May 17, 1979 San Francisco Giants at Houston Astros Box Score and Play by Play

View a short video showing advanced box score features / click orange/red text for additional info

BOS 6
BAL 2 CAL 8
MIL 5 CLE 8
TOR 3 MIN 7
@KCR 6 CHW 5
@OAK 1 ATL 6
LAD 3 PHI 23
@CHC 22
(10) SFG 3
@HOU 0 PIT 6
NYM 5 MON 3
@STL 2
(11)

Standings at end of play this day

Astrodome, Attendance: 10,626

Thursday, May 17, 1979
Time of Game: 2:17

Giants

19-18

Won 3

3rd, 2½ GB

                1  2  3   4  5  6   7  8  9    R  H  E
                -  -  -   -  -  -   -  -  -    -  -  -
Giants          0  0  0   0  0  0   3  0  0    3  8  0
Astros          0  0  0   0  0  0   0  0  0    0  2  0

W: E Halicki (4-3), L: K Forsch (4-3)

Astros

20-18

Lost 3

2nd, 2 GB

BATTING

San Francisco Giants         AB   R   H RBI   BB  SO    BA   OPS  Pit   PO   A  Details
R Andrews 2B                  3   0   0   0    1   0  .176  .426   13    7   3   SH
T Whitfield LF                3   0   0   1    1   0  .317  .816   10    3   0   
  H Cruz PH-LF                0   0   0   0    1   0  .000  .125    4    0   0   
J Clark RF                    5   0   1   0    0   1  .274  .798   10    4   0   
W McCovey 1B                  4   0   1   0    0   0  .241  .642   12    8   0   
  M Venable PR                0   0   0   0    0   0  .333  .762         0   0   
  M Ivie 1B                   1   0   0   0    0   1  .215  .631    3    2   0   
D Evans 3B                    3   1   1   0    0   1  .287  .802   10    1   4   HBP
L Herndon CF                  4   1   2   1    0   0  .289  .936   12    1   0   3B,SB
M Hill C                      3   1   1   0    1   0  .163  .446   18    0   2   
R Metzger SS                  3   0   1   1    1   0  .184  .529   10    1   2   
E Halicki P                   3   0   1   0    0   1  .263  .579   11    0   1   SH,GDP
Totals                       32   3   8   3    5   4              113   27  12

BATTING

3B: L Herndon (3, off K Forsch).

SH: E Halicki (1, off K Forsch); R Andrews (1, off T Dixon).

HBP: D Evans (1, by J Sambito).

TB: L Herndon 4; J Clark; M Hill; W McCovey; E Halicki; R Metzger; D Evans.

GIDP: E Halicki (1).

RBI: L Herndon (8); R Metzger (10); T Whitfield (22).

2-out RBI: T Whitfield.

Team LOB: 10.

With RISP: 1 for 9.

BASERUNNING

SB: L Herndon (1, 2nd base off K Forsch/A Ashby).

Houston Astros               AB   R   H RBI   BB  SO    BA   OPS  Pit   PO   A  Details
T Puhl RF                     3   0   0   0    0   0  .261  .675    7    2   0   SH
C Reynolds SS                 3   0   0   0    0   0  .263  .609   11    2   6   SH
C Cedeno CF                   3   0   1   0    1   0  .277  .863   12    3   0   2·SB
J Cruz LF                     2   0   0   0    2   0  .316  .863   22    1   0   CS,IW
E Cabell 3B                   4   0   1   0    0   0  .296  .756   10    1   1   
B Watson 1B                   3   0   0   0    1   0  .264  .677   17   10   1   
A Howe 2B                     4   0   0   0    0   0  .212  .560   10    4   3   
A Ashby C                     3   0   0   0    0   0  .240  .614    7    4   1   
K Forsch P                    1   0   0   0    1   0  .115  .302    9    0   3   
  J Sambito P                 0   0   0   0    0   0  .333 1.167         0   0   
  R Landestoy PH              1   0   0   0    0   0  .222  .472    2    0   0   
  T Dixon P                   0   0   0   0    0   0                     0   0   
Totals                       27   0   2   0    5   0              107   27  15

BATTING

SH: T Puhl (2, off E Halicki); C Reynolds (11, off E Halicki).

