Buccos take 2 of 3 from Hou to move to within 1 game of NL East lead

MANAGERS: Paul Johnson - Houston 74, Jesse Elicker - Pittsburgh 73
GAME 1: Hou 2 at Pit 6 (Three Rivers Stadium)

Back-to-back HR in the 7th by Richie Zisk and Willie Stargell iced a 6-2 Pirate win. The Buccos rapped out 14 hits and scored 6 times in 7+ innings off Claude Osteen, while Nelson Briles held the Astros to 7 hits and 2 runs in 8 innings. Houston did make a serious threat in the 9th. Lee May walked to lead off the inning. One out later, Bob Watson singled. That brought Dave Giusti to the mound. He walked Milt May to load the bases. Giusti struck out Doug Rader, then did the same to PH Cliff Johnson to end the game.

GAME 2: Hou 12 at Pit 5 (Three Rivers Stadium)

The final score does not tell the story. Houston DEMOLISHED the Pirates, getting 24 hits in what appeared to be an eruption of frustration by the Astros. Bob Watson's 2-run HR in the 1st started the beating, and his sac fly in the 9th ended it. In between he added a 2-run single to end with 5 RBI on the day. Tommy Helms had 5 hits, Doug Rader had 4, and Roger Metzger, Greg Gross, and Milt May each added 3. Don Wilson went the distance for Houston. The lone Pirate highlight - Willie Stargell's two 2-run HR.

GAME 3: Pit 4 at Hou 2 (Astrodome)

Still hungover perhaps from the beating of yesterday, the Pirates sent a fatigued Dock Ellis to the mound, and the Astros took the early advantage. In the 2nd, with 1 out, Milt May singled, Bob Watson walked, and Cesar Cedeno singled to load the bases. Ellis fanned Doug Rader, but he couldn't foil Astro starter Tom Griffin, who singled in 2 runs to put himself up 2-0. Doubles in the 3rd by Gene Alley and Dave Cash cut the lead in half 2-1. Things settled down until the 6th when the Pirates tied the game at 2. Richie Hebner drew a 1-out walk. One out later, Milt May's double scored Hebner to tie the game. (Confused? Milt May played for both clubs. He was pretty tired!!) The Pirates took the lead in the 7th. Manny Sanguillen doubled, moved to 3rd on a sac bunt, then scored on PH Vic Davalillo's sac fly. Dave Cash followed with a single, and Al Oliver doubled, with Cash holding 3rd. Mike Cosgrove replaced Griffin and uncorked a wild pitch to score Cash, 4-2 Pirates. From there the Bucs' pen took over. Ramon Hernandez worked a perfect 7th and 8th, and Dave Giusti closed out the 9th. 4-2 Pittsburgh.

Milt May's 2-out double in the 6th of game 3 (for Pittsburgh) that tied the game at 2.
Willie Stargell - 5 for 12, 5 RBI, 3 HRDave Giusti - 2 saves

--submitted by Jesse Elicker--