Roger Metzger scored from second base on an infield hit and an error in the ninth inning to bring the Astros a 2-1 victory over the Mets. Tom Seaver doubled and scored the Mets' run on a single by Ken Boswell in the third. Doug Rader homered for the Astros in the fifth.

Metzger singled in the ninth and was sacrificed to second. After an intentional pass to Jim Wynn, Cesar Cedeno hit a one-hop smash that Ed Kranepool knocked down, but the ball trickled into short right field. Boswell, going after the ball, was unable to pick it up and Metzger, who had stopped after rounding third, picked up his stride and raced home with the winning run. [The Sporting News]



Houston Astros 2, New York Mets 1
Game Played on Saturday, July      17, 1971 (Night game) at Astrodome
Mets         0  0  1    0  0  0    0  0  0  -   1  3  1
Astros       0  0  0    0  1  0    0  0  1  -   2  6  1


Mets                 AB   R   H RBI    BB  SO    AVG      Astros               AB   R   H RBI    BB  SO    AVG
Harrelson ss          3   0   0   0     1   0   .265      Metzger ss            4   1   1   0     0   0   .220
Boswell 2b            4   0   1   1     0   1   .238      Morgan 2b             3   0   0   0     0   1   .258
Jorgensen cf          4   0   0   0     0   0   .226      Wynn rf               3   0   0   0     1   2   .218
Jones lf              4   0   1   0     0   0   .309      Cedeno cf             4   0   1   0     0   1   .248
Kranepool 1b          3   0   0   0     1   0   .277      Rader 3b              3   1   2   1     0   1   .242
Singleton rf          4   0   0   0     0   1   .243      Menke 1b              3   0   1   0     0   1   .249
Aspromonte 3b         1   0   0   0     2   0   .246      Alou lf               3   0   0   0     0   0   .306
Grote c               3   0   0   0     0   0   .288      Edwards c             3   0   1   0     0   1   .237
Seaver p              3   1   1   0     0   0   .235      Dierker p             1   0   0   0     0   1   .080
                                                            Ray p               2   0   0   0     0   2   .182

Totals               29   1   3   1     4   2             Totals               29   2   6   1     1  10

Time of Game: 2:01   Attendance: 32,852
Left on Base: Mets 5, Astros 4
DP: Mets 1, Astros 2
Errors: Boswell, Rader
Doubles: Seaver (2), Jones (12)
Home Runs: Rader (5)
Sacrifice Hits: Morgan (6)
GIDP: Singleton (5), Grote (12), Alou (7)


Mets                   IP     H   R  ER  BB  SO  HR BFP    ERA
Seaver L(10-7)          8.1   6   2   1   1  10   1  31   2.32
Totals                  8.1   6   2   1   1  10   1  31

Astros                 IP     H   R  ER  BB  SO  HR BFP    ERA
Dierker                 3.2   3   1   1   3   0   0  16   2.41
Ray W(6-2)              5.1   0   0   0   1   2   0  17   2.56
Totals                  9     3   1   1   4   2   0  33

Umpires: HP - John Kibler, 1B - Bruce Froemming, 2B - Al Barlick, 3B - Paul Pryor


METS 1ST: Harrelson walked; Boswell grounded out (first to
pitcher) [Harrelson to second]; Jorgensen flied to right; Jones
grounded out (shortstop to first); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Mets
0, Astros 0.

ASTROS 1ST: Metzger grounded out (second to first); Morgan flied
to center; Wynn was called out on strikes; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.
 Mets 0, Astros 0.

METS 2ND: Kranepool flied to right; Singleton popped to
shortstop; Aspromonte grounded out (third to first); 0 R, 0 H, 0
E, 0 LOB.  Mets 0, Astros 0.

ASTROS 2ND: Cedeno grounded out (third to first); Rader struck
out; Menke was called out on strikes; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.
Mets 0, Astros 0.

METS 3RD: Grote grounded out (second to first); Seaver doubled
to left; Harrelson grounded out (first unassisted) [Seaver to
third]; Boswell singled to left [Seaver scored]; Jorgensen
popped to third; 1 R, 2 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Mets 1, Astros 0.

ASTROS 3RD: Alou grounded out (second to first); Edwards was
called out on strikes; Dierker struck out; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.
 Mets 1, Astros 0.

METS 4TH: Jones doubled to right; Kranepool walked; Singleton
grounded into a double play (second to shortstop to first)
[Jones to third, Kranepool out at second]; Aspromonte walked;
RAY REPLACED DIERKER (PITCHING); Grote popped to third in foul
territory; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 2 LOB.  Mets 1, Astros 0.

ASTROS 4TH: Metzger flied to left; Morgan was called out on
strikes; Wynn struck out; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Mets 1, Astros
0.

METS 5TH: Seaver grounded out (second to first); Harrelson
grounded out (first unassisted); Boswell struck out; 0 R, 0 H, 0
E, 0 LOB.  Mets 1, Astros 0.

ASTROS 5TH: Cedeno grounded out (shortstop to first); Rader
homered; Menke singled to right; Alou grounded into a double
play (second to first) [Menke out at second]; 1 R, 2 H, 0 E, 0
LOB.  Mets 1, Astros 1.

METS 6TH: Jorgensen grounded out (first unassisted); Jones
popped to second; Kranepool flied to center; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0
LOB.  Mets 1, Astros 1.

ASTROS 6TH: Edwards singled to left; Ray was called out on
strikes; Metzger forced Edwards (shortstop to second); Morgan
popped to third in foul territory; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Mets
1, Astros 1.

METS 7TH: Singleton struck out; Aspromonte walked; Grote
grounded into a double play (shortstop to first) [Aspromonte out
at second]; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Mets 1, Astros 1.

ASTROS 7TH: Wynn grounded out (third to first); Cedeno struck
out; Rader singled to right; Menke flied to right; 0 R, 1 H, 0
E, 1 LOB.  Mets 1, Astros 1.

METS 8TH: Seaver grounded out (shortstop to first); Harrelson
popped to shortstop; Boswell reached on an error by Rader;
Jorgensen popped to shortstop; 0 R, 0 H, 1 E, 1 LOB.  Mets 1,
Astros 1.

ASTROS 8TH: Alou grounded out (second to first); Edwards
grounded out (second to first); Ray struck out; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0
LOB.  Mets 1, Astros 1.

METS 9TH: Jones flied to right; Kranepool grounded out (second
to first); Singleton flied to left; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Mets
1, Astros 1.

ASTROS 9TH: Metzger singled to center; Morgan out on a sacrifice
bunt (pitcher to second) [Metzger to second]; Wynn was walked
intentionally; Cedeno singled to right [Metzger scored (error by
Boswell) (unearned) (no RBI), Wynn to second]; 1 R (0 ER), 2 H,
1 E, 2 LOB.  Mets 1, Astros 2.