Held to five hits by Don Wilson, the Pirates lost to the Astros, 4-0, with the result that their Eastern division lead was cut to five games over the Cardinals, who moved into second place ahead of the Cubs. The Astros nicked Steve Blass for two runs in the third inning on a walk to Joe Morgan and singles by Cesar Cedeno, Bob Watson and Doug Rader.

Cedeno doubled and Watson singled for another run in the fifth. After a single by Rich Chiles, Watson was thrown out out trying to score on a grounder by Rader, but Chiles subsequently counted the Astros' last run on a pair of errors. [The Sporting News]



Houston Astros 4, Pittsburgh Pirates 0
Game Played on Saturday, August    28, 1971 (Night game) at Astrodome
Pirates      0  0  0    0  0  0    0  0  0  -   0  5  2
Astros       0  0  2    0  2  0    0  0  x  -   4  9  0


Pirates              AB   R   H RBI    BB  SO    AVG      Astros               AB   R   H RBI    BB  SO    AVG
Stennett 2b           4   0   1   0     0   0   .319      Alou rf               5   0   0   0     0   0   .293
Oliver cf             4   0   1   0     0   1   .274        Geronimo rf         0   0   0   0     0   0   .222
  Veale p             0   0   0   0     0   0   .375      Morgan 2b             2   1   0   0     3   0   .263
Clemente rf           4   0   0   0     0   1   .336      Cedeno cf             4   2   2   0     0   1   .260
Stargell lf           3   0   0   0     1   1   .302      Watson 1b             4   0   3   2     0   0   .298
Robertson 1b          3   0   1   0     1   0   .272      Chiles lf             4   1   1   0     0   1   .256
Sanguillen c          4   0   2   0     0   0   .325      Rader 3b              4   0   1   1     0   2   .246
Cash 3b               3   0   0   0     0   0   .301      Edwards c             4   0   1   0     0   0   .227
J. Hernandez ss       2   0   0   0     0   0   .217      Metzger ss            3   0   1   0     1   0   .235
  Davalillo ph,cf     1   0   0   0     0   0   .284      Wilson p              2   0   0   0     1   1   .151
Blass p               2   0   0   0     0   1   .116
  Kison p             0   0   0   0     0   0   .080
  Walker p            0   0   0   0     0   0   .025
  Sands ph            0   0   0   0     1   0   .208
  Alley pr,ss         0   0   0   0     0   0   .237

Totals               30   0   5   0     3   4             Totals               32   4   9   3     5   5

Time of Game: 2:20   Attendance: 25,619
Left on Base: Pirates 6, Astros 10
DP: Pirates 0, Astros 2
Errors: Robertson, J. Hernandez
Doubles: Edwards (9), Cedeno (31)
Stolen Bases: Morgan 2 (29)
Sacrifice Hits: Wilson (6)
GIDP: Cash (7), Sanguillen (17)


Pirates                IP     H   R  ER  BB  SO  HR BFP    ERA
Blass L(12-7)           4     9   4   3   2   2   0  23   3.10
Kison                   2.2   0   0   0   3   2   0  11   3.52
Walker                  0.1   0   0   0   0   0   0   1   3.77
Veale                   1     0   0   0   0   1   0   3   8.50
Totals                  8     9   4   3   5   5   0  38

Astros                 IP     H   R  ER  BB  SO  HR BFP    ERA
Wilson W(12-8)          9     5   0   0   3   4   0  33   2.75
Totals                  9     5   0   0   3   4   0  33

Umpires: HP - Stan Landes, 1B - Shag Crawford, 2B - Mel Steiner, 3B - Satch Davidson


PIRATES 1ST: Stennett flied out to right; Oliver struck out;
Clemente flied out to center; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Pirates 0,
Astros 0.

ASTROS 1ST: Alou grounded out (second to first); Morgan walked;
Morgan stole second; Cedeno flied out to left; Watson singled
[Morgan to third]; Chiles grounded out (pitcher to first); 0 R,
1 H, 0 E, 2 LOB.  Pirates 0, Astros 0.