IBB: J Cruz (4, by E Halicki).

TB: C Cedeno; E Cabell.

Team LOB: 7.

With RISP: 0 for 5.

FIELDING

DP: 1. K Forsch-C Reynolds-B Watson.

BASERUNNING

SB: C Cedeno 2 (9, 2nd base off E Halicki/M Hill 2).

CS: J Cruz (2, 2nd base by E Halicki/M Hill).

PITCHING

San Francisco Giants          IP     H   R  ER   BB  SO  HR    ERA   BF  Pit-Str  Ct·Sw·Lk   GB·FB·LD· ?   GmSc  IR-IS   LevI    WPA
E Halicki, W (4-3)             9     2   0   0    5   0   0   3.72   34  100-56   44· 3· 9   13·13· 3· 0     78    -     1.11   0.46
Totals                         9     2   0   0    5   0   0          34  100-56   44· 3· 9   13·13· 3· 0           -

Houston Astros                IP     H   R  ER   BB  SO  HR    ERA   BF  Pit-Str  Ct·Sw·Lk   GB·FB·LD· ?   GmSc  IR-IS   LevI    WPA
K Forsch, L (4-3)              6.2   6   3   3    3   2   0   2.71   28   87-53   36· 9· 8   12· 5· 5· 1     49    -     1.19  -0.01
J Sambito                      1.1   1   0   0    1   1   0   1.95    7   12-7     4· 3· 0    2· 2· 0· 0          3-1    0.81  -0.03
T Dixon                        1     1   0   0    1   1   0   7.94    5   10-6     3· 3· 0    1· 1· 0· 1          0-0    0.25   0.01
Totals                         9     8   3   3    5   4   0          40  109-66   43·15· 8   15· 8· 5· 2          3-1

Balks: None.

WP: None.

IBB: E Halicki (3; J Cruz).

HBP: J Sambito (2; D Evans).

OTHER

Umpires: HP - Howard Hansen, 1B - Lanny Harris, 2B - Jim Rains, 3B - Howard Jumper.

Time of Game: 2:17.

Attendance: 10,626.

Field Condition: Unknown.

Weather: Night.

LINEUPS

   San Francisco Giants          Houston Astros                       
1. R Andrews            2B    1. T Puhl               RF 
2. T Whitfield          LF    2. C Reynolds           SS 
3. J Clark              RF    3. C Cedeno             CF 
4. W McCovey            1B    4. J Cruz               LF 
5. D Evans              3B    5. E Cabell             3B 
6. L Herndon            CF    6. B Watson             1B 
7. M Hill               C     7. A Howe               2B 
8. R Metzger            SS    8. A Ashby              C  
9. E Halicki            P     9. K Forsch             P

TOP 5 PLAYS (wpa explanation)

   Inn Out Score RoB  Pt wWPA  wWE  Batter          Pitcher         Play Detail
  +---+---+-----+---+---+----+----++---------------+---------------+--------------------------------------------------------------+
   t 7   1  0-0  1--  3   27%  77% L Herndon       K Forsch        Triple to RF (Line Drive); Evans Scores
   b 6   1  0-0  -23  1   12%  41% C Cedeno        E Halicki       Flyball: 2B
   b 6   2  0-0  123  1   10%  50% E Cabell        E Halicki       Groundout: 2B-1B
   b 6   0  0-0  1--  1   -8%  30% T Puhl          E Halicki       Fielder's Choice /Sacrifice Bunt; Forsch to 2B; Puhl to 1B
   t 7   1  0-1  1-3  1    7%  86% R Metzger       K Forsch        Single to RF (Ground Ball); Herndon Scores; Hill to 2B

PLAY BY PLAY (explanation)

Top of the 1st, Giants Batting, Tied 0-0, Ken Forsch facing 1-2-3
  Scr/Out RoB  Pt  wWE  Batter          Play Detail
  +------+---+---+----++---------------+--------------------------------------------------------------+
   O      ---  1   48%  R Andrews       Groundout: SS-1B
   O      ---  1   46%  T Whitfield     Groundout: P-1B
   O      ---  3   45%  J Clark         Lineout: LF
                  0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 0 LOB. Giants 0, Astros 0.

