The Astros scored two runs in the first inning and added another on Jesus Alou's first homer of the season in the fifth to defeat the Pirates, 3-1, handing Jim Nelson his first loss of the season. The rookie righthander had won four games.

In the opening frame, Alou walked and took third on a single by Joe Morgan, who rounded first base too far and was caught on a throw from Roberto Clemente. However, Alou scored on an infield out by Norm Miller and another tally followed on singles by Bob Watson and Doug Rader, around a pass to Denis Menke. [The Sporting News]



Houston Astros 3, Pittsburgh Pirates 1
Game Played on Tuesday, July      21, 1970 (Night game) at Astrodome
Pirates      0  0  0    1  0  0    0  0  0  -   1  6  0
Astros       2  0  0    0  1  0    0  0  x  -   3  6  1


Pirates              AB   R   H RBI    BB  SO    AVG      Astros               AB   R   H RBI    BB  SO    AVG
Alou cf               5   0   0   0     0   0   .291      Alou lf               3   2   1   1     1   0   .294
Hebner 3b             3   0   1   0     1   0   .285      Morgan 2b             4   0   1   0     0   0   .275
  J. May ph           1   0   0   0     0   0   .192      Miller rf             4   0   0   1     0   1   .265
Clemente rf           4   0   1   0     0   2   .350      Watson 1b             4   1   1   0     0   1   .297
Oliver 1b             3   1   1   0     1   0   .269      Menke ss              1   0   0   0     1   0   .318
Stargell lf           4   0   1   0     0   0   .242      Rader 3b              3   0   2   1     0   0   .234
Sanguillen c          4   0   0   0     0   0   .303      Cedeno cf             3   0   0   0     0   2   .217
Alley ss              3   0   1   1     1   0   .247      Edwards c             3   0   1   0     0   1   .188
Mazeroski 2b          2   0   0   0     0   0   .206      Wilson p              3   0   0   0     0   2   .100
  Robertson ph        1   0   0   0     0   0   .284        Ray p               0   0   0   0     0   0   .250
Nelson p              2   0   1   0     0   0   .176        Cook p              0   0   0   0     0   0   .400
  Patek ph            1   0   0   0     0   0   .239
  Colpaert p          0   0   0   0     0   0   .000
  Pagan ph            0   0   0   0     1   0   .245
  Cash pr             0   0   0   0     0   0   .269

Totals               33   1   6   1     4   2             Totals               28   3   6   3     2   7

Time of Game: 2:13   Attendance: 17,741
Left on Base: Pirates 10, Astros 4
DP: Pirates 1, Astros 0
Errors: Wilson
Doubles: Alley (11)
Home Runs: Alou (1)
Stolen Bases: Alou (12)
Hit by Pitch: Mazeroski (2,by Wilson), Menke (2,by Nelson)


Pirates                IP     H   R  ER  BB  SO  HR BFP    ERA
Nelson L(4-1)           6     6   3   3   2   6   1  25   3.38
Colpaert                2     0   0   0   0   1   0   6   0.00
Totals                  8     6   3   3   2   7   1  31

Astros                 IP     H   R  ER  BB  SO  HR BFP    ERA
Wilson W(4-4)           8     6   1   1   3   2   0  34   3.83
Ray                     0.1   0   0   0   1   0   0   2   4.22
Cook SV(2)              0.2   0   0   0   0   0   0   2   3.02
Totals                  9     6   1   1   4   2   0  38

Hit by Pitch: Nelson (2), Wilson (2)
Wild Pitches: Wilson (9)

Umpires: HP - Bob Engel, 1B - Harry Wendelstedt, 2B - Tony Venzon, 3B - Frank Secory


PIRATES 1ST: Alou flied out to center; Hebner singled; Clemente
grounded out (pitcher to first) [Hebner to second]; Oliver
grounded out (second to first); 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Pirates
0, Astros 0.

