A three-run rally in the sixth inning gave the Astros a 4-3 victory to complete the sweep of the four-game series with the Reds. With the Reds leading, 3-1, Joe Morgan drew a walk to start the Astros' rally and stopped at third on a double by Cesar Cedeno.

After Bob Watson walked to load the bases, Denis Menke fouled out, but Doug Rader drove in a run with a sacrifice fly. Cedeno and Watson moved up after the catch and both then scored on a single by Jim Wynn. [The Sporting News]



Houston Astros 4, Cincinnati Reds 3
Game Played on Monday, July      5, 1971 (Day game) at Astrodome
Reds         0  0  0    0  1  2    0  0  0  -   3  9  0
Astros       1  0  0    0  0  3    0  0  x  -   4  8  1


Reds                 AB   R   H RBI    BB  SO    AVG      Astros               AB   R   H RBI    BB  SO    AVG
Rose rf               4   0   3   1     1   0   .305      Metzger ss            3   1   2   0     0   0   .215
Foster cf             5   0   0   0     0   4   .259      Morgan 2b             3   1   0   0     1   0   .243
May 1b                4   0   0   0     0   0   .301      Cedeno cf             4   1   2   1     0   0   .243
Bench c               4   1   1   0     0   0   .255      Watson lf             3   1   0   0     1   1   .287
Perez 3b              4   0   1   0     0   0   .248        Geronimo lf         0   0   0   0     0   0   .227
McRae lf              4   1   2   1     0   1   .247      Menke 1b              4   0   1   0     0   0   .260
Helms 2b              4   0   2   1     0   0   .268      Rader 3b              3   0   1   1     0   1   .242
Concepcion ss         2   1   0   0     1   1   .210      Wynn rf               4   0   1   2     0   0   .214
  Carbo ph            1   0   0   0     0   0   .220      Hiatt c               3   0   0   0     0   1   .341
Simpson p             3   0   0   0     0   2   .067      Blasingame p          3   0   1   0     0   0   .167
  Stewart ph          1   0   0   0     0   0   .182        Gladding p          0   0   0   0     0   0   .000

Totals               36   3   9   3     2   8             Totals               30   4   8   4     2   3

Time of Game: 2:18   Attendance: 19,854
Left on Base: Reds 8, Astros 6
DP: Reds 0, Astros 1
Errors: Metzger
Doubles: Bench (12), Blasingame (1), Cedeno (16)
Triples: McRae (2), Metzger (6)
Sacrifice Hits: Metzger (3)
Sacrifice Flies: Rader (4)
GIDP: Concepcion (9)


Reds                   IP     H   R  ER  BB  SO  HR BFP    ERA
Simpson L(1-2)          8     8   4   4   2   3   0  34   4.94
Totals                  8     8   4   4   2   3   0  34

Astros                 IP     H   R  ER  BB  SO  HR BFP    ERA
Blasingame W(5-7)       7     7   3   2   2   7   0  30   3.82
Gladding SV(10)         2     2   0   0   0   1   0   8   1.20
Totals                  9     9   3   2   2   8   0  38

Umpires: HP - Bob Engel, 1B - Stan Landes, 2B - Ed Sudol, 3B - Mel Steiner


REDS 1ST: Rose grounded out (shortstop to first); Foster struck
out; May made an out to second; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Reds 0,
Astros 0.

ASTROS 1ST: Metzger tripled; Morgan flied out to right; Cedeno
grounded out (first to pitcher) [Metzger scored]; Watson made an
out to second; 1 R, 1 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Reds 0, Astros 1.

REDS 2ND: Bench flied out to center; Perez singled; McRae flied
out to right; Helms grounded out (third to first); 0 R, 1 H, 0
E, 1 LOB.  Reds 0, Astros 1.

ASTROS 2ND: Menke singled; Rader was called out on strikes; Wynn
grounded out (third to first) [Menke to second]; Hiatt grounded
out (second to first); 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Reds 0, Astros 1.

REDS 3RD: Concepcion was called out on strikes; Simpson struck
out; Rose walked; Foster was called out on strikes; 0 R, 0 H, 0
E, 1 LOB.  Reds 0, Astros 1.

ASTROS 3RD: Blasingame doubled; Metzger out on a sacrifice bunt
(third to second) [Blasingame to third]; Morgan lined to first;
Cedeno lined to shortstop; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Reds 0, Astros
1.

REDS 4TH: May grounded out (third to first); Bench doubled;
Perez flied out to right [Bench to third]; McRae was called out
on strikes; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Reds 0, Astros 1.

ASTROS 4TH: Watson struck out; Menke grounded out (third to
first); Rader singled; Wynn flied out to center; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E,
1 LOB.  Reds 0, Astros 1.

REDS 5TH: Helms singled; Concepcion walked [Helms to second]; On
a bunt Simpson forced Helms (third to shortstop) [Concepcion to
second]; Rose singled [Concepcion scored, Simpson to second];
Foster forced Rose (third to second) [Simpson to third]; May
forced Foster (shortstop to second); 1 R, 2 H, 0 E, 2 LOB.  Reds
1, Astros 1.

ASTROS 5TH: Hiatt struck out; Blasingame grounded out (pitcher
to first); Metzger flied out to center; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.
Reds 1, Astros 1.

REDS 6TH: Bench reached on an error by Metzger [Bench to first];
Perez flied out to right; McRae tripled [Bench scored
(unearned)]; Helms singled [McRae scored]; Concepcion grounded
into a double play (third to second to first) [Helms out at
second]; 2 R (1 ER), 2 H, 1 E, 0 LOB.  Reds 3, Astros 1.

ASTROS 6TH: Morgan walked; Cedeno doubled [Morgan to third];
Watson walked; Menke made an out to shortstop; Rader hit a
sacrifice fly to right [Morgan scored, Cedeno to third, Watson
to second]; Wynn singled [Cedeno scored, Watson scored]; Hiatt
grounded out (pitcher to first); 3 R, 2 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Reds 3,
Astros 4.

REDS 7TH: Simpson struck out; Rose singled; Foster struck out;
May flied out to center; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Reds 3, Astros 4.

ASTROS 7TH: Blasingame flied out to center; Metzger singled;
Morgan flied out to right; Cedeno singled [Metzger to second];
Watson grounded out (pitcher to first); 0 R, 2 H, 0 E, 2 LOB.
Reds 3, Astros 4.

REDS 8TH: GLADDING REPLACED BLASINGAME (PITCHING); Bench flied
out to right; Perez grounded out (third to first); McRae
singled; Helms flied out to right; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Reds
3, Astros 4.

ASTROS 8TH: Menke grounded out (third to first); Rader grounded
out (shortstop to first); Wynn made an out to shortstop; 0 R, 0
H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Reds 3, Astros 4.

REDS 9TH: GERONIMO REPLACED WATSON (PLAYING LF); CARBO BATTED
FOR CONCEPCION; Carbo grounded out (first to pitcher); STEWART
BATTED FOR SIMPSON; Stewart made an out to shortstop; Rose
singled; Foster was called out on strikes; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.
 Reds 3, Astros 4.