Four unearned runs on as many errors enabled the Reds to defeat the Astros, 5-1, behind the three-hit pitching of Gary Nolan. The Astros scored in the second inning on a walk to Denis Menke and double by Jack Hiatt. The Reds, held to two hits by Jack Billingham in the first five innings, broke through for three runs in the sixth.

Nolan and Pete Rose singled and both counted when Bob Watson threw wildly past third on a bunt by Hal McRae. After two out, McRae also scored when Billingham threw wildly on a grounder by George Foster. A single by Dave Concepcion, a hit batsman and two errors added a pair for the Reds in the seventh. [The Sporting News]



Cincinnati Reds 5, Houston Astros 1
Game Played on Wednesday, August    11, 1971 (Night game) at Riverfront Stadium
Astros       0  1  0    0  0  0    0  0  0  -   1  3  4
Reds         0  0  0    0  0  3    2  0  x  -   5  5  0


Astros               AB   R   H RBI    BB  SO    AVG      Reds                 AB   R   H RBI    BB  SO    AVG
Alou lf               4   0   1   0     0   0   .309      Rose rf               3   2   1   0     0   1   .298
Morgan 2b             3   0   0   0     0   0   .260      McRae lf              2   1   0   0     1   0   .244
Wynn rf               4   0   0   0     0   1   .213      May 1b                3   0   0   0     1   1   .276
Cedeno cf             3   0   0   0     0   0   .252        Woodward 3b         0   0   0   0     0   0   .218
Watson 1b             3   0   0   0     0   0   .285      Perez 3b,1b           4   0   1   0     0   0   .264
Rader 3b              3   0   0   0     0   0   .244      Bench c               3   0   1   0     1   1   .236
Menke ss              2   1   1   0     1   0   .261      Foster cf             4   0   0   0     0   1   .236
Hiatt c               3   0   1   1     0   0   .288      Helms 2b              4   0   0   0     0   0   .260
Billingham p          2   0   0   0     0   0   .157      Concepcion ss         3   1   1   0     0   1   .216
  Gladding p          0   0   0   0     0   0   .000      Nolan p               3   1   1   0     0   0   .121
  Chiles ph           1   0   0   0     0   0   .295
  Harris p            0   0   0   0     0   0   .000

Totals               28   1   3   1     1   1             Totals               29   5   5   0     3   5

Time of Game: 1:55   Attendance: 15,053
Left on Base: Astros 2, Reds 5
DP: Astros 2, Reds 1
Errors: Morgan, Watson, Menke, Billingham
Doubles: Hiatt (7), Perez (13)
Caught Stealing: McRae (2)
Sacrifice Hits: Morgan (9), McRae (1)
GIDP: Hiatt (1), Perez (10)
Hit by Pitch: Rose (2,by Billingham)


Astros                 IP     H   R  ER  BB  SO  HR BFP    ERA
Billingham L(5-11)      6.1   5   5   1   3   4   0  28   3.56
Gladding                0.2   0   0   0   0   0   0   3   2.03
Harris                  1     0   0   0   0   1   0   3   5.49
Totals                  8     5   5   1   3   5   0  34

Reds                   IP     H   R  ER  BB  SO  HR BFP    ERA
Nolan W(10-12)          9     3   1   1   1   1   0  30   3.17
Totals                  9     3   1   1   1   1   0  30

Hit by Pitch: Billingham (14)

Umpires: HP - Ed Sudol, 1B - Nick Colosi, 3B - Dick Stello


ASTROS 1ST: Alou singled to center; Morgan out on a sacrifice
bunt (third to first) [Alou to second]; Wynn grounded out (third
to first); Cedeno grounded out (shortstop to first); 0 R, 1 H, 0
E, 1 LOB.  Astros 0, Reds 0.

REDS 1ST: Rose flied out to left; McRae walked; May struck out
while McRae was caught stealing second (catcher to second); 0 R,
0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Astros 0, Reds 0.

ASTROS 2ND: Watson lined to center; Rader lined to third; Menke
walked; Hiatt doubled [Menke scored, Hiatt to third (on throw)];
Billingham grounded out (third to first); 1 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.
Astros 1, Reds 0.

REDS 2ND: Perez doubled; Bench grounded out (pitcher to first);
Foster struck out; Helms flied out to left; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1
LOB.  Astros 1, Reds 0.

ASTROS 3RD: Alou grounded out (first unassisted); Morgan popped
to catcher in foul territory; Wynn struck out; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0
LOB.  Astros 1, Reds 0.

REDS 3RD: Concepcion grounded out (shortstop to first); Nolan
flied out to center; Rose struck out; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.
Astros 1, Reds 0.

ASTROS 4TH: Cedeno grounded out (third to first); Watson
grounded out (third to first); Rader lined to center; 0 R, 0 H,
0 E, 0 LOB.  Astros 1, Reds 0.

REDS 4TH: McRae grounded out (third to first); May walked; Perez
grounded into a double play (shortstop to second to first) [May
out at second]; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Astros 1, Reds 0.

ASTROS 5TH: Menke flied out to right; Hiatt popped to second;
Billingham grounded out (second to first); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.
 Astros 1, Reds 0.

REDS 5TH: Bench singled to left; Foster popped to second; Helms
flied out to left; Concepcion struck out; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.
Astros 1, Reds 0.

ASTROS 6TH: Alou popped to first in foul territory; Morgan flied
out to center; Wynn flied out to center; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.
Astros 1, Reds 0.

REDS 6TH: Nolan singled to left; Rose singled to left [Nolan to
second]; McRae reached on a fielder's choice on a sacrifice bunt
[Nolan scored (error by Watson) (no RBI), Rose scored (unearned)
(no RBI), McRae to second]; May grounded out (third to first)
[McRae to third]; Perez popped to first in foul territory; Bench
was walked intentionally; Foster reached on an error by
Billingham [McRae scored (unearned) (no RBI), Bench to third,
Foster to first]; Helms forced Foster (shortstop unassisted); 3
R (1 ER), 2 H, 2 E, 2 LOB.  Astros 1, Reds 3.

ASTROS 7TH: Cedeno popped to first; Watson grounded out
(shortstop to first); Rader popped to second; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0
LOB.  Astros 1, Reds 3.

REDS 7TH: Concepcion singled to third; Nolan grounded out
(shortstop to first) [Concepcion to second]; Rose was hit by a
pitch; GLADDING REPLACED BILLINGHAM (PITCHING); McRae reached on
a fielder's choice [Concepcion scored (error by Morgan)
(unearned) (no RBI), Rose to second]; May reached on an error by
Menke [Rose scored (unearned) (no RBI), McRae out at third (left
to third), May to first]; Perez forced May (shortstop to
second); 2 R (0 ER), 1 H, 2 E, 1 LOB.  Astros 1, Reds 5.

ASTROS 8TH: WOODWARD REPLACED MAY (PLAYING 3B); PEREZ CHANGED
POSITIONS (PLAYING 1B); Menke singled; Hiatt grounded into a
double play (shortstop to second to first) [Menke out at
second]; CHILES BATTED FOR GLADDING; Chiles popped to first; 0
R, 1 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Astros 1, Reds 5.

REDS 8TH: HARRIS REPLACED CHILES (PITCHING); Bench was called
out on strikes; Foster grounded out (shortstop to first); Helms
grounded out (third to first); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Astros 1,
Reds 5.

ASTROS 9TH: Alou flied out to right; Morgan popped to catcher in
foul territory; Wynn popped to shortstop; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.
Astros 1, Reds 5.