A grand-slam homer by George Foster, who went into the game batting only .167, helped power the Reds to a 12-4 victory over the Astros. The Reds scored in two six-run bursts. In the third inning, Joe Morgan singled home the first run, took second on the throw and scored on a single by Bobby Tolan.

Johnny Bench doubled, Tolan stopping at third. Tony Perez then was passed intentionally to set the stage for Foster's slam. When the Reds scored their other six runs in the eighth, Johnny Bench homered with two men on base. [The Sporting News]
Cincinnati Reds 12, Houston Astros 4

Game Played on Wednesday, May 31, 1972 (Night game) at Astrodome

Reds         0  0  6    0  0  0    0  6  0  -  12 14  2
Astros       0  3  0    0  0  0    0  0  1  -   4  8  0


Reds                 AB   R   H RBI    BB  SO    AVG      Astros               AB   R   H RBI    BB  SO    AVG
Rose lf               4   0   2   0     1   2   .256      Metzger ss            5   0   0   0     0   0   .204
Morgan 2b             4   2   3   3     1   0   .289      Miller rf             4   0   0   0     0   0   .219
Tolan cf              5   2   1   1     0   1   .310      Wynn cf               3   0   0   0     1   0   .282
  Geronimo cf         0   0   0   0     0   0   .196      May 1b                4   1   0   0     0   3   .276
Bench c               5   2   3   3     0   0   .292      Watson lf             4   2   3   0     0   0   .318
Perez 1b              4   1   0   0     1   3   .267      Edwards c             3   0   0   1     0   0   .250
  Hague 1b            0   0   0   0     0   0   .248      Rader 3b              4   1   1   3     0   0   .206
Foster rf             5   2   3   4     0   1   .220      Fenwick 2b            4   0   1   0     0   0   .304
Javier 3b             3   0   0   0     0   1   .237      Roberts p             1   0   1   0     0   0   .278
  Menke 3b            2   1   1   1     0   0   .234        Culver p            1   0   1   0     0   0   .250
Concepcion ss         2   1   0   0     2   1   .244        Alou ph             1   0   0   0     0   0   .375
Nolan p               5   1   1   0     0   2   .069        Gladding p          0   0   0   0     0   0   .000
                                                            Gibbon p            0   0   0   0     0   0   .000
                                                            Blasingame p        0   0   0   0     0   0   .000
                                                            Stewart ph          1   0   1   0     0   0   .243

Totals               39  12  14  12     5  11             Totals               35   4   8   4     1   3

Time of Game: 2:28   Attendance: 15,702
Left on Base: Reds 6, Astros 6
DP: Reds 0, Astros 2
Errors: Javier, Menke
Doubles: Rose (7), Bench (4), Culver (1)
Triples: Watson (2)
Home Runs: Foster (1), Bench (9), Rader (6)
Stolen Bases: Morgan (19), Foster (1), Concepcion (8), Wynn (6)
Sacrifice Hits: Concepcion (2)
Sacrifice Flies: Edwards (3)
GIDP: Concepcion (3), Bench (5)


Reds                   IP     H   R  ER  BB  SO  HR BFP    ERA
Nolan W(7-1)            9     8   4   3   1   3   1  37   2.34
Totals                  9     8   4   3   1   3   1  37

Astros                 IP     H   R  ER  BB  SO  HR BFP    ERA
Roberts L(3-3)          2.2   8   6   6   2   3   1  17   4.76
Culver                  4.1   2   0   0   1   7   0  15   2.10
Gladding                0.1   2   4   4   1   0   0   5   4.82
Gibbon                  0.2   2   2   2   0   1   1   4  18.00
Blasingame              1     0   0   0   1   0   0   4   8.64
Totals                  9    14  12  12   5  11   2  45

Wild Pitches: Roberts (3)
Balks: Gibbon (1)

Umpires: HP - Ken Burkhart, 1B - Lee Weyer, 2B - Andy Olsen, 3B - Dick Stello


REDS 1ST: Rose doubled; On a bunt Morgan singled [Rose to
third]; Morgan stole second; Tolan struck out; Bench popped to
shortstop; Perez struck out; 0 R, 2 H, 0 E, 2 LOB.  Reds 0,
Astros 0.

ASTROS 1ST: Metzger lined to center; Miller grounded out (second
to first); Wynn walked; Wynn stole second; Wynn was picked off
second (catcher to second); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Reds 0,
Astros 0.

REDS 2ND: Foster singled to left; Javier flied out to center;
Concepcion grounded into a double play (shortstop to second to
first) [Foster out at second]; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Reds 0,
Astros 0.

