The Astros broke a 4-4 tie with a homer by Doug Rader in the sixth inning and went on to defeat the Reds, 8-4. The Astros took a 4-2 lead in the fourth inning, scoring two of their runs on a homer by Tommy Helms against his former Cincy teammates. The Reds came back to tie the score in the fifth.

After Rader's homer, the Astros iced the game with three runs in the eighth. Johnny Edwards batted in two tallies with a single and Cesar Cedeno doubled to drive in the final counter. [The Sporting News]



Houston Astros 8, Cincinnati Reds 4
Game Played on Tuesday, April     18, 1972 (Night game) at Riverfront Stadium
Astros       0  0  0    4  0  1    0  3  0  -   8 10  1
Reds         2  0  0    0  2  0    0  0  0  -   4 10  2


Astros               AB   R   H RBI    BB  SO    AVG      Reds                 AB   R   H RBI    BB  SO    AVG
Metzger ss            4   0   0   0     1   0   .071      Rose lf               5   1   1   0     0   0   .250
Cedeno cf             3   0   2   1     2   0   .333      Morgan 2b             4   1   1   0     0   0   .182
Wynn rf               5   1   2   0     0   1   .313      Tolan cf              4   2   4   1     0   0   .500
May 1b                4   0   1   0     1   1   .375      Bench c               3   0   0   0     1   0   .100
Watson lf             5   1   1   1     0   1   .400      Perez 1b              4   0   2   3     0   1   .273
Rader 3b              4   3   2   2     1   0   .313      Menke 3b              3   0   0   0     1   1   .400
Helms 2b              5   2   1   2     0   1   .188      Geronimo rf           4   0   0   0     0   2   .000
Edwards c             4   0   1   2     0   0   .182      Concepcion ss         3   0   1   0     0   0   .200
Forsch p              3   0   0   0     0   2   .000        McRae ph            1   0   0   0     0   0   .000
  Stewart ph          1   1   0   0     0   0   .000      Gullett p             2   0   1   0     0   1   .500
  Gladding p          0   0   0   0     0   0   .000        Borbon p            0   0   0   0     0   0   .000
                                                            Carbo ph            1   0   0   0     0   1   .000
                                                            McGlothlin p        0   0   0   0     0   0   .000
                                                            Sprague p           0   0   0   0     0   0   .000
                                                            Uhlaender ph        1   0   0   0     0   0   .000

Totals               38   8  10   8     5   6             Totals               35   4  10   4     2   6

Time of Game: 2:36   Attendance:  8,347
Left on Base: Astros 8, Reds 6
DP: Astros 1, Reds 0
Errors: Metzger, Tolan, Perez
Doubles: Cedeno (1), Perez (1), Gullett (1)
Triples: Cedeno (1), Tolan (1)
Home Runs: Helms (2), Rader (2)
Stolen Bases: Morgan (3), Tolan (3)
GIDP: Bench (1)


Astros                 IP     H   R  ER  BB  SO  HR BFP    ERA
Forsch W(1-0)           7    10   4   4   2   4   0  31   5.14
Gladding SV(1)          2     0   0   0   0   2   0   6   0.00
Totals                  9    10   4   4   2   6   0  37

Reds                   IP     H   R  ER  BB  SO  HR BFP    ERA
Gullett L(0-1)          5     7   5   5   2   4   2  24   9.00
Borbon                  1     0   0   0   0   1   0   3   0.00
McGlothlin              2     3   3   1   2   0   0  12   3.00
Sprague                 1     0   0   0   1   1   0   4   0.00
Totals                  9    10   8   6   5   6   2  43

Umpires: HP - Jerry Dale, 1B - Shag Crawford, 2B - Chris Pelekoudas, 3B - Mel Steiner


ASTROS 1ST: Metzger grounded out (shortstop to first); Cedeno
tripled to right; Wynn struck out; May was called out on
strikes; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Astros 0, Reds 0.

REDS 1ST: Rose grounded out (second to first); Morgan singled to
right; Morgan stole second; Tolan singled to center [Morgan
scored, Tolan to second (on throw)]; Bench walked; Perez doubled
to center [Tolan scored, Bench out at home (center to second to
catcher)]; Menke walked; Geronimo struck out; 2 R, 3 H, 0 E, 2
LOB.  Astros 0, Reds 2.

