Joe Torre drove in two runs with a double in the third inning and Ted Simmons added two with a homer in the eighth to carry the Cardinals to a 4-1 victory over the Astros. Torre, who tripled ahead of Simmons' homer, also had a single in his 3-for-3 night, raising his league-leading batting average to .360. Steve Carlton recorded his 17th victory, matching the southpaw's previous season high in 1969. [The Sporting News]



St. Louis Cardinals 4, Houston Astros 1
Game Played on Wednesday, August    25, 1971 (Night game) at Astrodome
Cardinals    0  0  2    0  0  0    0  2  0  -   4  9  0
Astros       0  0  0    1  0  0    0  0  0  -   1  7  0


Cardinals            AB   R   H RBI    BB  SO    AVG      Astros               AB   R   H RBI    BB  SO    AVG
Brock lf              5   0   0   0     0   2   .321      Alou rf               3   0   1   0     1   0   .300
Sizemore 2b,rf        5   1   1   0     0   0   .258      Morgan 2b             3   0   0   0     1   0   .265
Alou 1b               5   0   1   0     0   0   .312      Cedeno cf,1b          4   0   1   0     0   1   .257
Torre 3b              3   1   3   2     1   0   .361      Watson lf             4   0   2   0     0   0   .290
Simmons c             3   1   1   2     1   0   .303      Rader 3b              4   1   2   1     0   1   .247
Melendez rf           3   0   0   0     1   0   .246        Geronimo cf         0   0   0   0     0   0   .231
  Javier 2b           0   0   0   0     0   0   .263      Hiatt c               4   0   1   0     0   0   .276
Cruz cf               4   0   2   0     0   0   .250      Martinez 1b,3b        4   0   0   0     0   1   .212
Maxvill ss            4   0   0   0     0   0   .208      Metzger ss            3   0   0   0     1   1   .233
Carlton p             4   1   1   0     0   2   .177      Cook p                2   0   0   0     0   1   .167
                                                            Menke ph            0   0   0   0     0   0   .261
                                                            Culver p            0   0   0   0     0   0   .125
                                                            Howard ph           1   0   0   0     0   0   .188

Totals               36   4   9   4     3   4             Totals               32   1   7   1     3   5

Time of Game: 2:09   Attendance: 11,025
Left on Base: Cardinals 8, Astros 8
DP: Cardinals 1, Astros 0
Doubles: Torre (28), Cruz (9), Alou (19)
Triples: Torre (5)
Home Runs: Simmons (4), Rader (12)
Stolen Bases: Torre (4)
Sacrifice Hits: Menke (4)


Cardinals              IP     H   R  ER  BB  SO  HR BFP    ERA
Carlton W(17-7)         9     7   1   1   3   5   1  36   3.42
Totals                  9     7   1   1   3   5   1  36

Astros                 IP     H   R  ER  BB  SO  HR BFP    ERA
Cook L(0-3)             7     6   2   2   3   3   0  30   4.42
Culver                  2     3   2   2   0   1   1   9   2.47
Totals                  9     9   4   4   3   4   1  39

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


CARDINALS 1ST: Brock flied out to left; Sizemore made an out to
first; Alou grounded out (first unassisted); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0
LOB.  Cardinals 0, Astros 0.

ASTROS 1ST: Alou flied out to left; Morgan walked; Cedeno was
called out on strikes while Morgan was picked off first (catcher
to first); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Cardinals 0, Astros 0.

CARDINALS 2ND: Torre walked; Torre stole second; Simmons flied
out to left; Melendez made an out to second; Cruz singled to
left [Torre to third]; Maxvill flied out to left; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E,
2 LOB.  Cardinals 0, Astros 0.

ASTROS 2ND: Watson singled to right; Rader singled to left
[Watson to second]; Hiatt forced Rader (third to second) [Watson
to third]; Martinez popped to first in foul territory; Metzger
flied out to center; 0 R, 2 H, 0 E, 2 LOB.  Cardinals 0, Astros
0.

CARDINALS 3RD: Carlton singled to right; Brock struck out;
Sizemore singled to left [Carlton to second]; Alou singled to
left [Carlton to third, Sizemore to second]; Torre doubled to
left [Carlton scored, Sizemore scored, Alou to third]; Simmons
was walked intentionally; Melendez made an out to shortstop;
Cruz flied out to right; 2 R, 4 H, 0 E, 3 LOB.  Cardinals 2,
Astros 0.

ASTROS 3RD: Cook struck out; Alou walked; Morgan lined to right;
Cedeno singled to left [Alou to second]; Watson grounded out
(third to first); 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 2 LOB.  Cardinals 2, Astros 0.

CARDINALS 4TH: Maxvill grounded out (third to first); Carlton
struck out; Brock grounded out (third to first); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E,
0 LOB.  Cardinals 2, Astros 0.

ASTROS 4TH: Rader homered; Hiatt grounded out (third to first);
Martinez struck out; Metzger was called out on strikes; 1 R, 1
H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Cardinals 2, Astros 1.

CARDINALS 5TH: Sizemore grounded out (shortstop to first); Alou
made an out to shortstop; Torre singled to right; Simmons flied
out to right; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Cardinals 2, Astros 1.

ASTROS 5TH: Cook flied out to right; Alou doubled to left;
Morgan grounded out (shortstop to first) [Alou to third]; Cedeno
grounded out (third to first); 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Cardinals
2, Astros 1.

CARDINALS 6TH: Melendez walked; Cruz grounded out (second to
first) [Melendez to second]; Maxvill flied out to right; Carlton
struck out; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Cardinals 2, Astros 1.

ASTROS 6TH: Watson grounded out (pitcher to first); Rader
grounded out (third to first); Hiatt singled to center; Martinez
forced Hiatt (second to shortstop); 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.
Cardinals 2, Astros 1.

CARDINALS 7TH: Brock grounded out (second to first); Sizemore
flied out to center; Alou made an out to shortstop; 0 R, 0 H, 0
E, 0 LOB.  Cardinals 2, Astros 1.

ASTROS 7TH: Metzger walked; MENKE BATTED FOR COOK; Menke out on
a sacrifice bunt (catcher to second) [Metzger to second]; Alou
flied out to left; Morgan made an out to shortstop; 0 R, 0 H, 0
E, 1 LOB.  Cardinals 2, Astros 1.

CARDINALS 8TH: CULVER REPLACED MENKE (PITCHING); Torre tripled
to right; Simmons homered [Torre scored]; Melendez grounded out
(shortstop to first); Cruz doubled to center; Maxvill grounded
out (third to first); Carlton grounded out (first to pitcher); 2
R, 3 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Cardinals 4, Astros 1.

ASTROS 8TH: JAVIER REPLACED MELENDEZ (PLAYING 2B); SIZEMORE
CHANGED POSITIONS (PLAYING RF); Cedeno grounded out (first
unassisted); Watson singled to left; Rader struck out; Hiatt
forced Watson (shortstop to second); 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.
Cardinals 4, Astros 1.

CARDINALS 9TH: GERONIMO REPLACED RADER (PLAYING CF); CEDENO
CHANGED POSITIONS (PLAYING 1B); MARTINEZ CHANGED POSITIONS
(PLAYING 3B); Brock struck out; Sizemore grounded out (shortstop
to first); Alou grounded out (shortstop to first); 0 R, 0 H, 0
E, 0 LOB.  Cardinals 4, Astros 1.

ASTROS 9TH: Martinez grounded out (pitcher to first); Metzger
made an out to second; HOWARD BATTED FOR CULVER; Howard grounded
out (shortstop to first); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Cardinals 4,
Astros 1.