A short fly by Cesar Cedeno turned into a grand-slam hpmer to lead the Astros to a 9-3 victory over the Dodgers. In the fifth inning, Larry Howard walked and took third on a single by Marty Martinez, but was out trying to score on a squeeze bunt by Don Wilson. After Jesus Alou flied out, Joe Morgan walked to load the bases.

Cedeno then hit a fly to short right field. Jim Lefebvre and Bill Buckner almost ran into each other going after the ball and it bounced away from them as Cedeno circled the bases behind his three teammates. [The Sporting News]



Houston Astros 9, Los Angeles Dodgers 3
Game Played on Thursday, September 2, 1971 (Night game) at Astrodome
Dodgers      0  0  0    1  2  0    0  0  0  -   3  9  1
Astros       2  0  0    0  4  0    0  3  x  -   9  8  1


Dodgers              AB   R   H RBI    BB  SO    AVG      Astros               AB   R   H RBI    BB  SO    AVG
Wills ss              4   0   1   0     0   0   .280      Alou rf               4   1   1   0     0   0   .285
Buckner rf            4   0   2   1     0   0   .289      Morgan 2b             2   2   0   0     2   0   .258
Davis cf              4   1   1   0     0   0   .314      Cedeno cf             4   3   3   4     0   0   .268
Allen 3b              4   0   2   0     0   1   .290      Watson lf             3   0   1   2     1   0   .295
Parker 1b             4   0   0   0     0   0   .282        Geronimo pr,lf      0   1   0   0     0   0   .219
Crawford lf           4   0   1   1     0   1   .282      Menke 3b              3   0   0   1     0   0   .259
Lefebvre 2b           4   0   0   0     0   0   .249      Mayberry 1b           4   0   0   0     0   3   .171
Haller c              4   1   1   0     0   0   .285      Howard c              3   0   1   1     1   1   .174
Osteen p              2   1   1   0     0   1   .197      Martinez ss           4   1   2   0     0   0   .222
  Russell ph          1   0   0   0     0   0   .227      Wilson p              3   1   0   0     0   1   .145
  Mikkelsen p         0   0   0   0     0   0   .200
  Sims ph             1   0   0   0     0   0   .262

Totals               36   3   9   2     0   3             Totals               30   9   8   8     4   5

Time of Game: 2:07   Attendance:  7,508
Left on Base: Dodgers 6, Astros 2
DP: Dodgers 1, Astros 0
Errors: Mikkelsen, Wilson
Doubles: Haller (5), Cedeno (33), Howard (1)
Triples: Martinez (1)
Home Runs: Cedeno (9)
Stolen Bases: Davis (20), Morgan (30)
Sacrifice Flies: Menke (6)
GIDP: Menke (12)


Dodgers                IP     H   R  ER  BB  SO  HR BFP    ERA
Osteen L(12-10)         6     6   6   6   2   4   1  25   3.57
Mikkelsen               2     2   3   2   2   1   0  10   3.55
Totals                  8     8   9   8   4   5   1  35

Astros                 IP     H   R  ER  BB  SO  HR BFP    ERA
Wilson W(13-8)          9     9   3   2   0   3   0  36   2.72
Totals                  9     9   3   2   0   3   0  36

Passed Balls: Howard (1)
Wild Pitches: Mikkelsen (4)

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


DODGERS 1ST: Wills grounded out (shortstop to first); Buckner
grounded out (second to first); Davis singled to left; Howard
allowed a passed ball [Davis to second]; Allen popped to first
in foul territory; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Dodgers 0, Astros 0.

ASTROS 1ST: Alou singled to center; Morgan flied out to right;
Cedeno doubled to right [Alou to third]; Watson singled to left
[Alou scored, Cedeno scored]; Menke grounded into a double play
(pitcher to shortstop to first) [Watson out at second]; 2 R, 3
H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Dodgers 0, Astros 2.

DODGERS 2ND: Parker made an out to third; Crawford struck out;
Lefebvre grounded out (first unassisted); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.
Dodgers 0, Astros 2.

