple off Kevin Saucier starts a tie-breaking rally. Craig Reynolds singles him home. Pete Ladd gets his first big-league win while Joe Sambito notches his 17th save. 

ByThis Day in Baseball

1979 – Cesar Cedeno goes five-for-five to lead a 4-1 victory over Philadelphia. His eighth-inning triple off Kevin Saucier starts a tie-breaking rally. Craig Reynolds singles him home. Pete Ladd gets his first big-league win while Joe Sambito notches his 17th save. 

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1979 – A bizarre ending comes to Pete Falcone’s 5-0 shutout of Houston. Jeff Leonard gets three turns at bat. He flies out to right for the final out but an umpire had called time before the pitch. Three pitches later, Leonard singles while Met first baseman Ed Kranepool is sitting in the clubhouse. Finally, with Kranepool back on the field, Leonard flies out again. Houston wins the protest but Jose Cruz finishes it the next day, grounding out with Leonard on first. 

ByTom

1979 – A bizarre ending comes to Pete Falcone’s 5-0 shutout of Houston. Jeff Leonard gets three turns at bat. He flies out to right for the final out but an umpire had called time before the pitch. Three pitches later, Leonard singles while Met first baseman Ed Kranepool is sitting in the clubhouse. Finally, with Kranepool back on the field, Leonard flies out again. Houston wins the protest but Jose Cruz finishes it the next day, grounding out with Leonard on first. 

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Montreal’s noted flake, Bill “Spaceman” Lee, surrenders a two-run inside-the-park homer to Houston’s noted flake, Joaquin Andujar

ByTom

1979 – Montreal’s noted flake, Bill “Spaceman” Lee, surrenders a two-run inside-the-park homer to Houston’s noted flake, Joaquin Andujar, that stands up for a 2-1 Astros victory.  Andujar had warned Lee not to throw him a fastball and Joaquin belted one high off the centerfield fence when he did. Andujar goes the distance with a four-hitter for his 12th win.