Although Jim Wynn hit a grand-slam homer and Johnny Edwards connected for the circuit with two men on base, the Astros had to struggle to defeat the Pirates, 9-8. Both homers were hit off Steve Blass and staked the Astros to a 7-3 lead, but the Pirates tied the score with four runs in the sixth inning. Roberto Clemente capped the rally with a two-run homer.

The Astros broke the tie with a pair in the ninth on singles by Wynn, Lee May and Bob Watson, a wild pitch by Dave Giusti and sacrifice fly by Tommy Helms. Jim Ray, who pitched the last two innings for the Astros, gave up a run to the Pirates in their half of the ninth on a double by Clemente and single by Al Oliver but then clamped down to finish with credit for his fourth straight victory, all in relief. [The Sporting News]

Houston Astros 9, Pittsburgh Pirates 8

Game Played on Monday, May 1, 1972 (Night game) at Three Rivers Stadium

Astros       0  0  0    0  4  3    0  0  2  -   9 13  2
Pirates      1  0  0    2  0  4    0  0  1  -   8 16  2


Astros               AB   R   H RBI    BB  SO    AVG      Pirates              AB   R   H RBI    BB  SO    AVG
Metzger ss            4   1   1   0     0   1   .119      Cash 2b               5   2   2   0     0   0   .262
Cedeno cf             4   1   3   0     1   0   .412      Stennett lf           5   1   3   1     0   0   .425
Wynn rf               5   2   3   4     0   1   .379      Clemente rf           5   2   3   3     0   0   .288
May 1b                4   1   1   0     1   2   .306      Sanguillen c          5   1   1   0     0   0   .379
Watson lf             3   0   1   1     2   0   .241      Oliver 1b             4   0   2   1     1   1   .390
Rader 3b              4   1   1   0     1   0   .276      Clines cf             4   1   1   1     0   1   .167
Helms 2b              4   1   1   1     0   0   .213        Stargell ph         1   0   0   0     0   1   .204
Edwards c             5   2   2   3     0   0   .319      Hebner 3b             5   0   1   0     0   0   .308
Roberts p             3   0   0   0     0   1   .000      Alley ss              4   1   3   1     0   0   .500
  Culver p            0   0   0   0     0   0   .000      Blass p               2   0   0   0     0   1   .286
  Miller ph           0   0   0   0     1   0   .300        Pagan ph            1   0   0   0     0   0   .000
  Ray p               0   0   0   0     0   0   .333        Giusti p            1   0   0   0     0   0   .000
                                                            R. Hernandez p      0   0   0   0     0   0   .000

Totals               36   9  13   9     6   5             Totals               42   8  16   7     1   4

Time of Game: 2:40   Attendance:  4,788
Left on Base: Astros 8, Pirates 8
DP: Astros 1, Pirates 3
Errors: Metzger, Cedeno, Clines, Alley
Doubles: Wynn (3), Stennett 2 (3), Clemente (3)
Home Runs: Wynn (5), Edwards (3), Clemente (1)
Caught Stealing: Cedeno (1)
Sacrifice Hits: Metzger (1)
Sacrifice Flies: Helms (1)
GIDP: Rader 2 (2), Wynn (1)


Astros                 IP     H   R  ER  BB  SO  HR BFP    ERA
Roberts                 5.2  12   5   5   1   3   0  28   5.04
Culver                  1.1   2   2   2   0   0   1   7   3.09
Ray W(4-0)              2     2   1   1   0   1   0   8   2.76
Totals                  9    16   8   8   1   4   1  43

Pirates                IP     H   R  ER  BB  SO  HR BFP    ERA
Blass                   6     8   7   7   3   4   2  28   5.11
Giusti L(0-2)           2.2   5   2   2   3   1   0  15   4.22
R. Hernandez            0.1   0   0   0   0   0   0   1   0.00
Totals                  9    13   9   9   6   5   2  44

Wild Pitches: Giusti (1)
Balks: Blass (1)

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


ASTROS 1ST: 57 minute rain delay before start of game;
Metzger flied out to left; Cedeno singled to right; Blass balked
[Cedeno to second]; Wynn struck out; May flied out to right; 0
R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Astros 0, Pirates 0.

PIRATES 1ST: Cash singled to right; Stennett doubled to left
[Cash to third]; Clemente hit into a double play (third to
first) [Cash scored, Stennett out at third (first to
shortstop)]; Sanguillen made an out to shortstop; 1 R, 2 H, 0 E,
0 LOB.  Astros 0, Pirates 1.

ASTROS 2ND: Watson walked; Rader grounded into a double play
(shortstop to second to first) [Watson out at second]; Helms
reached on an error by Clines [Helms to third]; Edwards lined to
center; 0 R, 0 H, 1 E, 1 LOB.  Astros 0, Pirates 1.

