Pitching out of a jam, Mike Marshall saved his second game in two nights and his fourth of the season as the Expos defeated the Astros, 3-2. The Expos scored what proved to be the deciding run in the ninth inning when Ron Brand singled with the bases loaded.

In the Astros' half, Bob Watson singled for only the fourth hit off Steve Renko, but the Expos' starter was lifted for Marshall. Denis Menke greeted the change with a single. Doug Rader, attempting to sacrifice, bunted to Marshall, who fired to second for a forceout on Menke. Watson, moving to third, scored when Cedar Cedeno forced Doug Rader. Johnny Edwards then flied out. [The Sporting News]



Montreal Expos 3, Houston Astros 2
Game Played on Saturday, April     24, 1971 (Night game) at Astrodome
Expos        0  1  1    0  0  0    0  0  1  -   3  9  0
Astros       0  0  0    0  0  1    0  0  1  -   2  5  2


Expos                AB   R   H RBI    BB  SO    AVG      Astros               AB   R   H RBI    BB  SO    AVG
Hunt 2b               4   0   0   0     0   1   .257      Metzger ss            3   0   0   0     1   0   .206
Staub rf              5   1   1   0     0   2   .381      Morgan 2b             3   1   0   0     1   0   .186
Bailey lf             4   0   2   0     0   0   .176      Wynn rf               4   0   0   0     0   2   .222
  Brand 3b            1   0   1   1     0   0   .667      Watson lf             4   1   3   1     0   0   .299
Swoboda cf            1   0   0   0     0   0   .300      Menke 1b              4   0   1   0     0   0   .271
  Day ph,cf           0   0   0   0     1   0   .241      Rader 3b              3   0   0   0     1   0   .203
Bateman c             4   0   1   0     0   3   .231      Cedeno cf             4   0   0   1     0   0   .208
Laboy 3b              3   0   0   0     0   0   .286      Edwards c             3   0   0   0     1   0   .200
  Fairly ph,lf,1b     1   0   0   0     0   1   .250      Blasingame p          1   0   0   0     1   0   .333
Boccabella 1b         2   1   1   1     1   0   .250        Culver p            0   0   0   0     0   0   .000
  Fairey ph,lf        1   1   1   0     0   0   .333        Chiles ph           1   0   1   0     0   0   .667
Wine ss               3   0   1   0     0   0   .324        Gladding p          0   0   0   0     0   0   .000
Renko p               4   0   1   0     0   0   .182        Lemaster p          0   0   0   0     0   0   .000
  Marshall p          0   0   0   0     0   0   .000

Totals               33   3   9   2     2   7             Totals               30   2   5   2     5   2

Time of Game: 2:30   Attendance: 17,252
Left on Base: Expos 9, Astros 6
DP: Expos 0, Astros 1
Errors: Morgan, Gladding
Doubles: Staub (2), Wine (1)
Home Runs: Boccabella (1)
Stolen Bases: Bailey (2), Morgan (3)
Caught Stealing: Boccabella (1), Edwards (1)
Sacrifice Hits: Swoboda (1), Wine (1)
GIDP: Swoboda (1)
Hit by Pitch: Swoboda (1,by Blasingame), Hunt (4,by Gladding)


Expos                  IP     H   R  ER  BB  SO  HR BFP    ERA
Renko W(3-0)            8     4   2   2   5   2   0  31   2.03
Marshall SV(4)          1     1   0   0   0   0   0   4   0.00
Totals                  9     5   2   2   5   2   0  35

Astros                 IP     H   R  ER  BB  SO  HR BFP    ERA
Blasingame L(2-2)       7     6   2   2   1   5   1  28   2.86
Culver                  1     1   0   0   1   1   0   5   1.80
Gladding                0.1   1   1   0   0   0   0   4   0.00
Lemaster                0.2   1   0   0   0   1   0   2   0.00
Totals                  9     9   3   2   2   7   1  39

Hit by Pitch: Blasingame (2), Gladding (1)
Wild Pitches: Renko (1)

Umpires: HP - Andy Olsen, 1B - Augie Donatelli, 2B - Bill Williams, 3B - Dick Stello


EXPOS 1ST: Hunt grounded out (second to first); Staub flied out
to center; Bailey singled to center; Bailey stole second;
Swoboda was hit by a pitch; Bateman struck out; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 2
LOB.  Expos 0, Astros 0.

ASTROS 1ST: Metzger flied out to right; Morgan grounded out
(second to first); Wynn flied out to center; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0
LOB.  Expos 0, Astros 0.

EXPOS 2ND: Laboy popped to first in foul territory; Boccabella
homered; Wine flied out to center; Renko singled to right; Hunt
struck out; 1 R, 2 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Expos 1, Astros 0.

