A five-run outburst in the fifth inning, featuring a homer by Joe Morgan with two men on base, started the Astros off to an 8-6 victory over the Dodgers. Morgan's blast followed singles by Jack Hiatt and Roger Metzger. The Astros then added two more runs on successive doubles by Denis Menke, Bob Watson and Doug Rader. In the sixth, Hiatt walked, Metzger tripled and Morgan accounted for his fourth RBI of the game with a sacrifice fly. [The Sporting News]



Houston Astros 8, Los Angeles Dodgers 6
Game Played on Sunday, April     18, 1971 (Night game) at Dodger Stadium
Astros       0  0  0    0  5  2    1  0  0  -   8 15  2
Dodgers      0  0  0    3  0  0    1  0  2  -   6  7  0


Astros               AB   R   H RBI    BB  SO    AVG      Dodgers              AB   R   H RBI    BB  SO    AVG
Metzger ss            5   2   3   1     0   1   .245      Russell 2b            4   0   0   0     0   0   .279
Morgan 2b             4   1   1   4     0   0   .222      Davis cf              4   1   2   0     0   0   .340
Menke 1b              4   1   2   0     1   0   .296      Parker 1b             4   1   1   2     0   0   .260
Watson lf             5   2   2   1     0   0   .275      Allen lf              3   1   0   0     1   2   .190
Rader 3b              5   0   2   1     0   0   .220      Sims c                4   1   1   0     0   0   .348
Alou rf               5   0   1   0     0   0   .300      Garvey 3b             3   2   2   2     1   1   .262
Cedeno cf             5   0   0   0     0   1   .193      Buckner rf            3   0   1   0     1   1   .227
Hiatt c               3   2   3   1     1   0   .538      Valentine ss          3   0   0   0     0   1   .000
Billingham p          4   0   1   0     0   2   .100        Lefebvre ph         1   0   0   1     0   0   .286
  Culver p            0   0   0   0     0   0   .000      Osteen p              1   0   0   0     0   0   .000
                                                            Vance p             1   0   0   0     0   1   .000
                                                            Haller ph           1   0   0   0     0   0   .500
                                                            O'Brien p           0   0   0   0     0   0   .000
                                                            Sudakis ph          1   0   0   0     0   0   .200

Totals               40   8  15   8     2   4             Totals               33   6   7   5     3   6

Time of Game: 2:43   Attendance: 19,097
Left on Base: Astros 8, Dodgers 3
DP: Astros 0, Dodgers 0
Errors: Alou 2
Doubles: Menke (3), Watson (4), Rader (3)
Triples: Metzger (1), Garvey (1)
Home Runs: Morgan (1), Parker (1)
Caught Stealing: Garvey (1)
Sacrifice Flies: Morgan (2)


Astros                 IP     H   R  ER  BB  SO  HR BFP    ERA
Billingham W(2-0)       8     7   6   5   3   6   1  33   4.50
Culver SV(2)            1     0   0   0   0   0   0   3   2.00
Totals                  9     7   6   5   3   6   1  36

Dodgers                IP     H   R  ER  BB  SO  HR BFP    ERA
Osteen L(2-2)           4.1   9   5   5   0   1   1  22   3.07
Vance                   2.2   6   3   3   1   2   0  14   7.59
O'Brien                 2     0   0   0   1   1   0   7   4.76
Totals                  9    15   8   8   2   4   1  43

Wild Pitches: Billingham (1)

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


ASTROS 1ST: Metzger grounded out (second to first); Morgan flied
out to left; Menke singled to left; Watson flied out to center;
0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Astros 0, Dodgers 0.

DODGERS 1ST: Russell grounded out (second to first); Davis made
an out to second; Parker grounded out (second to first); 0 R, 0
H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Astros 0, Dodgers 0.

ASTROS 2ND: Rader grounded out (shortstop to first); Alou
grounded out (shortstop to first); Cedeno flied out to right; 0
R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Astros 0, Dodgers 0.

DODGERS 2ND: Allen struck out; Sims flied out to center; Garvey
struck out; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Astros 0, Dodgers 0.