ASTROS 1ST: Alou walked; Morgan singled to right [Alou to third,
Morgan out at second (right to first)]; Miller grounded out
(first unassisted) [Alou scored]; Watson singled; Menke walked
[Watson to second]; Rader singled [Watson scored, Menke to
third]; Cedeno grounded out (second to first); 2 R, 3 H, 0 E, 2
LOB.  Pirates 0, Astros 2.

PIRATES 2ND: Stargell singled; Sanguillen flied out to left;
Alley flied out to center; Mazeroski flied out to left; 0 R, 1
H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Pirates 0, Astros 2.

ASTROS 2ND: Edwards struck out; Wilson struck out; Alou grounded
out (second to first); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Pirates 0, Astros
2.

PIRATES 3RD: Nelson singled; Alou forced Nelson (third to
second); Alou stole second; Hebner flied out to right; Clemente
singled [Alou to third]; Alou was picked off third (pitcher to
first to catcher); 0 R, 2 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Pirates 0, Astros 2.

ASTROS 3RD: Morgan flied out to right; Miller struck out; Watson
flied out to right; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Pirates 0, Astros 2.

PIRATES 4TH: Oliver singled; Stargell grounded out (second to
first) [Oliver to second]; Sanguillen flied out to right [Oliver
to third]; Alley doubled [Oliver scored]; Mazeroski was hit by a
pitch; Nelson flied out to center; 1 R, 2 H, 0 E, 2 LOB.
Pirates 1, Astros 2.

ASTROS 4TH: Menke grounded out (second to first); Rader singled;
Cedeno struck out; Edwards singled [Rader to third]; Wilson
struck out (catcher to first); 0 R, 2 H, 0 E, 2 LOB.  Pirates 1,
Astros 2.

PIRATES 5TH: Alou reached on an error by Wilson [Alou to
second]; Wilson threw a wild pitch [Alou to third]; Hebner flied
out to left; Clemente struck out; Oliver grounded out (second to
first); 0 R, 0 H, 1 E, 1 LOB.  Pirates 1, Astros 2.

ASTROS 5TH: Alou homered; Morgan lined to center; Miller lined
to center; Watson grounded out (third to first); 1 R, 1 H, 0 E,
0 LOB.  Pirates 1, Astros 3.

PIRATES 6TH: Stargell grounded out (first unassisted);
Sanguillen flied out to right; Alley grounded out (third to
first); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Pirates 1, Astros 3.

ASTROS 6TH: Menke was hit by a pitch; Rader lined into a double
play (first unassisted) [Menke out at first]; Cedeno struck out;
0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Pirates 1, Astros 3.

PIRATES 7TH: Mazeroski flied out to right; PATEK BATTED FOR
NELSON; Patek flied out to center; Alou grounded out (pitcher to
first); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Pirates 1, Astros 3.

ASTROS 7TH: COLPAERT REPLACED PATEK (PITCHING); Edwards lined to
right; Debut game for Dick Colpaert; Wilson grounded out
(second to first); Alou grounded out (shortstop to first); 0 R,
0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Pirates 1, Astros 3.

PIRATES 8TH: Hebner walked; Clemente struck out; Oliver walked
[Hebner to second]; Stargell flied out to center; Sanguillen
flied out to center; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 2 LOB.  Pirates 1, Astros 3.

ASTROS 8TH: Morgan grounded out (second to first); Miller
grounded out (second to first); Watson struck out; 0 R, 0 H, 0
E, 0 LOB.  Pirates 1, Astros 3.

PIRATES 9TH: Alley walked; ROBERTSON BATTED FOR MAZEROSKI; RAY
REPLACED WILSON (PITCHING); Robertson forced Alley (shortstop to
second); PAGAN BATTED FOR COLPAERT; Pagan walked [Robertson to
second]; CASH RAN FOR PAGAN; COOK REPLACED RAY (PITCHING); Alou
forced Cash (second to shortstop) [Robertson to third]; J. MAY
BATTED FOR HEBNER; J. May forced Alou (second to shortstop); 0
R, 0 H, 0 E, 2 LOB.  Pirates 1, Astros 3.