PIRATES 2ND: Oliver struck out; Clines struck out; Hebner lined
to right; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Astros 0, Pirates 1.

ASTROS 3RD: Roberts reached on an error by Alley [Roberts to
first]; Metzger out on a sacrifice bunt (pitcher to second)
[Roberts to second]; Cedeno singled to shortstop [Roberts stayed
at second]; Wynn grounded into a double play (third to second to
first) [Cedeno out at second]; 0 R, 1 H, 1 E, 1 LOB.  Astros 0,
Pirates 1.

PIRATES 3RD: Alley singled to left; Blass was called out on
strikes; Cash flied out to center; Stennett singled to center
[Alley to second]; Clemente flied out to left; 0 R, 2 H, 0 E, 2
LOB.  Astros 0, Pirates 1.

ASTROS 4TH: May struck out; Watson walked; Rader grounded into a
double play (shortstop to second to first) [Watson out at
second]; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Astros 0, Pirates 1.

PIRATES 4TH: Sanguillen singled to pitcher; Oliver singled to
left [Sanguillen to second]; Clines singled to center
[Sanguillen scored, Oliver out at third (center to second)];
Hebner singled to first [Clines to second]; Alley singled to
left [Clines scored, Hebner to second]; Blass forced Hebner
(third unassisted) [Alley to second]; Cash forced Alley (third
unassisted); 2 R, 5 H, 0 E, 2 LOB.  Astros 0, Pirates 3.

ASTROS 5TH: Helms popped to first; Edwards singled to center;
Roberts popped to third; Metzger singled to center [Edwards to
second]; Cedeno walked [Edwards to third, Metzger to second];
Wynn homered [Edwards scored, Metzger scored, Cedeno scored];
May struck out; 4 R, 3 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Astros 4, Pirates 3.

PIRATES 5TH: Stennett lined to right; Clemente singled to
center; Sanguillen popped to first; Oliver walked [Clemente to
second]; Clines grounded out (second to first); 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 2
LOB.  Astros 4, Pirates 3.

ASTROS 6TH: Watson grounded out (third to first); Rader singled
to left; Helms singled to left [Rader to second]; Edwards
homered [Rader scored, Helms scored]; Roberts struck out;
Metzger grounded out (second to first); 3 R, 3 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.
Astros 7, Pirates 3.

PIRATES 6TH: Hebner flied out to left; Alley singled to center;
PAGAN BATTED FOR BLASS; Pagan flied out to right; Cash singled
to center [Alley scored (error by Cedeno) (no RBI), Cash to
third]; CULVER REPLACED ROBERTS (PITCHING); Stennett doubled to
right [Cash scored]; Clemente homered [Stennett scored];
Sanguillen flied out to right; 4 R, 4 H, 1 E, 0 LOB.  Astros 7,
Pirates 7.

ASTROS 7TH: GIUSTI REPLACED PAGAN (PITCHING); Cedeno singled to
center; Cedeno was caught stealing second (catcher to second);
Wynn doubled to left; May walked; Watson popped to catcher;
Rader flied out to right; 0 R, 2 H, 0 E, 2 LOB.  Astros 7,
Pirates 7.

PIRATES 7TH: Oliver grounded out (first to pitcher); Clines
flied out to center; Hebner reached on an error by Metzger
[Hebner to first]; Alley lined to center; 0 R, 0 H, 1 E, 1 LOB.
Astros 7, Pirates 7.

ASTROS 8TH: Helms flied out to center; Edwards grounded out
(second to shortstop to first); MILLER BATTED FOR CULVER; Miller
walked; Metzger struck out; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Astros 7,
Pirates 7.

PIRATES 8TH: RAY REPLACED MILLER (PITCHING); Giusti grounded out
(third to first); Cash flied out to right; Stennett grounded out
(second to first); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Astros 7, Pirates 7.

ASTROS 9TH: Cedeno grounded out (first unassisted); Wynn singled
to center; May singled to left [Wynn to second]; Watson singled
to right [Wynn scored, May to second]; Giusti threw a wild pitch
[May to third, Watson to second]; Rader was walked
intentionally; Helms hit a sacrifice fly to center [May scored,
Watson to third, Rader to second]; R. HERNANDEZ REPLACED GIUSTI
(PITCHING); Edwards grounded out (third to first); 2 R, 3 H, 0
E, 2 LOB.  Astros 9, Pirates 7.

PIRATES 9TH: Clemente doubled to right; Sanguillen grounded out
(second to first) [Clemente to third]; Oliver singled to right
[Clemente scored]; STARGELL BATTED FOR CLINES; Stargell was
called out on strikes; Hebner grounded out (second to first); 1
R, 2 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Astros 9, Pirates 8.

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