Don Wilson pitched a one-hitter and batted in two runs, but the Astros' righthander needed the help of a triple play to defeat the Reds, 4-1. In the second inning, Tony Perez doubled for the Reds' only safety. Bernie Carbo and George Foster were hit successively by pitched balls to load the bases and pat Corrales walked to force in the Reds' run.

Joe Morgan then initiated the Astros' second triple play of the season with a diving backhanded catch of a line drive by Darrel Chaney. While still on his back, Morgan flipped to Roger Metzger to double Foster off second and the relay to John Mayberry at first caught Corrales for the third out. [The Sporting News]



Houston Astros 4, Cincinnati Reds 1
Game Played on Friday, September 17, 1971 (Night game) at Astrodome
Reds         0  1  0    0  0  0    0  0  0  -   1  1  1
Astros       0  2  0    0  2  0    0  0  x  -   4  8  0


Reds                 AB   R   H RBI    BB  SO    AVG      Astros               AB   R   H RBI    BB  SO    AVG
Rose rf               4   0   0   0     0   0   .301      Metzger ss            3   0   0   0     2   0   .240
Helms 2b              4   0   0   0     0   1   .261      Morgan 2b             4   0   1   0     1   1   .256
May 1b                3   0   0   0     1   0   .278      Cedeno cf             5   0   0   0     0   1   .263
Perez 3b              4   1   1   0     0   1   .266      Watson lf             4   0   1   0     0   1   .294
Carbo lf              1   0   0   0     2   0   .221      Mayberry 1b           3   2   1   0     1   1   .193
Foster cf             2   0   0   0     0   2   .247      Alou rf               3   1   0   0     0   1   .276
  Blateric p          0   0   0   0     0   0   .000      Menke 3b              4   1   2   2     0   0   .258
Corrales c            2   0   0   1     1   1   .183      Edwards c             3   0   1   0     1   0   .231
Chaney ss             3   0   0   0     0   0   .214      Wilson p              3   0   2   2     0   0   .163
Simpson p             2   0   0   0     0   1   .031
  Sprague p           0   0   0   0     0   0   .000
  McRae cf            1   0   0   0     0   0   .258

Totals               26   1   1   1     4   6             Totals               32   4   8   4     5   5

Time of Game: 2:05   Attendance:  8,070
Left on Base: Reds 3, Astros 11
DP: Reds 0, Astros 0
Errors: Carbo
Doubles: Perez (21), Menke (26), Edwards (12)
Stolen Bases: Cedeno (17)
Hit by Pitch: Foster (7,by Wilson), Alou (4,by Simpson), Wilson (2,by Blateric)


Reds                   IP     H   R  ER  BB  SO  HR BFP    ERA
Simpson L(4-7)          5     7   4   4   5   0   0  28   4.76
Sprague                 1     0   0   0   0   1   0   3   0.00
Blateric                2     1   0   0   0   4   0   8   0.00
Totals                  8     8   4   4   5   5   0  39

Astros                 IP     H   R  ER  BB  SO  HR BFP    ERA
Wilson W(16-8)          9     1   1   1   4   6   0  31   2.50
Totals                  9     1   1   1   4   6   0  31

Hit by Pitch: Simpson (3), Blateric (1), Wilson (6)

Umpires: HP - Nick Colosi, 1B - Dick Stello, 2B - Ed Sudol, 3B - Bill Williams


REDS 1ST: Rose grounded out (second to first); Helms was called
out on strikes; May flied out to center; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.
Reds 0, Astros 0.

ASTROS 1ST: Metzger walked; Morgan flied out to center; Cedeno
forced Metzger (shortstop to second); Cedeno stole second;
Watson grounded out (shortstop to first); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.
Reds 0, Astros 0.

REDS 2ND: Perez doubled; Carbo walked; Foster was hit by a pitch
[Perez to third, Carbo to second]; Corrales walked [Perez
scored, Carbo to third, Foster to second]; Chaney lined into a
triple play (second to shortstop to first) [Foster out at
second, Corrales out at first]; 1 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Reds 1,
Astros 0.

ASTROS 2ND: Mayberry walked; Alou was hit by a pitch [Mayberry
to second]; Menke singled to left [Mayberry scored, Alou to
third (error by Carbo)]; Edwards made an out to shortstop;
Wilson singled [Alou scored, Menke to third]; Metzger made an
out to shortstop; Morgan walked [Wilson to second]; Cedeno
grounded out (pitcher to first); 2 R, 2 H, 1 E, 3 LOB.  Reds 1,
Astros 2.

REDS 3RD: Simpson flied out to center; Rose grounded out (second
to first); Helms flied out to center; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.
Reds 1, Astros 2.

ASTROS 3RD: Watson singled; Mayberry forced Watson (shortstop to
second); Alou grounded out (first unassisted) [Mayberry to
second]; Menke flied out to left; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Reds 1,
Astros 2.

REDS 4TH: May walked; Perez was called out on strikes; Carbo
walked [May to second]; Foster struck out; Corrales struck out;
0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 2 LOB.  Reds 1, Astros 2.

ASTROS 4TH: Edwards made an out to shortstop; Wilson flied out
to right; Metzger walked; Morgan singled [Metzger to third];
Cedeno grounded out (third to first); 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 2 LOB.
Reds 1, Astros 2.

REDS 5TH: Chaney grounded out (second to first); Simpson struck
out; Rose grounded out (first unassisted); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.
 Reds 1, Astros 2.

ASTROS 5TH: Watson grounded out (pitcher to first); Mayberry
singled; Alou grounded out (first unassisted) [Mayberry to
second]; Menke doubled [Mayberry scored]; Edwards was walked
intentionally; Wilson singled [Menke scored, Edwards to third];
Metzger flied out to center; 2 R, 3 H, 0 E, 2 LOB.  Reds 1,
Astros 4.

REDS 6TH: Helms flied out to right; May flied out to left; Perez
grounded out (shortstop to first); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Reds
1, Astros 4.

ASTROS 6TH: SPRAGUE REPLACED SIMPSON (PITCHING); Morgan flied
out to right; Cedeno grounded out (second to first); Watson was
called out on strikes; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Reds 1, Astros 4.

REDS 7TH: Carbo grounded out (first unassisted); Foster was
called out on strikes; Corrales flied out to right; 0 R, 0 H, 0
E, 0 LOB.  Reds 1, Astros 4.

ASTROS 7TH: BLATERIC REPLACED FOSTER (PITCHING); MCRAE REPLACED
SPRAGUE (PLAYING CF); Mayberry struck out; Debut game for
Steve Blateric; Alou struck out (catcher to first); Menke
grounded out (third to first); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Reds 1,
Astros 4.

REDS 8TH: Chaney flied out to right; McRae flied out to right;
Rose flied out to right; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Reds 1, Astros 4.

ASTROS 8TH: Edwards doubled; Wilson was hit by a pitch; Metzger
forced Wilson (pitcher to shortstop) [Edwards to third]; Morgan
struck out; Cedeno was called out on strikes; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 2
LOB.  Reds 1, Astros 4.

REDS 9TH: Helms flied out to center; May flied out to center;
Perez flied out to right; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Reds 1, Astros
4.