ASTROS 2ND: Watson singled to center; Menke flied out to center;
Rader popped to third in foul territory; Cedeno forced Watson
(second to shortstop); 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Expos 1, Astros 0.

EXPOS 3RD: Staub doubled to right; Bailey singled to shortstop
[Staub to third]; Swoboda grounded into a double play (shortstop
to second to first) [Staub scored (no RBI), Bailey out at
second]; Bateman struck out; 1 R, 2 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Expos 2,
Astros 0.

ASTROS 3RD: Edwards walked; Edwards was caught stealing second
(catcher to shortstop); Blasingame walked; Renko threw a wild
pitch [Blasingame to second]; Metzger flied out to center;
Morgan flied out to right; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Expos 2,
Astros 0.

EXPOS 4TH: Laboy grounded out (third to first); Boccabella
walked; Boccabella was caught stealing second (catcher to
shortstop); Wine grounded out (second to first); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E,
0 LOB.  Expos 2, Astros 0.

ASTROS 4TH: Wynn struck out; Watson grounded out (pitcher to
first); Menke grounded out (second to first); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0
LOB.  Expos 2, Astros 0.

EXPOS 5TH: Renko flied out to center; Hunt grounded out (third
to first); Staub struck out; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Expos 2,
Astros 0.

ASTROS 5TH: Rader walked; Cedeno forced Rader (shortstop to
second); Edwards flied out to left; Blasingame popped to catcher
in foul territory; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Expos 2, Astros 0.

EXPOS 6TH: Bailey reached on an error by Morgan; Swoboda out on
a sacrifice bunt (pitcher to second) [Bailey to second]; Bateman
struck out; Laboy grounded out (second to first); 0 R, 0 H, 1 E,
1 LOB.  Expos 2, Astros 0.

ASTROS 6TH: Metzger grounded out (pitcher to first); Morgan
walked; Morgan stole second; Wynn struck out; Watson singled to
right [Morgan scored]; Menke grounded out (third to first); 1 R,
1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Expos 2, Astros 1.

EXPOS 7TH: Boccabella grounded out (third to first); Wine
doubled to right; Renko reached on a fielder's choice [Wine out
at third (pitcher to third to shortstop to catcher to third)];
Hunt forced Renko (shortstop to second); 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.
Expos 2, Astros 1.

ASTROS 7TH: Rader grounded out (third to first); Cedeno lined to
second; Edwards grounded out (shortstop to first); 0 R, 0 H, 0
E, 0 LOB.  Expos 2, Astros 1.

EXPOS 8TH: CULVER REPLACED BLASINGAME (PITCHING); Staub grounded
out (first to pitcher); Bailey grounded out (shortstop to
first); DAY BATTED FOR SWOBODA; Day walked; Bateman singled to
right [Day to third]; FAIRLY BATTED FOR LABOY; Fairly struck
out; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 2 LOB.  Expos 2, Astros 1.

ASTROS 8TH: FAIRLY STAYED IN GAME (PLAYING LF); DAY STAYED IN
GAME (PLAYING CF); BRAND REPLACED BAILEY (PLAYING 3B); CHILES
BATTED FOR CULVER; Chiles singled to right [Chiles out at second
(right to first to shortstop)]; Rich Chiles out on appeal for
missing 2B on an apparent triple; Metzger walked; Morgan
flied out to right; Wynn lined to third; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.
Expos 2, Astros 1.

EXPOS 9TH: GLADDING REPLACED CHILES (PITCHING); FAIREY BATTED
FOR BOCCABELLA; Fairey singled to center; Wine reached on an
error by Gladding (assist by Rader) on a sacrifice bunt [Fairey
to second]; Renko forced Wine (pitcher to second) [Fairey to
third]; Hunt was hit by a pitch [Renko to second]; LEMASTER
REPLACED GLADDING (PITCHING); Staub struck out; Brand singled to
right [Fairey scored (unearned), Renko out at home (right to
catcher), Hunt to second]; 1 R (0 ER), 2 H, 1 E, 2 LOB.  Expos
3, Astros 1.

ASTROS 9TH: FAIREY STAYED IN GAME (PLAYING LF); FAIRLY CHANGED
POSITIONS (PLAYING 1B); Watson singled to second; MARSHALL
REPLACED RENKO (PITCHING); Menke singled to left [Watson to
second]; Rader forced Menke (pitcher to second) [Watson to
third]; Cedeno forced Rader (second to shortstop) [Watson
scored]; Edwards flied out to right; 1 R, 2 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.
Expos 3, Astros 2.