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
| |

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
| |

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.

In the 163rd game of the season Joe Niekro defeats the Dodgers, 7-1, in the winner-take-all contest for the NL West

In the 163rd game of the season Joe Niekro defeats the Dodgers, 7-1, in the winner-take-all contest for the NL West

ByBaseball

In the 163rd game of the season, 35 year-old knuckleballer Joe Niekro earns his 20th victory, going the distance to defeat the Dodgers, 7-1, in the winner-take-all contest for the NL West. With the win, the Astros hold on to capture their first title in the 19-year history of the franchise after losing a season-ending three game series to LA, (3-2, 2-1, and 4-3) that forced the one-game playoff.

|

1980 – Joe Niekro comes on in relief to start the 16th inning of a scoreless tie with the Cubs at the Dome. He wins it himself an inning later when he drives home Enos Cabell for a 1-0 triumph in 17 frames.  Houston pitchers allow just seven hits to increase their lead in the NL West to three games over Los Angeles. 

ByThis Day in Baseball

1980 – Joe Niekro comes on in relief to start the 16th inning of a scoreless tie with the Cubs at the Dome. He wins it himself an inning later when he drives home Enos Cabell for a 1-0 triumph in 17 frames.  Houston pitchers allow just seven hits to increase their lead in the NL West to three games over Los Angeles. 

Pittsburgh’s Omar Moreno steals his 70th base of the season, becoming the first player this century with three consecutive 70-steal seasons

Pittsburgh’s Omar Moreno steals his 70th base of the season, becoming the first player this century with three consecutive 70-steal seasons

ByThis Day in Baseball

Pittsburgh’s Omar Moreno steals his 70th base of the season, becoming the first player this century with three consecutive 70-steal seasons. The fleet outfielder swiped 71 in 1978, 77 in 1979, and will finish 1980 with a career-high 96. Pittsburgh loses to Houston, 5 – 1.

J R Richard Stoke
|

 J.R. Richard collapses from a stroke while working out at the Astrodome

ByTom

1980 – J.R. Richard collapses from a stroke while working out at the Astrodome. He is rushed to Methodist Hospital where surgery saves his life. His distracted teammates lose in Philadelphia, 6-4. Richard would never regain the coordination needed to resume his career.