July 15, 1980 - Houston 3, Phillies 2

Pete Rose slides safely into third during the first inning.
Pete Rose slides safely into third during the first inning.

Dick Ruthven pitched well, but killed his own chances of winning the game in the ninth inning against the Houston Astros. Tied 2-2 in the bottom of the ninth, Ruthven gave up a single to light-hitting Houston catcher Andy Ashby (hitting .258 at the time). After Jeff Leonard pinch-ran for Ashby, Ruthven promptly balked him to second. After a single by Craig Reynolds (a .190 batter at the time), Ruthven tried to pick him off of first base, but threw the ball away. The error allowed Leonard to score the winning run. For their part, the offense could only muster 2 runs (1 earned) against Houston fireballer Nolan Ryan. Even though he only struck out two batters in eight innings, Ryan only gave up six hits and walked just one batter. The Phils' third straight loss dropped them to third place, behind both Montreal and Pittsburgh.  

Photo Album

Boxscore: Astros 3, Phillies 2

Phillies

1

0

0

0

0

1

0

0

0

-

2

Houston

0

0

0

1

0

0

0

1

1

-

3

 

Phillies

AB

R

H

RBI

Rose, 1B

3

2

1

0

Trillo, 2B

4

0

1

0

McBride, RF

4

0

1

1

Unser, LF

4

0

1

1

Maddox, CF

4

0

1

0

Boone, C

3

0

0

0

Bowa, SS

3

0

1

0

J. Vukovich, 3B

3

0

0

0

Ruthven, P

3

0

1

0

TOTALS

31

2

7

2

 

Phillies

IP

H

R

ER

BB

SO

Ruthven (L, 8-6)

8

8

3

1

2

2

 

Houston

AB

R

H

RBI

Landestoy, 2B-3B

4

1

1

0

Puhl, RF

4

1

2

0

Walling, 1B

3

0

2

1

Cruz, LF

3

0

0

1

Cedeno, CF

3

0

0

0

Howe, 3B

4

0

0

0

Sambito, P

0

0

0

0

Ashby, C

4

0

1

0

Leonard, PR

0

1

0

0

Reynolds, SS

4

0

2

0

Ryan, P

2

0

0

0

Morgan, PH-2B

1

0

0

0

TOTALS

32

3

8

2

 

Houston

IP

H

R

ER

BB

SO

Ryan

8

6

2

1

1

2

Sambito (W, 4-1)

1

1

0

0

0

0

 

Game-winning RBI- None.

E- Boone (12), J. Vukovich (2), Ruthven (3), Howe (6). DP- Houston 3. 3B- Walling (3). SB- Puhl (16). SF- Cruz (6). BK- Ruthven (2). IBB- Ruthven (5). WP- Ruthven (2). T- 2:08. A- 24,223.

Starting Lineups

Philadelphia Phillies

 

Houston Astros

Rose 1B

1

Landestoy 2B

Trillo 2B

2

Puhl RF

McBride RF

3

Walling 1B

Unser LF

4

Cruz LF

Maddox CF

5

Cedeno CF

Boone C

6

Howe 3B

Bowa SS

7

Ashby C

J. Vukovich 3B

8

Reynolds 2B

Ruthven P

9

Ryan P

Game Summary

The information used here was obtained free of charge from and is copyrighted by Retrosheet.  Interested parties may contact Retrosheet at www.retrosheet.org.

 

PHILLIES 1ST: Rose singled to shortstop; Trillo singled to center [Rose to third, Trillo out at second (center to shortstopbto second to first)]; McBride made an out to left; Unser singled to left [Rose scored]; Maddox singled to center [Unser to second]; Boone grounded out (second to first); 1 R, 4 H, 0 E, 2 LOB. Phillies 1, Astros 0.

 

ASTROS 1ST: Landestoy grounded out (pitcher to first); Puhl grounded out (first to pitcher); Walling grounded out (first to pitcher); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB. Phillies 1, Astros 0.

 

PHILLIES 2ND: Bowa made an out to center; J. Vukovich grounded out (third to first); Ruthven made an out to right; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB. Phillies 1, Astros 0.

