Gary Maddox

Phillies beat the Astros to clinch World Series Apperance

ByThis Day in Baseball

1980 – Houston has a 5-2 lead and needs six outs to reach the World Series. Nolan Ryan is on the mound. Philadelphia surges back to win in ten innings, 8-7, and take the National League pennant before a drained Astrodome crowd. Manny Trillo’s triple caps a five-run Phillie rally but the Astros tie it on hits from Rafael Landestoy and Jose Cruz . Garry Maddox’s sinking double breaks the tie then he snares Enos Cabell’s fly to break Houston hearts. The ten-inning game is the fourth consecutive extra-inning game of the series.

Danny walling and rafael scores winning run
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Denny Walling delivers Rafael Landestoy with a sacrifice fly as Houston wins their first post-season home game, 1-0, over Philadelphia

ByThis Day in Baseball

1980 – Denny Walling delivers Rafael Landestoy with a sacrifice fly as Houston wins their first post-season home game, 1-0, over Philadelphia . The Astros lead the best-of-five N.L.C.S., 2-1. Joe Morgan slams a Tug McGraw fastball high off the right field fence in the 11th inning for a triple and comes out for Landestoy. Joe Niekro blanks the Phils for ten innings before Dave Smith enters to get the win. 

1980 NLCS Nolan Ryan scores in game 2
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Houston tastes their first post-season win, a 7-4 ten-inning victory in Philadelphia

ByThis Day in Baseball

1980 – Houston tastes their first post-season win. It’s a 7-4 ten-inning victory in Philadelphia to even the N.L.C.S. at 1-1. Frank LaCorte pitches out of a jam to send the game into extras at 3-3. Jose Cruz and Cesar Cedeno drive in runs in the tenth before Dave Bergman lashes a two-run triple to put the game out of reach 

Greg Luzinski 1980 NLCS

The first post-season game in Astros history is a 3-1 loss in Philadelphia in Game One of the N.L.C.S.

ByThis Day in Baseball

1980 – The first post-season game in Astros history is a 3-1 loss in Philadelphia in Game One of the N.L.C.S. Houston gets the first run when Gary Woods singles off Steve Carlton to score Jose Cruz. A two-run bomb by Greg Luzinski off Ken Forsch puts the Phillies ahead to stay.