ASTROS 2ND: May reached on an error by Javier [May to first];
Watson singled to left [May to second]; Edwards flied out to
center; Rader homered [May scored (unearned), Watson scored];
Fenwick singled to left; Roberts singled to right [Fenwick to
second]; Metzger flied out to left; Miller popped to shortstop;
3 R (2 ER), 4 H, 1 E, 2 LOB.  Reds 0, Astros 3.

REDS 3RD: Nolan singled to right; Roberts threw a wild pitch
[Nolan to second]; Rose was called out on strikes; Morgan
singled to center [Nolan scored, Morgan to second (on throw)];
Tolan singled to center [Morgan scored]; Bench doubled [Tolan to
third]; Perez was walked intentionally; Foster homered [Tolan
scored, Bench scored, Perez scored]; Javier popped to second;
Concepcion walked; CULVER REPLACED ROBERTS (PITCHING); Nolan
struck out; 6 R, 5 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Reds 6, Astros 3.

ASTROS 3RD: Wynn flied out to center; May was called out on
strikes; Watson singled to right; Edwards flied out to center; 0
R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Reds 6, Astros 3.

REDS 4TH: Rose singled to center; Morgan walked [Rose to
second]; Tolan lined to third; Bench grounded into a double play
(shortstop to second to first) [Morgan out at second]; 0 R, 1 H,
0 E, 1 LOB.  Reds 6, Astros 3.

ASTROS 4TH: Rader popped to catcher in foul territory; Fenwick
grounded out (third to first); Culver doubled to left; Metzger
grounded out (second to first); 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Reds 6,
Astros 3.

REDS 5TH: Perez grounded out (third to first); Foster was called
out on strikes; Javier was called out on strikes; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E,
0 LOB.  Reds 6, Astros 3.

ASTROS 5TH: Miller grounded out (first unassisted); Wynn popped
to shortstop; May was called out on strikes; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0
LOB.  Reds 6, Astros 3.

REDS 6TH: Concepcion struck out; Nolan struck out; Rose struck
out; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Reds 6, Astros 3.

ASTROS 6TH: MENKE REPLACED JAVIER (PLAYING 3B); Watson grounded
out (shortstop to first); Edwards flied out to center; Rader
flied out to center; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Reds 6, Astros 3.

REDS 7TH: Morgan grounded out (second to first); Tolan grounded
out (second to first); Bench singled; Perez was called out on
strikes; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Reds 6, Astros 3.

ASTROS 7TH: Fenwick flied out to center; ALOU BATTED FOR CULVER;
Alou lined to center; Metzger lined to center; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0
LOB.  Reds 6, Astros 3.

REDS 8TH: GLADDING REPLACED ALOU (PITCHING); Foster singled to
third; Foster stole second; Menke singled to left [Foster
scored, Menke to second (on throw)]; Concepcion reached on a
fielder's choice on a sacrifice bunt [Menke to third];
Concepcion stole second; Nolan grounded out (third to first);
Rose was walked intentionally; GIBBON REPLACED GLADDING
(PITCHING); Morgan singled to right [Menke scored, Concepcion
scored, Rose to second]; Gibbon balked [Rose to third, Morgan to
second]; Tolan reached on a fielder's choice [Rose out at home
(pitcher to catcher to third to pitcher), Morgan to third];
Bench homered [Morgan scored, Tolan scored]; Perez was called
out on strikes; 6 R, 4 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Reds 12, Astros 3.

ASTROS 8TH: GERONIMO REPLACED TOLAN (PLAYING CF); HAGUE REPLACED
PEREZ (PLAYING 1B); Miller grounded out (second to first); Wynn
grounded out (shortstop to first); May was called out on
strikes; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Reds 12, Astros 3.

REDS 9TH: BLASINGAME REPLACED GIBBON (PITCHING); Foster flied
out to right; Menke grounded out (third to first); Concepcion
walked; Nolan forced Concepcion (second to shortstop); 0 R, 0 H,
0 E, 1 LOB.  Reds 12, Astros 3.

ASTROS 9TH: Watson tripled to center; Edwards hit a sacrifice
fly to right [Watson scored]; Rader flied out to center; Fenwick
reached on an error by Menke [Fenwick to first]; STEWART BATTED
FOR BLASINGAME; Stewart singled to right [Fenwick to second];
Metzger forced Stewart (second to shortstop); 1 R, 2 H, 1 E, 2
LOB.  Reds 12, Astros 4.
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