Staked to a two-run lead in the first inning, Scipio Spinks pitched the Cardinals to a 2-1 victory over the Astros. Lou Brock led off the opening frame with a double, Jose Cruz was safe on an error by Tommy Helms and runs followed on a single by Matty Alou and double by Joe Torre.

The Astros' tally in the seventh was unearned. Cruz dropped a fly by Roger Metzger for a two-base error and Cesar Cedeno plated the run with a single to spoil Spinks' effort to shut out his former teammates. [The Sporting News]



St. Louis Cardinals 2, Houston Astros 1
Game Played on Tuesday, May       9, 1972 (Night game) at Busch Stadium II
Astros       0  0  0    0  0  0    1  0  0  -   1  6  1
Cardinals    2  0  0    0  0  0    0  0  x  -   2  6  1


Astros               AB   R   H RBI    BB  SO    AVG      Cardinals            AB   R   H RBI    BB  SO    AVG
Metzger ss            4   1   0   0     0   1   .143      Brock lf              4   1   1   0     0   0   .318
  Alou ph             1   0   0   0     0   0   .333      Cruz cf               4   1   0   0     0   1   .254
Cedeno cf             4   0   2   1     0   2   .403      Alou rf               1   0   1   1     0   0   .351
Wynn rf               4   0   1   0     0   0   .342        Melendez pr,rf      3   0   0   0     0   0   .222
May 1b                4   0   1   0     0   0   .286      Torre 3b              4   0   2   1     0   1   .377
Watson lf             4   0   0   0     0   0   .257      Simmons c             3   0   0   0     1   1   .275
Rader 3b              4   0   1   0     0   1   .257      Hague 1b              3   0   1   0     1   2   .278
Helms 2b              2   0   0   0     2   0   .187      Crosby ss             3   0   1   0     0   0   .311
Edwards c             3   0   1   0     1   0   .310      Maxvill 2b            1   0   0   0     2   1   .000
Wilson p              2   0   0   0     0   1   .000      Spinks p              2   0   0   0     0   2   .231
  Miller ph           1   0   0   0     0   0   .308
  Culver p            0   0   0   0     0   0   .000
  Stewart ph          1   0   0   0     0   0   .143

Totals               34   1   6   1     3   5             Totals               28   2   6   2     4   8

Time of Game: 2:04   Attendance:  8,963
Left on Base: Astros 9, Cardinals 7
DP: Astros 2, Cardinals 0
Errors: Helms, Cruz
Doubles: Brock (2), Torre (5), Hague (5)
Stolen Bases: Wynn (1), Rader (1)
Sacrifice Hits: Spinks (1)
GIDP: Crosby (3), Simmons (2)


Astros                 IP     H   R  ER  BB  SO  HR BFP    ERA
Wilson L(1-2)           6     5   2   1   4   7   0  27   2.49
Culver                  2     1   0   0   0   1   0   6   2.30
Totals                  8     6   2   1   4   8   0  33

Cardinals              IP     H   R  ER  BB  SO  HR BFP    ERA
Spinks W(2-1)           9     6   1   0   3   5   0  37   2.41
Totals                  9     6   1   0   3   5   0  37

Umpires: HP - Paul Pryor, 1B - Harry Wendelstedt, 2B - Bruce Froemming, 3B - Ed Vargo


ASTROS 1ST: Metzger struck out; Cedeno was called out on
strikes; Wynn singled to left; Wynn stole second; May grounded
out (third to first); 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Astros 0, Cardinals
0.

CARDINALS 1ST: Brock doubled to right; Cruz reached on an error
by Helms [Brock to third, Cruz to first]; Alou singled to center
[Brock scored, Cruz to second]; MELENDEZ RAN FOR ALOU; Torre
doubled to right [Cruz scored (unearned), Melendez to third];
Simmons was walked intentionally; Hague struck out; Crosby
grounded into a double play (second to first) [Simmons out at
second]; 2 R (1 ER), 3 H, 1 E, 2 LOB.  Astros 0, Cardinals 2.

ASTROS 2ND: MELENDEZ STAYED IN GAME (PLAYING RF); Watson flied
out to left; Rader struck out; Helms walked; Edwards singled to
left [Helms to second]; Wilson struck out; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 2 LOB.
 Astros 0, Cardinals 2.

CARDINALS 2ND: Maxvill walked; Spinks out on a sacrifice bunt
(pitcher to second) [Maxvill to second]; Brock popped to third;
Cruz struck out; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Astros 0, Cardinals 2.

ASTROS 3RD: Metzger lined to shortstop; Cedeno was called out on
strikes; Wynn lined to center; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Astros 0,
Cardinals 2.

CARDINALS 3RD: Melendez popped to second; Torre flied out to
right; Simmons struck out (catcher to first); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0
LOB.  Astros 0, Cardinals 2.

ASTROS 4TH: May flied out to left; Watson lined to second; Rader
singled to center; Rader stole second; Helms popped to second; 0
R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Astros 0, Cardinals 2.

CARDINALS 4TH: Hague doubled to right; On a bunt Crosby grounded
out (third to first) [Hague to third]; Maxvill walked; Spinks
struck out; Brock flied out to left; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 2 LOB.
Astros 0, Cardinals 2.

ASTROS 5TH: Edwards walked; On a bunt Wilson popped to catcher
in foul territory; Metzger forced Edwards (shortstop to second);
Cedeno singled to left [Metzger to second]; Wynn forced Cedeno
(first to shortstop); 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 2 LOB.  Astros 0, Cardinals
2.

CARDINALS 5TH: Cruz popped to first in foul territory; Melendez
grounded out (shortstop to first); Torre was called out on
strikes; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Astros 0, Cardinals 2.

ASTROS 6TH: May singled to left; Watson forced May (pitcher to
shortstop); Rader popped to second; Helms lined to third; 0 R, 1
H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Astros 0, Cardinals 2.

CARDINALS 6TH: Simmons popped to shortstop; Hague walked; Crosby
singled to right [Hague to third]; Maxvill struck out; Spinks
struck out; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 2 LOB.  Astros 0, Cardinals 2.

ASTROS 7TH: Edwards grounded out (second to first); MILLER
BATTED FOR WILSON; Miller popped to shortstop; Metzger reached
on an error by Cruz [Metzger to second]; Cedeno singled to
center [Metzger scored (unearned)]; Wynn flied out to left; 1 R
(0 ER), 1 H, 1 E, 1 LOB.  Astros 1, Cardinals 2.

CARDINALS 7TH: CULVER REPLACED MILLER (PITCHING); Brock grounded
out (pitcher to first); Cruz grounded out (second to first);
Melendez grounded out (second to first); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.
Astros 1, Cardinals 2.

ASTROS 8TH: May popped to shortstop; Watson flied out to center;
Rader grounded out (shortstop to first); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.
Astros 1, Cardinals 2.

CARDINALS 8TH: Torre singled to center; Simmons grounded into a
double play (shortstop to second to first) [Torre out at
second]; Hague was called out on strikes; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.
Astros 1, Cardinals 2.

ASTROS 9TH: Helms walked; Edwards flied out to center; STEWART
BATTED FOR CULVER; Stewart lined to second; ALOU BATTED FOR
METZGER; Alou forced Helms (shortstop to second); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E,
1 LOB.  Astros 1, Cardinals 2.