A homer by Johnny Edwards, breaking a tie in fifth inning, enabled Jack Billingham to pitch the Astros to a 3-2 victory over the Cardinals in a six-hit duel with Bob Gibson. The Cardinals struck for their runs in the first inning on singles by Lou Brock and Leron Lee, a pass to Dick Allen, single by Joe Torre and infield out by Jose Cardenal.

The Astros picked up a matching pair in the second. Denis Menke singled, Doug Rader doubled and both crossed the plate on a single by Cesar Cedeno. [The Sporting News]



Houston Astros 3, St. Louis Cardinals 2
Game Played on Thursday, July      23, 1970 (Night game) at Busch Stadium II
Astros       0  2  0    0  1  0    0  0  0  -   3  6  0
Cardinals    2  0  0    0  0  0    0  0  0  -   2  6  0


Astros               AB   R   H RBI    BB  SO    AVG      Cardinals            AB   R   H RBI    BB  SO    AVG
Alou rf               4   0   0   0     0   0   .295      Brock lf              4   1   1   0     0   1   .309
Morgan 2b             4   0   1   0     0   0   .277      Lee rf                4   1   1   0     0   0   .235
Wynn lf               3   0   0   0     1   0   .276      Carl Taylor 1b        4   0   0   0     0   1   .242
Watson 1b             4   0   0   0     0   0   .287      Allen 3b              2   0   0   0     2   1   .290
Menke ss              3   1   1   0     1   1   .316      Torre c               4   0   2   1     0   0   .315
Rader 3b              4   1   2   0     0   2   .240      Cardenal cf           4   0   1   1     0   0   .313
Cedeno cf             4   0   1   2     0   0   .228      Javier 2b             3   0   0   0     0   1   .240
Edwards c             4   1   1   1     0   1   .190        Davalillo ph        1   0   0   0     0   0   .303
Billingham p          3   0   0   0     1   3   .094      Maxvill ss            2   0   0   0     0   0   .200
                                                            Hague ph            1   0   1   0     0   0   .274
                                                            Crosby ss           0   0   0   0     0   0   .000
                                                          Gibson p              3   0   0   0     0   3   .344

Totals               33   3   6   3     3   7             Totals               32   2   6   2     2   7

Time of Game: 2:00   Attendance: 17,532
Left on Base: Astros 6, Cardinals 5
DP: Astros 1, Cardinals 0
Doubles: Rader (12)
Home Runs: Edwards (4)
GIDP: Davalillo (3)


Astros                 IP     H   R  ER  BB  SO  HR BFP    ERA
Billingham W(8-3)       9     6   2   2   2   7   0  34   3.43
Totals                  9     6   2   2   2   7   0  34

Cardinals              IP     H   R  ER  BB  SO  HR BFP    ERA
Gibson L(12-5)          9     6   3   3   3   7   1  36   3.64
Totals                  9     6   3   3   3   7   1  36

Umpires: HP - Frank Dezelan, 1B - Shag Crawford, 2B - Stan Landes, 3B - Doug Harvey


ASTROS 1ST: Alou popped to second; Morgan popped to third in
foul territory; Wynn flied out to right; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.
Astros 0, Cardinals 0.

CARDINALS 1ST: Brock singled to left; Lee singled to center
[Brock to third, Lee to second (on throw to 3b)]; Carl Taylor
struck out; Allen was walked intentionally; Torre singled to
third [Brock scored, Lee to third, Allen to second]; Cardenal
grounded out (third to first) [Lee scored, Allen to third, Torre
to second]; Javier grounded out (pitcher to first); 2 R, 3 H, 0
E, 2 LOB.  Astros 0, Cardinals 2.

ASTROS 2ND: Watson grounded out (third to first); Menke singled
to right; Rader doubled to right [Menke to third]; Cedeno
singled to center [Menke scored, Rader scored]; Edwards grounded
out (third to first) [Cedeno to second]; Billingham struck out;
2 R, 3 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Astros 2, Cardinals 2.

CARDINALS 2ND: Maxvill grounded out (third to first); Gibson
struck out; Brock grounded out (shortstop to first); 0 R, 0 H, 0
E, 0 LOB.  Astros 2, Cardinals 2.

ASTROS 3RD: Alou grounded out (pitcher to shortstop to first);
Morgan grounded out (shortstop to first); Wynn popped to
shortstop; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Astros 2, Cardinals 2.

CARDINALS 3RD: Lee flied out to left; Carl Taylor grounded out
(third to first); Allen walked; Torre singled to right [Allen to
second]; Cardenal flied out to center; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 2 LOB.
Astros 2, Cardinals 2.

ASTROS 4TH: Watson flied out to right; Menke grounded out
(shortstop to first); Rader struck out; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.
Astros 2, Cardinals 2.

CARDINALS 4TH: Javier struck out; Maxvill grounded out
(shortstop to first); Gibson struck out; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.
Astros 2, Cardinals 2.

ASTROS 5TH: Cedeno grounded out (second to pitcher); Edwards
homered; Billingham walked; Alou forced Billingham (shortstop to
second); Morgan singled to center [Alou to third]; Wynn walked
[Morgan to second]; Watson popped to second; 1 R, 2 H, 0 E, 3
LOB.  Astros 3, Cardinals 2.

CARDINALS 5TH: Brock flied out to center; Lee flied out to
right; Carl Taylor grounded out (shortstop to first); 0 R, 0 H,
0 E, 0 LOB.  Astros 3, Cardinals 2.

ASTROS 6TH: Menke was called out on strikes; Rader singled to
right; Cedeno forced Rader (shortstop to second); Edwards
grounded out (second to first); 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Astros 3,
Cardinals 2.

CARDINALS 6TH: Allen popped to catcher in foul territory; Torre
flied out to right; Cardenal grounded out (second to first); 0
R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Astros 3, Cardinals 2.

ASTROS 7TH: Billingham was called out on strikes; Alou grounded
out (second to first); Morgan flied out to left; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E,
0 LOB.  Astros 3, Cardinals 2.

CARDINALS 7TH: Javier grounded out (pitcher to first); HAGUE
BATTED FOR MAXVILL; Hague singled to center; Gibson struck out;
Brock was called out on strikes; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Astros
3, Cardinals 2.

ASTROS 8TH: CROSBY REPLACED HAGUE (PLAYING SS); Wynn popped to
catcher in foul territory; Watson grounded out (second to
first); Menke walked; Rader struck out; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.
Astros 3, Cardinals 2.

CARDINALS 8TH: Lee flied out to left; Carl Taylor flied out to
center; Allen struck out; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Astros 3,
Cardinals 2.

ASTROS 9TH: Cedeno popped to shortstop; Edwards struck out;
Billingham struck out; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Astros 3,
Cardinals 2.

CARDINALS 9TH: Torre grounded out (third to first); Cardenal
singled to shortstop; DAVALILLO BATTED FOR JAVIER; Davalillo
grounded into a double play (second to shortstop to first)
[Cardenal out at second]; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Astros 3,
Cardinals 2.