ASTROS 2ND: Watson flied out to center; Rader popped to first;
Helms flied out to center; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Astros 0, Reds
2.

REDS 2ND: Concepcion flied out to right; Gullett doubled to
center; Rose grounded out (shortstop to first); Morgan grounded
out (second to first); 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Astros 0, Reds 2.

ASTROS 3RD: Edwards grounded out (second to first); Forsch
struck out; Metzger walked; Cedeno flied out to center; 0 R, 0
H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Astros 0, Reds 2.

REDS 3RD: Tolan tripled to right; Bench grounded out (third to
first); Perez struck out; Menke grounded out (third to first); 0
R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Astros 0, Reds 2.

ASTROS 4TH: Wynn singled to center; May grounded out (shortstop
to first) [Wynn to second]; Watson singled to center [Wynn
scored, Watson to second (error by Tolan)]; Rader singled to
left [Watson scored]; Helms homered [Rader scored]; Edwards
grounded out (catcher unassisted); Forsch struck out; 4 R, 4 H,
1 E, 0 LOB.  Astros 4, Reds 2.

REDS 4TH: Geronimo flied out to center; Concepcion singled to
right [Concepcion out at second (right to first to shortstop)];
Gullett was called out on strikes; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Astros
4, Reds 2.

ASTROS 5TH: Metzger grounded out (second to first); Cedeno
walked; Wynn forced Cedeno (pitcher to second); May singled to
left [Wynn to second]; Watson forced May (shortstop to second);
0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 2 LOB.  Astros 4, Reds 2.

REDS 5TH: Rose singled to left; Morgan lined to right; Tolan
singled [Rose to third]; Tolan stole second; Bench popped to
third in foul territory; Perez singled to left [Rose scored,
Tolan scored]; Menke forced Perez (shortstop to second); 2 R, 3
H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Astros 4, Reds 4.

ASTROS 6TH: Rader homered; BORBON REPLACED GULLETT (PITCHING);
Helms struck out; Edwards grounded out (pitcher to first);
Forsch grounded out (second to first); 1 R, 1 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.
Astros 5, Reds 4.

REDS 6TH: Geronimo flied out to right; Concepcion reached on an
error by Metzger [Concepcion to first]; CARBO BATTED FOR BORBON;
Carbo struck out; Rose grounded out (second to first); 0 R, 0 H,
1 E, 1 LOB.  Astros 5, Reds 4.

ASTROS 7TH: MCGLOTHLIN REPLACED CARBO (PITCHING); Metzger
grounded out (first unassisted); Cedeno walked; Wynn singled to
left [Cedeno to third]; May lined to third; Watson flied out to
left; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 2 LOB.  Astros 5, Reds 4.

REDS 7TH: Morgan flied out to center; Tolan singled to center;
Bench grounded into a double play (pitcher to second to first)
[Tolan out at second]; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Astros 5, Reds 4.

ASTROS 8TH: Rader walked; Helms reached on an error by Perez
[Rader to third, Helms to second]; Edwards singled to right
[Rader scored, Helms scored (unearned)]; STEWART BATTED FOR
FORSCH; On a bunt Stewart forced Edwards (third to shortstop);
Metzger popped to shortstop; Cedeno doubled to left [Stewart
scored (unearned)]; Wynn popped to catcher in foul territory; 3
R (1 ER), 2 H, 1 E, 1 LOB.  Astros 8, Reds 4.

REDS 8TH: GLADDING REPLACED STEWART (PITCHING); Perez popped to
first; Menke struck out; Geronimo struck out; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0
LOB.  Astros 8, Reds 4.

ASTROS 9TH: SPRAGUE REPLACED MCGLOTHLIN (PITCHING); May walked;
Watson was called out on strikes; Rader flied out to right;
Helms forced May (third to second); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.
Astros 8, Reds 4.

REDS 9TH: MCRAE BATTED FOR CONCEPCION; McRae grounded out (third
to first); UHLAENDER BATTED FOR SPRAGUE; Uhlaender lined to
second; Rose lined to right; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Astros 8,
Reds 4.