Kent Tekulve got the save in game 1 of the 1978 season as he induced a game ending double play with the bases loaded and the Pirates clinging to a 5-4 lead.  Dave Parker hit a homerun and Rennie Stennett had 3 hits to help the Pirates win the season opener 5-4 against their rival Cubs.  John Candelaria went a shaky 7 innings to pickup the win.  Rick Reuschel suffered the loss.  The Cubbies took game 2 as they pounded the Pirates ace Bert Blyleven winning 10-6.  Dave Kingman had 4 rbi's including his first homerun of the season.  Ray Burris got the win despite allowing 6 runs.  The Pirates took game 3 with a score of 6-1 as Jerry Reuss pitched 7 strong innings only allowing 1 run to pickup the win.  Woodie Fryman didn't last long as he allowed 6 runs in 4 innings.  The Pirates hit .317 in the series but only hit 1 homerun.  The Pirates travel to St. Louis while the Cubs visit the Mets at Shea.

Apr 7, 1978                   1 2 3   4 5 6   7 8 9      R  H  E                                                                                      
1978 Chicago (N) 0-1          3 0 0   1 0 0   0 0 0      4  9  0                                                                                      
1978 Pittsburgh 1-0           0 0 0   2 0 3   0 0 -      5 11  1                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                                      
Chicago (N)    AB  R  H BI  W  K   Avg    Pittsburgh     AB  R  H BI  W  K   Avg                                                                      
DeJesus SS      5  1  2  0  0  1  .400    Taveras SS      4  0  0  0  0  1  .000                                                                      
Clines CF       4  1  1  1  0  0  .250    Moreno CF       4  1  1  0  0  0  .250                                                                      
 Gross,G PH     1  0  1  0  0  0 1.000    Parker, D RF    4  2  2  1  0  0  .500                                                                      
Buckner 1B      4  0  1  0  1  0  .250    Robinson,B LF   4  1  2  2  0  1  .500                                                                      
Murcer RF       4  1  0  0  1  0  .000    Stargell 1B     3  0  1  0  1  0  .333                                                                      
Kingman LF      3  0  1  0  1  0  .333    Stennett 2B     4  1  3  1  0  0  .750                                                                      
Ontiveros 3B    3  0  1  2  1  0  .333    Ott C           2  0  0  1  0  0  .000                                                                      
 Scott,R PR-3B  0  0  0  0  0  0  .000    Gonzalez,F 3B   3  0  1  0  0  0  .333                                                                      
Trillo 2B       4  1  1  0  0  0  .250    Candelaria P    1  0  1  0  0  0 1.000                                                                      
Rader C         4  0  0  0  0  1  .000     Brye PH        1  0  0  0  0  0  .000                                                                      
Reuschel,R P    2  0  0  1  0  1  .000     Whitson P      0  0  0  0  0  0  .000                                                                      
 Biittner PH    1  0  1  0  0  0 1.000     Tekulve P      0  0  0  0  0  0  .000                                                                      
 Kelleher PR    0  0  0  0  0  0  .000                   30  5 11  5  1  2  .367                                                                      
               35  4  9  4  4  3  .257                                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                                      
Chicago (N)                    IP  H  R ER  W  K   Ct   S   B    ERA  BF                                                                              
Reuschel,R L(0-1)             8.0 11  5  5  1  2  112  77  35   5.63  33                                                                              
                              8.0 11  5  5  1  2  112  77  35   5.63  33                                                                              
                                                                                                                                                      
Pittsburgh                     IP  H  R ER  W  K   Ct   S   B    ERA  BF                                                                              
Candelaria W(1-0)             7.0  7  4  4  2  1  110  75  35   5.14  31                                                                              
 Whitson H(1)                 1.1  2  0  0  1  2   27  19   8   0.00   7                                                                              
 Tekulve S(1)                 0.2  0  0  0  1  0   10   4   6   0.00   2                                                                              
                              9.0  9  4  4  4  3  147  98  49   4.00  40