 

ASTROS 2ND: Cruz struck out; Cedeno lined to left; Howe grounded out (second to first); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB. Phillies 1, Astros 0.

 

PHILLIES 3RD: Rose grounded out (pitcher to first); Trillo grounded out (first to pitcher); McBride grounded out (first to pitcher); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB. Phillies 1, Astros 0.

 

ASTROS 3RD: Ashby lined to center; Reynolds grounded out (shortstop to first); Ryan struck out; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB. Phillies 1, Astros 0.

 

PHILLIES 4TH: Unser grounded out (shortstop to first); Maddox grounded out (shortstop to first); Boone grounded out (first to pitcher); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB. Phillies 1, Astros 0.

 

ASTROS 4TH: Landestoy grounded out (shortstop to first); Puhl singled to second; Puhl stole second [Puhl to third (error by Boone)]; Walling walked; Cruz hit a sacrifice fly to right [Puhl scored (unearned)]; Cedeno made an out to left; 1 R, 1 H, 1 E, 1 LOB. Phillies 1, Astros 1.

 

PHILLIES 5TH: Bowa grounded out (first to pitcher); J. Vukovich made an out to left; Ruthven made an out to right; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB. Phillies 1, Astros 1.

 

ASTROS 5TH: Howe made an out to left; Ashby lined to right; Reynolds singled to left; Ryan grounded out (shortstop to first); 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB. Phillies 1, Astros 1.

 

PHILLIES 6TH: Rose walked; Trillo reached on an error by Howe [Rose to third, Trillo to second]; McBride grounded out (second to first) [Rose scored (unearned), Trillo to third]; Unser struck out; Maddox grounded out (pitcher to first); 1 R, 0 H, 1 E, 1 LOB. Phillies 2, Astros 1.

 

ASTROS 6TH: Landestoy grounded out (pitcher to first); Puhl made an out to left; Walling tripled to right; Cruz grounded out (shortstop to first); 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB. Phillies 2, Astros 1.

 

PHILLIES 7TH: Boone struck out; Bowa singled to center; J. Vukovich grounded into a double play (third to second to first) [Bowa out at second]; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 0 LOB. Phillies 2, Astros 1.

 

ASTROS 7TH: Cedeno grounded out (third to first); Howe reached on an error by J. Vukovich; Ashby lined to center; Reynolds forced Howe (shortstop to second); 0 R, 0 H, 1 E, 1 LOB. Phillies 2, Astros 1.

 

PHILLIES 8TH: Ruthven singled to center; Rose grounded into a double play (second to shortstop to first) [Ruthven out at second]; Trillo grounded out (shortstop to first); 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 0 LOB. Phillies 2, Astros 1.

 

ASTROS 8TH: MORGAN BATTED FOR RYAN; Morgan made an out to right; Landestoy singled to left; Puhl singled to left [Landestoy to third]; Walling singled to pitcher [Landestoy scored, Puhl to second]; Ruthven threw a wild pitch [Puhl to third, Walling to second]; Cruz grounded out (first unassisted); Cedeno was walked intentionally; Howe popped to second; 1 R, 3 H, 0 E, 3 LOB. Phillies 2, Astros 2.

 

PHILLIES 9TH: LANDESTOY CHANGED POSITIONS (PLAYING 3B); SAMBITO REPLACED HOWE (PITCHING); MORGAN STAYED IN GAME (PLAYING 2B); McBride singled to left; Unser grounded into a double play (second to shortstop to first) [McBride out at second]; Maddox grounded out (third to first); 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 0 LOB. Phillies 2, Astros 2.

 

ASTROS 9TH: Ashby singled to right; LEONARD RAN FOR ASHBY; Ruthven balked [Leonard to second]; Reynolds singled to third [Leonard to third]; Reynolds was picked off first but was safe on an error by Ruthven [Leonard scored (unearned), Reynolds to second]; 1 R, 2 H, 1 E, 1 LOB. Phillies 2, Astros 3.