Lou Brock literally stole a victory and Al Santorini saved it as the Cardinals defeated the Astros, 2-1. After the Cardinals counted in the first inning on a single by Matty Alou and double by Joe Torre, Brock beat out an infield hit in the fifth, stole second, stole third and continued home when catcher Johnny Edwards' throw bounced into left field.

The Astros rallied for their run with one out in the ninth on successive singles by Cesar Cedeno, Bob Watson and Rich Chiles, but Santorini rescued Reggie Cleveland and induced Doug Rader to ground into a game-ending double play. [The Sporting News]



St. Louis Cardinals 2, Houston Astros 1
Game Played on Tuesday, August    24, 1971 (Night game) at Astrodome
Cardinals    1  0  0    0  1  0    0  0  0  -   2  6  0
Astros       0  0  0    0  0  0    0  0  1  -   1  8  1


Cardinals            AB   R   H RBI    BB  SO    AVG      Astros               AB   R   H RBI    BB  SO    AVG
Brock lf              3   1   1   0     1   0   .324      Alou rf               4   0   1   0     0   0   .299
Sizemore rf           3   0   1   0     1   0   .259        Gladding p          0   0   0   0     0   0   .000
Alou 1b               4   1   2   0     0   0   .313      Morgan 2b             4   0   0   0     0   0   .267
Torre 3b              4   0   1   1     0   0   .357      Cedeno cf             4   1   3   0     0   0   .257
Simmons c             4   0   1   0     0   0   .303      Watson 1b             4   0   1   0     0   1   .287
Cruz cf               4   0   0   0     0   1   .245        Geronimo pr         0   0   0   0     0   0   .231
Kubiak 2b             3   0   0   0     1   1   .233      Chiles lf             4   0   1   1     0   1   .256
Maxvill ss            3   0   0   0     0   2   .211      Menke 3b              2   0   1   0     0   0   .261
Cleveland p           3   0   0   0     0   2   .147        Rader 3b            2   0   0   0     0   0   .245
  Santorini p         0   0   0   0     0   0   .286      Edwards c             3   0   0   0     0   0   .221
                                                          Metzger ss            3   0   1   0     0   0   .235
                                                          Forsch p              2   0   0   0     0   0   .071
                                                            Wynn ph,rf          1   0   0   0     0   1   .213

Totals               31   2   6   1     3   6             Totals               33   1   8   1     0   3

Time of Game: 2:01   Attendance: 13,860
Left on Base: Cardinals 5, Astros 5
DP: Cardinals 1, Astros 0
Errors: Edwards
Doubles: Torre (27), Menke (24), Cedeno (30)
Stolen Bases: Brock 2 (46), Sizemore (2)
Caught Stealing: Brock (14), Cedeno (8)
GIDP: Rader (10)


Cardinals              IP     H   R  ER  BB  SO  HR BFP    ERA
Cleveland W(11-10)      8.1   8   1   1   0   3   0  32   3.84
Santorini SV(1)         0.2   0   0   0   0   0   0   1   3.96
Totals                  9     8   1   1   0   3   0  33

Astros                 IP     H   R  ER  BB  SO  HR BFP    ERA
Forsch L(7-6)           8     6   2   1   3   5   0  31   2.86
Gladding                1     0   0   0   0   1   0   3   2.27
Totals                  9     6   2   1   3   6   0  34

Wild Pitches: Cleveland (2)

Umpires: HP - Bob Engel, 1B - John McSherry, 2B - Lee Weyer, 3B - Ken Burkhart


CARDINALS 1ST: Brock walked; Brock was caught stealing second
(catcher to shortstop); Sizemore flied out to center; Alou
singled to right; Torre doubled to right [Alou scored, Torre out
at third (right to second to third)]; 1 R, 2 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.
Cardinals 1, Astros 0.

ASTROS 1ST: Alou singled to center; Morgan flied out to right;
Cedeno forced Alou (shortstop to second); Cedeno was caught
stealing second (catcher to second); 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.
Cardinals 1, Astros 0.