Bottom of the 1st, Astros Batting, Tied 0-0, Ed Halicki facing 1-2-3
   O      ---  2   48%  T Puhl          Lineout: RF
   O      ---  4   49%  C Reynolds      Flyball: LF
          ---  5   48%  C Cedeno        Walk
          1--      47%  J Cruz          Cedeno Steals 2B
          -2- 10   46%  " "             Walk
   O      12-  1   50%  E Cabell        Cruz Caught Stealing 2B (C-2B)
                  0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 1 LOB. Giants 0, Astros 0.

Top of the 2nd, Giants Batting, Tied 0-0, Ken Forsch facing 4-5-6
   O      ---  3   48%  W McCovey       Groundout: 2B-1B
   O      ---  3   46%  D Evans         Groundout: 2B-1B
   O      ---  5   45%  L Herndon       Groundout: SS-1B
                  0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 0 LOB. Giants 0, Astros 0.

Bottom of the 2nd, Astros Batting, Tied 0-0, Ed Halicki facing 5-6-7
   O      ---  3   47%  E Cabell        Groundout: 2B-1B
   O      ---  5   49%  B Watson        Flyball: CF
   O      ---  3   50%  A Howe          Groundout: 3B-1B
                  0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 0 LOB. Giants 0, Astros 0.

Top of the 3rd, Giants Batting, Tied 0-0, Ken Forsch facing 7-8-9
          ---  4   54%  M Hill          Single to 2B
   O      1--  3   50%  R Metzger       Flyball: CF
   OO     1--  4   45%  E Halicki       Ground Ball Double Play: P-SS-1B
                  0 runs, 1 hit, 0 errors, 0 LOB. Giants 0, Astros 0.

Bottom of the 3rd, Astros Batting, Tied 0-0, Ed Halicki facing 8-9-1
   O      ---  2   47%  A Ashby         Flyball: LF
   O      ---  4   49%  K Forsch        Flyball: 2B
   O      ---  3   50%  T Puhl          Flyball: RF
                  0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 0 LOB. Giants 0, Astros 0.

Top of the 4th, Giants Batting, Tied 0-0, Ken Forsch facing 1-2-3
   O      ---  4   47%  R Andrews       Groundout: 3B-1B
   O      ---  4   46%  T Whitfield     Groundout: SS-1B
          ---  2   47%  J Clark         Single to LF (Line Drive)
   O      1--  5   44%  W McCovey       Flyball: CF
                  0 runs, 1 hit, 0 errors, 1 LOB. Giants 0, Astros 0.

Bottom of the 4th, Astros Batting, Tied 0-0, Ed Halicki facing 2-3-4
   O      ---  2   47%  C Reynolds      Flyball: 3B
          ---  3   44%  C Cedeno        Single to LF (Ground Ball)
          1--      42%  J Cruz          Cedeno Steals 2B
   O      -2-  3   46%  " "             Lineout: LF
   O      -2-  4   50%  E Cabell        Groundout: SS-1B
                  0 runs, 1 hit, 0 errors, 1 LOB. Giants 0, Astros 0.

Top of the 5th, Giants Batting, Tied 0-0, Ken Forsch facing 5-6-7
   O      ---  5   47%  D Evans         Strikeout Swinging
          ---  3   50%  L Herndon       Single to CF (Line Drive)
          1--      53%  M Hill          Herndon Steals 2B
   O      -2-  5   48%  " "             Flyball: RF
          -2-  5   49%  R Metzger       Walk
   O      12-  5   44%  E Halicki       Strikeout Looking
                  0 runs, 1 hit, 0 errors, 2 LOB. Giants 0, Astros 0.

