Led by Denis Menke, who drove in three runs with a triple and a groundout, the Astros defeated the Dodgers, 5-2. Larry Dierker, a 16-game winner last year, scattered 10 hits in going the route for Houston's victory.

Menke's triple -- a liner that looked like a single until it bounced off Willie Davis' glove and rolled to the warning track -- drove in two runs in the third inning. It stretched a 2-1 Houston lead into a 4-2 margin. Cesar Cedeno had led off the third with a double and Joe Morgan walked. Bob Watson then forced Cedeno at third to bring up Menke. [ap]



Houston Astros 5, Los Angeles Dodgers 2
Game Played on Monday, April     5, 1971 (Night game) at Astrodome
Dodgers      0  0  1    0  0  0    1  0  0  -   2 10  0
Astros       2  0  2    1  0  0    0  0  x  -   5  5  0


Dodgers              AB   R   H RBI    BB  SO    AVG      Astros               AB   R   H RBI    BB  SO    AVG
Wills ss              4   0   2   1     0   0   .500      Cedeno rf             3   1   2   1     1   0   .667
Buckner rf            4   0   0   0     0   0   .000      Morgan 2b             2   2   0   0     1   0   .000
Davis cf              4   0   0   0     0   0   .000      Wynn cf               3   0   1   0     1   0   .333
Parker 1b             3   0   1   0     1   0   .333      Watson lf             3   1   0   1     0   0   .000
Allen lf              4   0   0   0     0   2   .000        Geronimo lf         0   0   0   0     0   0   .000
Sims c                4   0   2   0     0   0   .500      Menke 1b              3   0   1   3     1   0   .333
Garvey 3b             4   1   1   0     0   0   .250      Rader 3b              4   0   0   0     0   1   .000
Russell 2b            4   1   3   1     0   1   .750      Edwards c             4   1   1   0     0   1   .250
Singer p              1   0   0   0     0   1   .000      Metzger ss            2   0   0   0     1   1   .000
  Haller ph           1   0   1   0     0   0  1.000      Dierker p             3   0   0   0     0   0   .000
  Moeller p           0   0   0   0     0   0   .000
  Lefebvre ph         1   0   0   0     0   0   .000

Totals               34   2  10   2     1   4             Totals               27   5   5   5     5   3

Time of Game: 2:23   Attendance: 22,421
Left on Base: Dodgers 7, Astros 5
DP: Dodgers 1, Astros 1
Doubles: Garvey (1), Russell (1), Sims (1), Cedeno (1)
Triples: Menke (1)
Stolen Bases: Wills (1)
Sacrifice Hits: Singer (1), Geronimo (1)
GIDP: Dierker (1)
Hit by Pitch: Morgan (1,by Singer)


Dodgers                IP     H   R  ER  BB  SO  HR BFP    ERA
Singer L(0-1)           6     4   5   5   4   3   0  26   7.50
Moeller                 2     1   0   0   1   0   0   8   0.00
Totals                  8     5   5   5   5   3   0  34

Astros                 IP     H   R  ER  BB  SO  HR BFP    ERA
Dierker W(1-0)          9    10   2   2   1   4   0  36   2.00
Totals                  9    10   2   2   1   4   0  36

Hit by Pitch: Singer (1)

Umpires: HP - Tony Venzon, 1B - Stan Landes, 2B - Mel Steiner, 3B - Bob Engel


DODGERS 1ST: Wills lined to third; Buckner grounded out (pitcher
to first); Davis popped to third; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Dodgers
0, Astros 0.

ASTROS 1ST: Cedeno walked; Morgan was hit by a pitch [Cedeno to
second]; Wynn walked [Cedeno to third, Morgan to second]; Watson
grounded out (second to first) [Wynn to second, Morgan to third,
Cedeno scored]; Menke grounded out (second to first) [Wynn to
third, Morgan scored]; Rader struck out; 2 R, 0 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.
Dodgers 0, Astros 2.

DODGERS 2ND: Parker grounded out (pitcher to first); Allen
struck out; Sims grounded out (second to first); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E,
0 LOB.  Dodgers 0, Astros 2.

ASTROS 2ND: Edwards flied out to left; Metzger walked; Dierker
grounded into a double play (shortstop to second to first)
[Metzger out at second]; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Dodgers 0,
Astros 2.

DODGERS 3RD: Garvey doubled to left; Russell doubled to left
[Garvey scored]; Singer out on a sacrifice bunt (first to
second) [Russell to third]; Wills flied into a double play
(center to catcher) [Russell out at home]; 1 R, 2 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.
 Dodgers 1, Astros 2.

ASTROS 3RD: Cedeno doubled to center; Morgan walked; Wynn flied
out to left; Watson forced Cedeno (third unassisted) [Morgan to
second]; Menke tripled to center [Watson scored, Morgan scored];
Rader flied out to left; 2 R, 2 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Dodgers 1,
Astros 4.

DODGERS 4TH: Buckner flied out to center; Davis grounded out
(second to first); Parker singled to left; Allen flied out to
center; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Dodgers 1, Astros 4.

ASTROS 4TH: Edwards singled to second; Metzger grounded out
(second to first) [Edwards to second]; Dierker grounded out
(second to first) [Edwards to third]; Cedeno singled to left
[Edwards scored]; Morgan forced Cedeno (second to shortstop); 1
R, 2 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Dodgers 1, Astros 5.

DODGERS 5TH: Sims singled to right; Garvey flied out to center;
Russell struck out; Singer struck out; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.
Dodgers 1, Astros 5.

ASTROS 5TH: Wynn grounded out (shortstop to first); Watson
grounded out (third to first); Menke grounded out (first
unassisted); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Dodgers 1, Astros 5.

DODGERS 6TH: Wills singled to shortstop; Buckner popped to
third; Davis flied out to center; Parker walked [Wills to
second]; Wills stole third; Allen flied out to center; 0 R, 1 H,
0 E, 2 LOB.  Dodgers 1, Astros 5.

ASTROS 6TH: Rader grounded out (second to first); Edwards struck
out; Metzger struck out; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Dodgers 1,
Astros 5.

DODGERS 7TH: GERONIMO REPLACED WATSON (PLAYING LF); Sims
grounded out (second to first); Garvey grounded out (third to
first); Russell singled to shortstop; HALLER BATTED FOR SINGER;
Haller singled to left [Russell to second]; Wills singled to
center [Haller to second, Russell scored]; Buckner flied out to
right; 1 R, 3 H, 0 E, 2 LOB.  Dodgers 2, Astros 5.

ASTROS 7TH: MOELLER REPLACED HALLER (PITCHING); Dierker flied
out to center; Cedeno grounded out (third to first); Morgan
grounded out (first unassisted); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Dodgers
2, Astros 5.

DODGERS 8TH: Davis flied out to left; Parker flied out to
center; Allen was called out on strikes; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.
Dodgers 2, Astros 5.

ASTROS 8TH: Wynn singled to left; Geronimo out on a sacrifice
bunt (pitcher to second) [Wynn to second]; Menke walked; Rader
flied out to center [Wynn to third]; Edwards flied out to right;
0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 2 LOB.  Dodgers 2, Astros 5.

DODGERS 9TH: Sims doubled to left [Sims out at third (left to
third)]; Garvey grounded out (third to first); Russell singled
to right; LEFEBVRE BATTED FOR MOELLER; Lefebvre grounded out
(pitcher to first); 0 R, 2 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Dodgers 2, Astros 5.