Fergie Jenkins, who was on the verge of a 1-0 victory, wrecked himself with a balk and an error in the ninth inning to enable the Astros to defeat the Cubs, 2-1. Cesar Cedeno singled to open the stanza and both Cesar Geronimo and Doug Rader walked. Jenkins then balked, allowing Cedeno to score.

With runners at second and third, Jenkins passed Johnny Edwards intentionally. Roge rMetzger then popped to Jenkins, who whirled and threw wildly past third base, in an attempt to complete the double play, and Geronimo scored the winning run on the error. [The Sporting News]



Houston Astros 2, Chicago Cubs 1
Game Played on Saturday, April     10, 1971 (Night game) at Astrodome
Cubs         0  0  0    0  0  1    0  0  0  -   1  8  2
Astros       0  0  0    0  0  0    0  0  2  -   2  5  0


Cubs                 AB   R   H RBI    BB  SO    AVG      Astros               AB   R   H RBI    BB  SO    AVG
Kessinger ss          4   0   0   0     0   2   .048      Alou rf               4   0   1   0     0   0   .438
Beckert 2b            4   1   2   0     0   0   .238      Morgan 2b             4   0   0   0     0   0   .095
Williams lf           4   0   1   0     0   0   .333      Cedeno cf             4   1   2   0     0   1   .208
Pepitone 1b           4   0   1   1     0   0   .316      Watson lf             3   0   2   0     0   1   .111
Callison rf           3   0   1   0     1   1   .267        Geronimo pr,lf      0   1   0   0     1   0   .000
Popovich 3b           4   0   0   0     0   0   .000      Menke 1b              3   0   0   0     1   3   .227
Ortiz cf              4   0   2   0     0   1   .357      Rader 3b              3   0   0   0     1   1   .095
Martin c              4   0   1   0     0   0   .250      Edwards c             3   0   0   0     1   0   .188
Jenkins p             4   0   0   0     0   3   .000      Metzger ss            4   0   0   0     0   0   .118
                                                          Dierker p             2   0   0   0     0   1   .000
                                                            Miller ph           1   0   0   0     0   0   .000
                                                            Culver p            0   0   0   0     0   0   .000

Totals               35   1   8   1     1   7             Totals               31   2   5   0     4   7

Time of Game: 2:32   Attendance: 22,341
Left on Base: Cubs 8, Astros 7
DP: Cubs 0, Astros 0
Errors: Jenkins 2
Doubles: Williams (1), Beckert (1), Watson (1)


Cubs                   IP     H   R  ER  BB  SO  HR BFP    ERA
Jenkins L(1-1)          8.2   5   2   1   4   7   0  35   0.96
Totals                  8.2   5   2   1   4   7   0  35

Astros                 IP     H   R  ER  BB  SO  HR BFP    ERA
Dierker                 8     7   1   1   1   6   0  32   1.59
Culver W(1-0)           1     1   0   0   0   1   0   4   0.00
Totals                  9     8   1   1   1   7   0  36

Wild Pitches: Dierker (1)
Balks: Jenkins (1)

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


CUBS 1ST: Kessinger flied out to center; Beckert grounded out
(shortstop to first); Williams doubled to center; Pepitone flied
out to center; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Cubs 0, Astros 0.

ASTROS 1ST: Alou grounded out (pitcher to first); Morgan flied
out to center; Cedeno struck out; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Cubs 0,
Astros 0.

CUBS 2ND: Callison singled to center; Popovich flied out to
right; Ortiz struck out; Martin grounded out (first unassisted);
0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Cubs 0, Astros 0.

ASTROS 2ND: Watson struck out; Menke struck out; Rader grounded
out (pitcher to first); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Cubs 0, Astros 0.

CUBS 3RD: Jenkins was called out on strikes; Kessinger was
called out on strikes; Beckert singled to left; Williams
grounded out (first unassisted); 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Cubs 0,
Astros 0.

ASTROS 3RD: Edwards grounded out (first unassisted); Metzger
grounded out (third to first); Dierker struck out; 0 R, 0 H, 0
E, 0 LOB.  Cubs 0, Astros 0.

CUBS 4TH: Pepitone popped to catcher in foul territory; Callison
flied out to right; Popovich flied out to center; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E,
0 LOB.  Cubs 0, Astros 0.

ASTROS 4TH: Alou grounded out (second to first); Morgan grounded
out (second to first); Cedeno singled to shortstop; Watson
singled to left [Cedeno to second]; Menke walked [Cedeno to
third, Watson to second]; Rader grounded out (third to first); 0
R, 2 H, 0 E, 3 LOB.  Cubs 0, Astros 0.

CUBS 5TH: Ortiz grounded out (shortstop to first); Martin
singled to center; Dierker threw a wild pitch [Martin to
second]; Jenkins struck out; Kessinger lined to center; 0 R, 1
H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Cubs 0, Astros 0.

ASTROS 5TH: Edwards grounded out (shortstop to first); Metzger
grounded out (shortstop to first); Dierker flied out to center;
0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Cubs 0, Astros 0.

CUBS 6TH: Beckert doubled to right; Williams grounded out
(pitcher to first) [Beckert to third]; Pepitone singled to
center [Beckert scored]; Callison walked [Pepitone to second];
Popovich flied out to center; Ortiz singled to shortstop
[Callison to second, Pepitone to third]; Martin flied out to
center; 1 R, 3 H, 0 E, 3 LOB.  Cubs 1, Astros 0.

ASTROS 6TH: Alou popped to shortstop; Morgan lined to shortstop;
Cedeno popped to second; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Cubs 1, Astros 0.

CUBS 7TH: Jenkins grounded out (shortstop to first); Kessinger
struck out; Beckert grounded out (third to first); 0 R, 0 H, 0
E, 0 LOB.  Cubs 1, Astros 0.

ASTROS 7TH: Watson doubled to right; GERONIMO RAN FOR WATSON;
Geronimo was picked off second but was safe on an error by
Jenkins [Geronimo to third]; Menke struck out; Rader struck out;
Edwards grounded out (second to first); 0 R, 1 H, 1 E, 1 LOB.
Cubs 1, Astros 0.

CUBS 8TH: GERONIMO STAYED IN GAME (PLAYING LF); Williams
grounded out (second to first); Pepitone grounded out (first
unassisted); Callison struck out; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Cubs 1,
Astros 0.

ASTROS 8TH: Metzger popped to shortstop; MILLER BATTED FOR
DIERKER; Miller grounded out (pitcher to first); Alou singled to
right; Morgan flied out to center; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Cubs
1, Astros 0.

CUBS 9TH: CULVER REPLACED MILLER (PITCHING); Popovich flied out
to center; Ortiz singled to left; Martin popped to catcher in
foul territory; Jenkins struck out; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Cubs
1, Astros 0.

ASTROS 9TH: Cedeno singled to shortstop; Geronimo walked [Cedeno
to second]; Menke struck out; Rader walked [Cedeno to third,
Geronimo to second]; Jenkins balked [Rader to second, Geronimo
to third, Cedeno scored]; Edwards was walked intentionally;
Metzger popped to pitcher [Geronimo scored (error by Jenkins)
(unearned)]; 2 R (1 ER), 1 H, 1 E, 2 LOB.  Cubs 1, Astros 2.