Jesus Alou, who entered the game in the second inning after Jim Wynn hurt his back, collected three hits to lead the Astros to a 2-1 victory over the Dodgers. A single by Alou paved the way for the Astros' first run in the sixth. After Bob Watson forced Alou, Denis Menke drove in a run with a double. In the eighth, Cesar Cedeno reached second base when Bill Russell dropped his pop fly in short center field and scored the winning run when Alou singled. [The Sporting News]



Houston Astros 2, Los Angeles Dodgers 1
Game Played on Wednesday, April     7, 1971 (Night game) at Astrodome
Dodgers      0  0  0    0  0  1    0  0  0  -   1  5  1
Astros       0  0  0    0  0  1    0  1  x  -   2  6  0


Dodgers              AB   R   H RBI    BB  SO    AVG      Astros               AB   R   H RBI    BB  SO    AVG
Wills ss              4   1   1   0     0   0   .250      Cedeno rf,cf          4   1   0   0     0   0   .273
Mota lf               4   0   1   0     0   1   .250      Morgan 2b             4   0   0   0     0   0   .000
Davis cf              4   0   1   1     0   1   .167      Wynn cf               0   0   0   0     1   0   .200
Parker 1b             4   0   1   0     0   0   .182        Alou rf             3   0   3   1     0   0   .750
Sudakis c             1   0   0   0     0   0   .000      Watson lf             4   1   0   0     0   0   .000
  Sims c              1   0   0   0     0   0   .500        Geronimo pr,lf      0   0   0   0     0   0   .000
  Allen ph            1   0   0   0     0   0   .000      Menke 1b              4   0   1   1     0   0   .273
Garvey 3b             2   0   0   0     1   0   .111      Rader 3b              3   0   0   0     0   1   .091
Valentine rf          3   0   0   0     0   1   .000      Edwards c             3   0   1   0     0   0   .300
Russell 2b            2   0   0   0     1   1   .333      Metzger ss            3   0   1   0     0   0   .125
Sutton p              2   0   1   0     1   0   .500      Blasingame p          3   0   0   0     0   3   .000
                                                            Culver p            0   0   0   0     0   0   .000

Totals               28   1   5   1     3   4             Totals               31   2   6   2     1   4

Time of Game: 2:11   Attendance: 11,009
Left on Base: Dodgers 4, Astros 6
DP: Dodgers 0, Astros 1
Errors: Russell
Doubles: Menke (1)
Stolen Bases: Wills (2)
Caught Stealing: Davis (1), Russell (1)
GIDP: Allen (1)
Hit by Pitch: Sudakis (1,by Blasingame)


Dodgers                IP     H   R  ER  BB  SO  HR BFP    ERA
Sutton L(0-1)           8     6   2   1   1   4   0  32   1.13
Totals                  8     6   2   1   1   4   0  32

Astros                 IP     H   R  ER  BB  SO  HR BFP    ERA
Blasingame W(1-0)       8.1   5   1   1   3   4   0  31   1.08
Culver SV(1)            0.2   0   0   0   0   0   0   1   0.00
Totals                  9     5   1   1   3   4   0  32

Hit by Pitch: Blasingame (1)

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


DODGERS 1ST: Wills grounded out (shortstop to first); Mota
grounded out (first unassisted); Davis grounded out (second to
first); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Dodgers 0, Astros 0.

ASTROS 1ST: Cedeno grounded out (second to first); Morgan
grounded out (second to first); Wynn walked; Watson popped to
first; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Dodgers 0, Astros 0.

DODGERS 2ND: Parker grounded out (second to first); Sudakis was
hit by a pitch; Garvey grounded out (pitcher to first) [Sudakis
to second]; Valentine struck out (catcher to first); 0 R, 0 H, 0
E, 1 LOB.  Dodgers 0, Astros 0.

ASTROS 2ND: Menke popped to catcher in foul territory; Rader
popped to second; Edwards grounded out (shortstop to first); 0
R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Dodgers 0, Astros 0.

DODGERS 3RD: ALOU REPLACED WYNN (PLAYING RF); CEDENO CHANGED
POSITIONS (PLAYING CF); Russell grounded out (third to first);
Sutton grounded out (shortstop to first); Wills grounded out
(shortstop to first); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Dodgers 0, Astros 0.

ASTROS 3RD: Metzger flied out to center; Blasingame struck out;
Cedeno flied out to center; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Dodgers 0,
Astros 0.

DODGERS 4TH: Mota singled to right; Davis forced Mota (second to
shortstop); Davis was picked off and caught stealing second
(pitcher to first to second); Parker lined to right; 0 R, 1 H, 0
E, 0 LOB.  Dodgers 0, Astros 0.

ASTROS 4TH: Morgan flied out to center; Alou singled to left;
Watson flied out to center; Menke forced Alou (shortstop
unassisted); 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Dodgers 0, Astros 0.

DODGERS 5TH: Sudakis flied out to center; Garvey walked;
Valentine lined to left; Russell struck out; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 1
LOB.  Dodgers 0, Astros 0.

ASTROS 5TH: SIMS REPLACED SUDAKIS (PLAYING C ); Rader struck
out; Edwards singled to right; Metzger singled to center
[Edwards to second]; Blasingame struck out; Cedeno flied out to
left; 0 R, 2 H, 0 E, 2 LOB.  Dodgers 0, Astros 0.

DODGERS 6TH: Sutton walked; Wills singled to left [Sutton out at
second (shortstop unassisted)]; Wills stole second; Mota
grounded out (first to pitcher) [Wills to third]; Davis singled
to center [Wills scored]; Parker grounded out (shortstop to
first); 1 R, 2 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Dodgers 1, Astros 0.

ASTROS 6TH: Morgan popped to third in foul territory; Alou
singled to center; Watson forced Alou (shortstop to second);
Menke doubled to left [Watson scored]; Rader popped to second; 1
R, 2 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Dodgers 1, Astros 1.

DODGERS 7TH: Sims flied out to right; Garvey grounded out
(shortstop to first); Valentine grounded out (second to first);
0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Dodgers 1, Astros 1.

ASTROS 7TH: Edwards popped to third in foul territory; Metzger
flied out to center; Blasingame was called out on strikes; 0 R,
0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Dodgers 1, Astros 1.

DODGERS 8TH: Russell walked; Russell was caught stealing second
(catcher to shortstop); Sutton singled to center; Wills flied
out to right; Mota struck out; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Dodgers 1,
Astros 1.

ASTROS 8TH: Cedeno reached on an error by Russell [Cedeno to
second]; Morgan flied out to right [Cedeno to third]; Alou
singled to right [Cedeno scored (unearned)]; Watson forced Alou
(second to shortstop); GERONIMO RAN FOR WATSON; Menke grounded
out (second to first); 1 R (0 ER), 1 H, 1 E, 1 LOB.  Dodgers 1,
Astros 2.

DODGERS 9TH: GERONIMO STAYED IN GAME (PLAYING LF); Davis struck
out; Parker singled to center; ALLEN BATTED FOR SIMS; CULVER
REPLACED BLASINGAME (PITCHING); Allen grounded into a double
play (shortstop to second to first) [Parker out at second]; 0 R,
1 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Dodgers 1, Astros 2.