1980 Houston Astros season


The 1980 Houston Astros season was a season in American baseball. The team finished in a tie for first place in the National League West with a record of 92-70 with the Los Angeles Dodgers. The teams played a one-game playoff to determine the division champion, which the Astros won, marking the first time in franchise history that the team qualified for the postseason. They went on to face the Philadelphia Phillies in the NLCS, losing three games to two.

Offseason

On July 4, pitcher Nolan Ryan recorded the 3,000th strikeout of his career by striking out César Gerónimo of the Cincinnati Reds.

Season standings

Record vs. opponents

Opening Day starters

Game log

Player stats

Batting

Starters by position

Note: Pos = Position; G = Games played; AB = At bats; H = Hits; Avg. = Batting average; HR = Home runs; RBI = Runs batted in
PosPlayerGABHAvg.HRRBI
C11635290.256348
1B11032191.2831046
2B141461112.2431149
3B152604167.276255
SS13738186.226328
LF160612185.3021191
CF137499154.3091073
RF141535151.2821355

Other batters

Note: G = Games played; AB = At bats; H = Hits; Avg. = Batting average; HR = Home runs; RBI = Runs batted in
PlayerGABHAvg.HRRBI
14939397.247127
10028485.299329
7822144.199020
8821646.213320
907820.25603
338724.27606
195320.377215
40526.11501
22224.18200
831.33300
110.00000
110.00000

Pitching

Starting pitchers

Note: G = Games pitched; IP = Innings pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts
PlayerGIPWLERASO
3725620123.55127
35233.211103.35200
32222.112133.2084
28159.11242.3755
17113.21041.90119

Other pitchers

Relief pitchers

Note: G = Games pitched; IP = Innings pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; SV = Saves; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts
PlayerGIPWLSVERASO
6490.184172.1975
57102.275101.9385
558385112.8266
22330115.4518
1424.12005.929
110000.003

National League Championship Series

Game 1

October 7: Veterans Stadium, Philadelphia

Game 2

October 8: Veterans Stadium, Philadelphia

Game 3

October 10: Astrodome, Houston, Texas

Game 4

October 11: Astrodome, Houston, Texas

Game 5

October 12: Astrodome, Houston, Texas
Game 5 capped the series in fitting fashion, with seemingly endless surprises and excitement. The Astros jumped to an early lead in the first on a run-scoring double by José Cruz. Philadelphia bounced back to take the lead on a two-run single by Bob Boone in the second. The Astros saw Luis Pujols and Enos Cabell thrown out at the plate in the second and fifth, but finally broke through to tie the game 2-2 on an unearned run in the sixth, thanks to an error by Philadelphia's less than surehanded left fielder Greg Luzinski.
Houston took what seemed like a solid 5-2 lead in the seventh on an RBI single by Denny Walling, a wild pitch from Phillies reliever Larry Christenson, and a run-scoring triple by Art Howe. A three run deficit in the eighth inning against Nolan Ryan seemed insurmountable. But the Phillies would not die. They loaded the bases with nobody out on three straight singles, including two infield hits, and then got two runs on a walk to Pete Rose and a groundout by Keith Moreland. An RBI single by Del Unser tied the game 5-5, and then Manny Trillo put the Phillies ahead with a two-run triple.
The Astros promptly came back to tie the game in the bottom of the eighth, with Rafael Landestoy and José Cruz each singling in a run. Neither team scored in the ninth, but the Phillies got doubles from Unser and Garry Maddox in the tenth to take an 8-7 lead. Philadelphia's Dick Ruthven retired the Astros in order in the bottom of the tenth, and the Phillies had won their first pennant since 1950. They went on to defeat the Kansas City Royals four games to two in the World Series.

Farm system