The Astros scored four runs in the first in to enable Jack Billingham to celebrate his 26th birthday with a 6-1 victory over the Padres. In the opening burst, Joe Morgan walked, Rich Chiles doubled and Cesar Cedeno singled for the first run. Jim Wynn followed with a double to drive in two tallies and scored himself on a single by Larry Howard. [The Sporting News]



Houston Astros 5, San Diego Padres 1
Game Played on Saturday, September 25, 1971 (Night game) at San Diego Stadium
Astros       4  0  0    0  0  0    0  0  1  -   5  6  2
Padres       0  0  0    0  0  0    1  0  0  -   1  7  1


Astros               AB   R   H RBI    BB  SO    AVG      Padres               AB   R   H RBI    BB  SO    AVG
Metzger ss            4   0   0   0     0   1   .237      Mason 2b              4   0   0   0     0   1   .216
Morgan 2b             3   1   0   0     1   0   .255      Jestadt ss            4   0   1   0     0   0   .289
Chiles lf             4   1   1   0     0   0   .233      Jeter cf              4   0   1   0     0   0   .339
Cedeno cf             4   2   1   1     0   1   .262      Stahl 1b              4   1   2   1     0   1   .259
Wynn rf               4   1   1   2     0   3   .207      Brown rf              4   0   2   0     0   0   .271
Martinez 1b           4   0   1   1     0   0   .262      Gaston lf             4   0   1   0     0   2   .228
Howard c              4   0   2   1     0   1   .220      Kendall 3b            4   0   0   0     0   0   .171
Busse 3b              4   0   0   0     0   1   .147      Barton c              3   0   0   0     0   1   .243
Billingham p          3   0   0   0     0   1   .127      Arlin p               1   0   0   0     0   1   .123
                                                            Gaspar ph           1   0   0   0     0   0   .125
                                                            Phoebus p           0   0   0   0     0   0   .167
                                                            Murrell ph          1   0   0   0     0   1   .237
                                                            Corkins p           0   0   0   0     0   0   .000

Totals               34   5   6   5     1   8             Totals               34   1   7   1     0   7

Time of Game: 2:00   Attendance:  2,718
Left on Base: Astros 3, Padres 6
DP: Astros 2, Padres 0
Errors: Metzger, Busse, Jestadt
Doubles: Chiles (5), Wynn (16)
Home Runs: Stahl (8)
Stolen Bases: Cedeno (20)
GIDP: Gaston (9), Barton (15)


Astros                 IP     H   R  ER  BB  SO  HR BFP    ERA
Billingham W(10-15)     9     7   1   1   0   7   1  34   3.47
Totals                  9     7   1   1   0   7   1  34

Padres                 IP     H   R  ER  BB  SO  HR BFP    ERA
Arlin L(9-19)           6     4   4   4   1   6   0  23   3.52
Phoebus                 2     0   0   0   0   1   0   6   4.41
Corkins                 1     2   1   0   0   1   0   6   4.09
Totals                  9     6   5   4   1   8   0  35

Umpires: HP - Andy Olsen, 1B - John Kibler, 2B - Tom Gorman, 3B - Stan Landes


ASTROS 1ST: Metzger struck out; Morgan walked; Chiles doubled
[Morgan to third]; Cedeno singled [Morgan scored, Chiles to
third]; Wynn doubled [Chiles scored, Cedeno scored]; Martinez
out on an unknown play [Wynn to third]; Howard singled to second
[Wynn scored]; Busse struck out; 4 R, 4 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Astros
4, Padres 0.

PADRES 1ST: Mason struck out; Jestadt out on an unknown play;
Jeter singled; Stahl struck out; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Astros
4, Padres 0.

ASTROS 2ND: Billingham struck out; Metzger out on an unknown
play; Morgan out on an unknown play; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.
Astros 4, Padres 0.

PADRES 2ND: Brown singled; Gaston grounded into a double play
(shortstop to second to first) [Brown out at second]; Kendall
out on an unknown play; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Astros 4, Padres
0.

ASTROS 3RD: Chiles out on an unknown play; Cedeno struck out;
Wynn struck out; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Astros 4, Padres 0.

PADRES 3RD: Barton out on an unknown play; Arlin struck out;
Mason out on an unknown play; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Astros 4,
Padres 0.

ASTROS 4TH: Martinez out on an unknown play; Howard out on an
unknown play; Busse out on an unknown play; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0
LOB.  Astros 4, Padres 0.

PADRES 4TH: Jestadt out on an unknown play; Jeter out on an
unknown play; Stahl out on an unknown play; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0
LOB.  Astros 4, Padres 0.

ASTROS 5TH: Billingham out on an unknown play; Metzger out on an
unknown play; Morgan out on an unknown play; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0
LOB.  Astros 4, Padres 0.

PADRES 5TH: Brown out on an unknown play; Gaston singled;
Kendall out on an unknown play; Barton struck out; 0 R, 1 H, 0
E, 1 LOB.  Astros 4, Padres 0.

ASTROS 6TH: Chiles out on an unknown play; Cedeno out on an
unknown play; Wynn struck out; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Astros 4,
Padres 0.

PADRES 6TH: GASPAR BATTED FOR ARLIN; Gaspar out on an unknown
play; Mason out on an unknown play; Jestadt singled; Jeter out
on an unknown play; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Astros 4, Padres 0.

ASTROS 7TH: PHOEBUS REPLACED GASPAR (PITCHING); Martinez out on
an unknown play; Howard struck out; Busse out on an unknown
play; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Astros 4, Padres 0.

PADRES 7TH: Stahl homered; Brown singled; Gaston struck out;
Kendall reached on an error by Busse [Brown to second]; Barton
grounded into a double play (shortstop to second to first)
[Kendall out at second]; 1 R, 2 H, 1 E, 1 LOB.  Astros 4, Padres
1.

ASTROS 8TH: Billingham out on an unknown play; Metzger out on an
unknown play; Morgan out on an unknown play; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0
LOB.  Astros 4, Padres 1.

PADRES 8TH: MURRELL BATTED FOR PHOEBUS; Murrell struck out;
Mason reached on an error by Metzger; Jestadt out on an unknown
play; Jeter out on an unknown play; 0 R, 0 H, 1 E, 1 LOB.
Astros 4, Padres 1.

ASTROS 9TH: CORKINS REPLACED MURRELL (PITCHING); Chiles out on
an unknown play; Cedeno reached on an error by Jestadt; Cedeno
stole second; Wynn struck out; Martinez singled [Cedeno scored
(unearned)]; Howard singled [Martinez to second]; Busse out on
an unknown play; 1 R (0 ER), 2 H, 1 E, 2 LOB.  Astros 5, Padres
1.

PADRES 9TH: Stahl singled; Brown out on an unknown play; Gaston
struck out; Kendall out on an unknown play; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1
LOB.  Astros 5, Padres 1.