ASTROS 3RD: Hiatt singled to left; Billingham forced Hiatt
(first to shortstop); Metzger singled to left [Billingham to
second]; Morgan flied out to center; Menke popped to first in
foul territory; 0 R, 2 H, 0 E, 2 LOB.  Astros 0, Dodgers 0.

DODGERS 3RD: Buckner struck out; Valentine lined to third;
Osteen lined to shortstop; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Astros 0,
Dodgers 0.

ASTROS 4TH: Watson grounded out (shortstop to first); Rader
singled to left; Alou forced Rader (third to second); Cedeno
popped to pitcher; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Astros 0, Dodgers 0.

DODGERS 4TH: Russell popped to third in foul territory; Davis
singled to center; Parker homered [Davis scored]; Allen walked;
Sims popped to catcher in foul territory [Allen to second];
Garvey singled to left [Allen scored]; Garvey was caught
stealing second (catcher to shortstop); 3 R, 3 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.
Astros 0, Dodgers 3.

ASTROS 5TH: Hiatt singled to center; Billingham was called out
on strikes; Metzger singled to center [Hiatt to second]; Morgan
homered [Hiatt scored, Metzger scored]; Menke doubled to left;
Watson doubled to right [Menke scored]; VANCE REPLACED OSTEEN
(PITCHING); Rader doubled to left [Watson scored]; Alou grounded
out (second to first) [Rader to third]; Cedeno popped to
shortstop; 5 R, 6 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Astros 5, Dodgers 3.

DODGERS 5TH: Buckner walked; Billingham threw a wild pitch
[Buckner to second]; Valentine struck out; Vance struck out;
Russell grounded out (shortstop to first); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.
 Astros 5, Dodgers 3.

ASTROS 6TH: Hiatt walked; Billingham struck out; Metzger tripled
to left [Hiatt scored]; Morgan hit a sacrifice fly to right
[Metzger scored]; Menke flied out to right; 2 R, 1 H, 0 E, 0
LOB.  Astros 7, Dodgers 3.

DODGERS 6TH: Davis flied out to center; Parker grounded out
(shortstop to first); Allen grounded out (third to first); 0 R,
0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Astros 7, Dodgers 3.

ASTROS 7TH: Watson singled to right; Rader flied out to right;
Alou singled to right [Watson to second]; Cedeno struck out;
Hiatt singled to center [Alou to second, Watson scored];
Billingham singled to right [Hiatt to second, Alou out at home
(right to catcher)]; 1 R, 4 H, 0 E, 2 LOB.  Astros 8, Dodgers 3.

DODGERS 7TH: Sims popped to first in foul territory; Garvey
walked; Buckner singled to right [Garvey scored (error by Alou)
(unearned), Buckner to third (error by Alou)]; Valentine
grounded out (pitcher to first); HALLER BATTED FOR VANCE; Haller
grounded out (first unassisted); 1 R (0 ER), 1 H, 2 E, 1 LOB.
Astros 8, Dodgers 4.

ASTROS 8TH: O'BRIEN REPLACED HALLER (PITCHING); Metzger struck
out; Morgan grounded out (second to first); Menke walked; Watson
flied out to left; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Astros 8, Dodgers 4.

DODGERS 8TH: Russell grounded out (pitcher to first); Davis
singled to right; Parker forced Davis (shortstop to second);
Allen struck out; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Astros 8, Dodgers 4.

ASTROS 9TH: Rader grounded out (second to first); Alou popped to
catcher in foul territory; Cedeno grounded out (second to
first); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Astros 8, Dodgers 4.

DODGERS 9TH: Sims singled to right; Garvey tripled to right
[Sims scored]; CULVER REPLACED BILLINGHAM (PITCHING); Buckner
flied out to left; LEFEBVRE BATTED FOR VALENTINE; Lefebvre
grounded out (second to first) [Garvey scored]; SUDAKIS BATTED
FOR O'BRIEN; Sudakis grounded out (second to first); 2 R, 2 H, 0
E, 0 LOB.  Astros 8, Dodgers 6.