Bottom of the 5th, Astros Batting, Tied 0-0, Ed Halicki facing 6-7-8
   O      ---  1   47%  B Watson        Flyball: RF
   O      ---  3   49%  A Howe          Groundout: 3B-1B
   O      ---  3   50%  A Ashby         Groundout: SS-1B
                  0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 0 LOB. Giants 0, Astros 0.

Top of the 6th, Giants Batting, Tied 0-0, Ken Forsch facing 1-2-3
   O      ---  2   47%  R Andrews       Groundout: SS-1B
   O      ---  1   44%  T Whitfield     Groundout: 2B-1B
   O      ---  1   43%  J Clark         Flyball: CF
                  0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 0 LOB. Giants 0, Astros 0.

Bottom of the 6th, Astros Batting, Tied 0-0, Ed Halicki facing 9-1-2
          ---  5   38%  K Forsch        Walk
          1--  1   30%  T Puhl          Fielder's Choice /Sacrifice Bunt; Forsch to 2B; Puhl to 1B
   O      12-  2   29%  C Reynolds      Bunt Groundout: C-2B/Sacrifice; Forsch to 3B; Puhl to 2B
   O      -23  1   41%  C Cedeno        Flyball: 2B
          -23  4   40%  J Cruz          Intentional Walk
   O      123  1   50%  E Cabell        Groundout: 2B-1B
                  0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 3 LOB. Giants 0, Astros 0.

Top of the 7th, Giants Batting, Tied 0-0, Ken Forsch facing 4-5-6
   O      ---  3   46%  W McCovey       Foul Flyball: 3B
          ---  1   50%  D Evans         Single to RF (Line Drive)
   R      1--  3   77%  L Herndon       Triple to RF (Line Drive); Evans Scores
          --3  4   78%  M Hill          Walk
   R      1-3  1   86%  R Metzger       Single to RF (Ground Ball); Herndon Scores; Hill to 2B
   O      12-  1   84%  E Halicki       Bunt Groundout: P-2B/Sacrifice; Hill to 3B; Metzger to 2B
                  Joe Sambito replaces Ken Forsch pitching and batting 9th
          -23  5   85%  R Andrews       Walk
   R      123  4   92%  T Whitfield     Walk; Hill Scores; Metzger to 3B; Andrews to 2B
   O      123  3   89%  J Clark         Strikeout Swinging
                  3 runs, 3 hits, 0 errors, 3 LOB. Giants 3, Astros 0.

Bottom of the 7th, Astros Batting, Behind 0-3, Ed Halicki facing 6-7-8
   O      ---  1   92%  B Watson        Groundout: 3B-1B
   O      ---  1   93%  A Howe          Popfly: P-2B
   O      ---  2   94%  A Ashby         Groundout: 2B-1B
                  0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 0 LOB. Giants 3, Astros 0.

Top of the 8th, Giants Batting, Ahead 3-0, Joe Sambito facing 4-5-6
          ---  1   95%  W McCovey       Single to LF (Ground Ball)
                  Max Venable pinch runs for Willie McCovey batting 4th
          1--  1   96%  D Evans         Hit By Pitch; Venable to 2B
   O      12-  1   95%  L Herndon       Flyball: 2B
   O      12-  1   94%  M Hill          Flyball: SS
   O      12-  1   93%  R Metzger       Groundout: SS-2B/Forceout at 2B
                  0 runs, 1 hit, 0 errors, 2 LOB. Giants 3, Astros 0.

Bottom of the 8th, Astros Batting, Behind 0-3, Ed Halicki facing 9-1-2
                  Mike Ivie replaces Max Venable playing 1B batting 4th; Rafael Landestoy pinch hits for Joe Sambito batting 9th
   O      ---  2   95%  R Landestoy     Flyball: RF
   O      ---  1   97%  T Puhl          Flyball: SS
   O      ---  3   97%  C Reynolds      Foul Flyball: 1B
                  0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 0 LOB. Giants 3, Astros 0.