PIRATES 2ND: Stargell struck out; Robertson singled; Sanguillen
singled [Robertson to second]; Cash grounded into a double play
(third to second to first) [Sanguillen out at second]; 0 R, 2 H,
0 E, 1 LOB.  Pirates 0, Astros 0.

ASTROS 2ND: Rader struck out; Edwards doubled; Metzger made an
out to second; Wilson flied out to right; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.
Pirates 0, Astros 0.

PIRATES 3RD: J. Hernandez grounded out (second to first); Blass
struck out; Stennett grounded out (pitcher to first); 0 R, 0 H,
0 E, 0 LOB.  Pirates 0, Astros 0.

ASTROS 3RD: Alou grounded out (shortstop to first); Morgan
walked; Cedeno singled [Morgan to second]; Watson singled
[Morgan scored, Cedeno to second]; Chiles was called out on
strikes; Rader singled [Cedeno scored, Watson to third]; Edwards
flied out to left; 2 R, 3 H, 0 E, 2 LOB.  Pirates 0, Astros 2.

PIRATES 4TH: Oliver flied out to center; Clemente struck out;
Stargell walked; Robertson forced Stargell (third to second); 0
R, 0 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Pirates 0, Astros 2.

ASTROS 4TH: Metzger singled; Wilson out on a sacrifice bunt
(first to second) [Metzger to second]; Alou grounded out
(shortstop to first); Morgan flied out to right; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E,
1 LOB.  Pirates 0, Astros 2.

PIRATES 5TH: Sanguillen singled; Cash flied out to right; J.
Hernandez flied out to center; Blass forced Sanguillen
(shortstop to second); 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Pirates 0, Astros
2.

ASTROS 5TH: Cedeno doubled; Watson singled [Cedeno scored,
Watson to second (on throw)]; Chiles singled [Watson to third];
KISON REPLACED BLASS (PITCHING); Rader reached on a fielder's
choice [Watson out at home (third to catcher), Chiles to
second]; Chiles was picked off second but was safe on an error
by Robertson [Chiles to third]; Edwards forced Rader (second to
shortstop) [Chiles scored (error by J. Hernandez) (unearned) (no
RBI), Edwards to second]; Metzger was walked intentionally;
Wilson walked [Edwards to third, Metzger to second]; Alou forced
Wilson (third to second); 2 R (1 ER), 3 H, 2 E, 3 LOB.  Pirates
0, Astros 4.

PIRATES 6TH: Stennett flied out to center; Oliver singled;
Clemente forced Oliver (second unassisted); Stargell flied out
to right; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Pirates 0, Astros 4.

ASTROS 6TH: Morgan walked; Morgan stole second; Cedeno struck
out; Watson made an out to second; Chiles flied out to center; 0
R, 0 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Pirates 0, Astros 4.

PIRATES 7TH: Robertson walked; Sanguillen grounded into a double
play (shortstop to second to first) [Robertson out at second];
Cash lined to left; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Pirates 0, Astros 4.

ASTROS 7TH: Rader struck out; Edwards grounded out (pitcher to
first); WALKER REPLACED KISON (PITCHING); Metzger grounded out
(first unassisted); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Pirates 0, Astros 4.

PIRATES 8TH: DAVALILLO BATTED FOR J. HERNANDEZ; Davalillo
grounded out (shortstop to first); SANDS BATTED FOR WALKER;
Sands walked; ALLEY RAN FOR SANDS; Stennett singled [Alley to
second]; Oliver grounded out (first unassisted) [Alley to third,
Stennett to second]; Clemente made an out to third; 0 R, 1 H, 0
E, 2 LOB.  Pirates 0, Astros 4.

ASTROS 8TH: ALLEY STAYED IN GAME (PLAYING SS); DAVALILLO STAYED
IN GAME (PLAYING CF); VEALE REPLACED OLIVER (PITCHING); Wilson
struck out; Alou grounded out (second to first); Morgan flied
out to left; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Pirates 0, Astros 4.

PIRATES 9TH: GERONIMO REPLACED ALOU (PLAYING RF); Stargell
grounded out (first unassisted); Robertson grounded out (first
to pitcher); Sanguillen grounded out (second to first); 0 R, 0
H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Pirates 0, Astros 4.