ASTROS 2ND: Mayberry was called out on strikes; Howard struck
out; Martinez tripled to center; Wilson struck out; 0 R, 1 H, 0
E, 1 LOB.  Dodgers 0, Astros 2.

DODGERS 3RD: Haller flied out to left; Osteen struck out; Wills
made an out to second; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Dodgers 0, Astros
2.

ASTROS 3RD: Alou grounded out (third to first); Morgan flied out
to right; Cedeno grounded out (pitcher to first); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E,
0 LOB.  Dodgers 0, Astros 2.

DODGERS 4TH: Buckner singled to right; Davis forced Buckner
(first to shortstop); Allen singled to right [Davis to third];
Parker made an out to second; Crawford singled to second [Davis
scored, Allen to second]; Lefebvre flied out to right; 1 R, 3 H,
0 E, 2 LOB.  Dodgers 1, Astros 2.

ASTROS 4TH: Watson flied out to right; Menke grounded out
(shortstop to first); Mayberry grounded out (first unassisted);
0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Dodgers 1, Astros 2.

DODGERS 5TH: Haller doubled to right; Osteen singled to pitcher
[Haller scored (error by Wilson) (no RBI), Osteen to third];
Wills made an out to third; Buckner singled to shortstop [Osteen
scored (unearned)]; Davis forced Buckner (first to shortstop);
Davis stole second; Allen struck out; 2 R (1 ER), 3 H, 1 E, 1
LOB.  Dodgers 3, Astros 2.

ASTROS 5TH: Howard walked; Martinez singled to right [Howard to
third]; Wilson reached on a fielder's choice [Howard out at home
(pitcher to catcher), Martinez to second]; Alou flied out to
left; Morgan walked [Martinez to third, Wilson to second];
Cedeno hit an inside the park homer to right [Martinez scored,
Wilson scored, Morgan scored]; Watson flied out to right; 4 R, 2
H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Dodgers 3, Astros 6.

DODGERS 6TH: Parker popped to first in foul territory; Crawford
lined to first; Lefebvre flied out to center; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0
LOB.  Dodgers 3, Astros 6.

ASTROS 6TH: Menke grounded out (third to first); Mayberry struck
out; Howard grounded out (shortstop to first); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0
LOB.  Dodgers 3, Astros 6.

DODGERS 7TH: Haller grounded out (second to first); RUSSELL
BATTED FOR OSTEEN; Russell flied out to right; Wills singled to
center; Buckner made an out to third; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.
Dodgers 3, Astros 6.

ASTROS 7TH: MIKKELSEN REPLACED RUSSELL (PITCHING); Martinez
grounded out (pitcher to first); Wilson grounded out (shortstop
to first); Alou grounded out (pitcher to first); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E,
0 LOB.  Dodgers 3, Astros 6.

DODGERS 8TH: Davis flied out to right; Allen singled to center;
Parker flied out to right; Crawford flied out to left; 0 R, 1 H,
0 E, 1 LOB.  Dodgers 3, Astros 6.

ASTROS 8TH: Morgan walked; Morgan stole second; Cedeno singled
to left [Morgan to third]; Mikkelsen threw a wild pitch [Cedeno
to second]; Watson was walked intentionally; GERONIMO RAN FOR
WATSON; Menke hit a sacrifice fly to center [Morgan scored,
Cedeno to third]; Geronimo was picked off first but was safe on
an error by Mikkelsen [Cedeno scored, Geronimo to third];
Mayberry struck out; Howard doubled to center [Geronimo scored
(unearned)]; Martinez flied out to center; 3 R (2 ER), 2 H, 1 E,
1 LOB.  Dodgers 3, Astros 9.

DODGERS 9TH: GERONIMO STAYED IN GAME (PLAYING LF); Lefebvre
flied out to right; Haller grounded out (second to first); SIMS
BATTED FOR MIKKELSEN; Sims grounded out (first unassisted); 0 R,
0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Dodgers 3, Astros 9.