The Astros struck early for three runs and made them stand up for a 3-2 victory over the Braves behind the seven-hit pitching of Ken Forsch. Two runs crossed the plate in the first inning on a single by Jesus Alou, an error by Sonny Jackson on a hit to center field, single by Cesar Cedeno, a wild pitch and a single by Bob Watson. What proved to be the winning run followed in the third when Watson tripled and Denis Menke lofted a sacrifice fly. [The Sporting News]



Houston Astros 3, Atlanta Braves 2
Game Played on Saturday, June      12, 1971 (Night game) at Astrodome
Braves       0  0  0    0  0  0    1  0  1  -   2  7  3
Astros       2  0  1    0  0  0    0  0  x  -   3  8  0


Braves               AB   R   H RBI    BB  SO    AVG      Astros               AB   R   H RBI    BB  SO    AVG
Millan 2b             4   0   2   0     0   0   .311      Alou rf               4   1   2   0     0   0   .341
Jackson cf            4   0   0   0     0   0   .261      Morgan 2b             2   0   0   0     1   1   .258
H. Aaron rf           4   1   1   0     0   1   .313      Cedeno lf             4   1   1   1     0   1   .247
King c                4   0   1   0     0   1   .192      Watson 1b             4   1   2   1     0   0   .291
Lum lf                4   1   2   0     0   0   .205        Rader 3b            0   0   0   0     0   0   .202
Williams 1b           4   0   0   0     0   0   .230      Menke 3b,1b           2   0   1   1     1   0   .237
Staehle 3b            3   0   1   1     0   0   .111      Wynn cf               4   0   0   0     0   1   .224
  Cepeda ph           1   0   0   0     0   1   .292      Edwards c             4   0   2   0     0   0   .235
Versalles ss          3   0   0   0     0   0   .270      Metzger ss            4   0   0   0     0   0   .226
Reed p                2   0   0   0     0   1   .071      Forsch p              3   0   0   0     0   2   .083
  Garrido ph          1   0   0   0     0   1   .180
  Barber p            0   0   0   0     0   0   .000

Totals               34   2   7   1     0   5             Totals               31   3   8   3     2   5

Time of Game: 2:07   Attendance: 23,876
Left on Base: Braves 5, Astros 9
DP: Braves 0, Astros 0
Errors: Millan, Jackson, Versalles
Doubles: Lum (2)
Triples: Millan (4), Watson (1)
Sacrifice Hits: Forsch (1), Morgan (3)
Sacrifice Flies: Menke (2)


Braves                 IP     H   R  ER  BB  SO  HR BFP    ERA
Reed L(6-4)             7     7   3   3   2   4   0  31   3.59
Barber                  1     1   0   0   0   1   0   5   4.37
Totals                  8     8   3   3   2   5   0  36

Astros                 IP     H   R  ER  BB  SO  HR BFP    ERA
Forsch W(2-1)           9     7   2   1   0   5   0  34   2.20
Totals                  9     7   2   1   0   5   0  34

Passed Balls: Edwards (6)
Wild Pitches: Reed (1)

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


BRAVES 1ST: Millan flied out to center; Jackson grounded out
(second to first); H. Aaron grounded out (third to first); 0 R,
0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Braves 0, Astros 0.

ASTROS 1ST: Alou singled to center [Alou to second (error by
Jackson)]; Morgan struck out; Cedeno singled to left [Alou
scored]; Reed threw a wild pitch [Cedeno to second]; Watson
singled to right [Cedeno scored]; Menke walked [Watson to
second]; Wynn flied out to left; Edwards grounded out (third to
first); 2 R, 3 H, 1 E, 2 LOB.  Braves 0, Astros 2.

BRAVES 2ND: King singled to second; Lum forced King (second to
shortstop); Williams flied out to right; Staehle grounded out
(first unassisted); 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Braves 0, Astros 2.

ASTROS 2ND: Metzger reached on an error by Millan; Forsch out on
a sacrifice bunt (pitcher to first) [Metzger to second]; Alou
flied out to left; Morgan walked; Cedeno grounded out (shortstop
to first); 0 R, 0 H, 1 E, 2 LOB.  Braves 0, Astros 2.

BRAVES 3RD: Versalles popped to first in foul territory; Reed
struck out; Millan tripled; Jackson grounded out (second to
first); 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Braves 0, Astros 2.

ASTROS 3RD: Watson tripled to right; Menke hit a sacrifice fly
to left [Watson scored]; Wynn struck out; Edwards grounded out
(first to pitcher); 1 R, 1 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Braves 0, Astros 3.

BRAVES 4TH: H. Aaron struck out; King struck out; Lum made an
out to shortstop; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Braves 0, Astros 3.

ASTROS 4TH: Metzger grounded out (first unassisted); Forsch
struck out; Alou grounded out (shortstop to first); 0 R, 0 H, 0
E, 0 LOB.  Braves 0, Astros 3.

BRAVES 5TH: Williams flied out to center; Staehle grounded out
(shortstop to first); Versalles made an out to third; 0 R, 0 H,
0 E, 0 LOB.  Braves 0, Astros 3.

ASTROS 5TH: Morgan made an out to shortstop; Cedeno struck out;
Watson grounded out (third to first); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.
Braves 0, Astros 3.

BRAVES 6TH: Reed grounded out (third to first); Millan grounded
out (third to first); Jackson made an out to shortstop; 0 R, 0
H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Braves 0, Astros 3.

ASTROS 6TH: Menke singled to shortstop; Wynn flied out to left;
Edwards singled to right [Menke to third]; Metzger made an out
to second; Forsch flied out to right; 0 R, 2 H, 0 E, 2 LOB.
Braves 0, Astros 3.

BRAVES 7TH: H. Aaron singled to left; King flied out to right;
Lum singled to right [H. Aaron to second]; Williams grounded out
(first to pitcher) [Lum to second, H. Aaron to third]; Staehle
singled to left [Lum to third, H. Aaron scored]; Versalles
grounded out (third to first); 1 R, 3 H, 0 E, 2 LOB.  Braves 1,
Astros 3.

ASTROS 7TH: Alou singled to left; Morgan out on a sacrifice bunt
(pitcher unassisted) [Alou to second]; Cedeno grounded out
(shortstop to first); Watson grounded out (shortstop to first);
0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Braves 1, Astros 3.

BRAVES 8TH: RADER REPLACED WATSON (PLAYING 3B); MENKE CHANGED
POSITIONS (PLAYING 1B); GARRIDO BATTED FOR REED; Garrido struck
out; Millan singled to shortstop; Jackson grounded out (third to
first) [Millan to second]; H. Aaron flied out to center; 0 R, 1
H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Braves 1, Astros 3.

ASTROS 8TH: BARBER REPLACED GARRIDO (PITCHING); Menke grounded
out (second to first); Wynn grounded out (third to first);
Edwards singled; Metzger reached on an error by Versalles
[Edwards to second]; Forsch struck out; 0 R, 1 H, 1 E, 2 LOB.
Braves 1, Astros 3.

BRAVES 9TH: King grounded out (first unassisted); Lum doubled to
left; Williams flied out to center [Lum to third]; CEPEDA BATTED
FOR STAEHLE; Edwards allowed a passed ball [Lum scored
(unearned)]; Cepeda struck out; 1 R (0 ER), 1 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.
Braves 2, Astros 3.