Top of the 9th, Giants Batting, Ahead 3-0, Tom Dixon facing 9-1-2
                  Tom Dixon replaces Rafael Landestoy pitching and batting 9th
          ---  1   98%  E Halicki       Single to 3B
   O      1--  1   98%  R Andrews       Bunt Groundout: 1B-C-2B/Sacrifice; Halicki to 2B
                  Hector Cruz pinch hits for Terry Whitfield batting 2nd
          -2-  4   98%  H Cruz          Walk
   O      12-  1   97%  J Clark         Flyball: RF
   O      12-  3   97%  M Ivie          Strikeout Swinging
                  0 runs, 1 hit, 0 errors, 2 LOB. Giants 3, Astros 0.

Bottom of the 9th, Astros Batting, Behind 0-3, Ed Halicki facing 3-4-5
                  Hector Cruz moves to LF
   O      ---  3   99%  C Cedeno        Flyball: 2B
   O      ---  2  100%  J Cruz          Groundout: 1B unassisted
          ---  1   99%  E Cabell        Single to CF (Line Drive)
          1--      99%  B Watson        Defensive Indifference; Cabell to 2B
          -2-  7   96%  " "             Walk
   O      12-  3  100%  A Howe          Groundout: 3B-2B/Forceout at 2B
        0 runs, 1 hit, 0 errors, 2 LOB. Giants 3, Astros 0.

Retrosheet.org Boxscore:HOU197905170

Play-by-Play Explanation

Scr/Out- This has a "O" for every out on the play and an "R" for every run that scored on the play. Some plays will have both in no particular order.
RoB- This gives the baserunner (Runners on Base) configuration at the start of the play. "1-3" would mean runners on first and third. Clicking on this will show the defensive players and baserunners on the field for this play. This is a subscriber feature, so non-subscribers are limited as to the number of times they can use this feature in a day.
Pt- When available, the number of pitches in this plate appearance. Clicking on this number will show the sequence of pitches thrown including, when available, things like runner going, ball blocked, attempted pickoffs and the like. We believe this data to be as accurate as humanly possible, but there are going to be some errors in the data, so please take it with a grain of salt. Clicking on this will show the defensive players and baserunners on the field for this play. This is a subscriber feature, so non-subscribers are limited as to the number of times they can use this feature in a day.
Batter- The batter at the plate when this play occurred. If the play is a baserunning event, then the batter's name will be repeated as indicated by quotes.
Play Detail- This is an explanation of the play that occurred. In some cases, batted ball location and type will be indicated within parentheses. Again, these are best efforts to the record the game as it happened. Also, plays made on the baserunners (including the batter as a baserunner) will be indicated in parentheses after the baserunner's name. Advancement of baserunners is given in cases where the advancement is not easily deduced or obvious from the play. For example, advancement for a walk will not be given, but for a single or double it will be given.

Please report any issues or strangeness you see with the description of plays given above. We have tested several hundred different types of plays, but, in all likelihood, there are still some errors or misinterpretations of the play-by-play data.

The information used here was obtained free of charge from and is copyrighted by Retrosheet. Interested parties may contact Retrosheet at 20 Sunset Rd., Newark, DE 19711.

In some cases, the results from play-by-play data will contradict results in the official record. The official record has many, many errors, but we have not undertaken to reconcile those errors. Pitch-by-pitch data should not be taken as completely accurate, though we believe it to be as accurate as is currently possible.


Quick Index: Play Index \| Players \| Teams \| Leagues \| Managers \| Leaders \| Awards \| Postseason \| Box Scores \| Minors \| Draft SportingNews.com \| Stat of the Day \| SR Blog \| Tutorial Videos \| All-Star \| Travel \| Bullpen Wiki \| Random
You Are Here > Baseball-Reference.com > Boxes > 1979 > HOU \| SFG > May 17, 1979, Giants at Astros Play by Play and Box Score

Baseball-Reference.com-- Baseball's History: 1871-Now

BATTING

PITCHING

OTHER

LINEUPS

TOP 5 PLAYS (wpa explanation)

PLAY BY PLAY (explanation)

Play-by-Play Explanation