CARDINALS 2ND: Simmons grounded out (shortstop to first); Cruz
was called out on strikes; Kubiak walked; Maxvill was called out
on strikes; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Cardinals 1, Astros 0.

ASTROS 2ND: Watson grounded out (shortstop to first); Chiles
flied out to left; Menke doubled to left; Edwards flied out to
center; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Cardinals 1, Astros 0.

CARDINALS 3RD: Cleveland was called out on strikes; Brock lined
to left; Sizemore singled to center; Alou singled to left
[Sizemore to second]; Torre grounded out (shortstop to first); 0
R, 2 H, 0 E, 2 LOB.  Cardinals 1, Astros 0.

ASTROS 3RD: Metzger grounded out (second to first); Forsch flied
out to right; Alou grounded out (first unassisted); 0 R, 0 H, 0
E, 0 LOB.  Cardinals 1, Astros 0.

CARDINALS 4TH: Simmons lined to third; Cruz flied out to center;
Kubiak grounded out (second to first); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.
Cardinals 1, Astros 0.

ASTROS 4TH: Morgan grounded out (pitcher to first); Cedeno
singled to center; Cleveland threw a wild pitch [Cedeno to
second]; Watson struck out (catcher to first); Chiles was called
out on strikes; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Cardinals 1, Astros 0.

CARDINALS 5TH: Maxvill struck out; Cleveland was called out on
strikes; Brock singled to left; Brock stole second; Brock stole
third [Brock scored (error by Edwards) (unearned)]; Sizemore
walked; Sizemore stole second; Alou grounded out (shortstop to
first); 1 R (0 ER), 1 H, 1 E, 1 LOB.  Cardinals 2, Astros 0.

ASTROS 5TH: Menke grounded out (third to first); Edwards
grounded out (first to pitcher); Metzger singled to right;
Forsch made an out to second; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Cardinals
2, Astros 0.

CARDINALS 6TH: RADER REPLACED MENKE (PLAYING 3B); Torre grounded
out (second to first); Simmons singled to center; Cruz flied out
to left; Kubiak flied out to left; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.
Cardinals 2, Astros 0.

ASTROS 6TH: Alou grounded out (first unassisted); Morgan
grounded out (first unassisted); Cedeno doubled to left; Watson
grounded out (second to first); 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Cardinals
2, Astros 0.

CARDINALS 7TH: Maxvill made an out to second; Cleveland flied
out to right; Brock grounded out (shortstop to first); 0 R, 0 H,
0 E, 0 LOB.  Cardinals 2, Astros 0.

ASTROS 7TH: Chiles flied out to center; Rader grounded out
(shortstop to first); Edwards grounded out (second to first); 0
R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Cardinals 2, Astros 0.

CARDINALS 8TH: Sizemore grounded out (shortstop to first); Alou
flied out to left; Torre flied out to center; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0
LOB.  Cardinals 2, Astros 0.

ASTROS 8TH: Metzger grounded out (second to first); WYNN BATTED
FOR FORSCH; Wynn struck out; Alou flied out to center; 0 R, 0 H,
0 E, 0 LOB.  Cardinals 2, Astros 0.

CARDINALS 9TH: GLADDING REPLACED ALOU (PITCHING); WYNN STAYED IN
GAME (PLAYING RF); Simmons made an out to second; Cruz grounded
out (second to first); Kubiak struck out; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.
Cardinals 2, Astros 0.

ASTROS 9TH: Morgan grounded out (first to second); Cedeno
singled to center; Watson singled to right [Cedeno to third];
GERONIMO RAN FOR WATSON; Chiles singled to right [Cedeno scored,
Geronimo to third]; SANTORINI REPLACED CLEVELAND (PITCHING);
Rader grounded into a double play (shortstop to second to first)
[Chiles out at second]; 1 R, 3 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Cardinals 2,
Astros 1.