After Dock Ellis gave up four runs in the first 1 1/3 innings, the Pirates came back behind the superb relief pitching of Bob Johnson to defeat the Astros, 6-4. Johnson allowed only two hits in the last 7 2/3 innings.

The Pirates, who were trailing, 4-1, overtook the Astros with a four-run explosion in the fourth inning. Willie Stargell and Al Oliver singled, Manny Sanguillen batted them across with a double and Bob Robertson put the Pirates ahead with a homer. Roberto Clemente accounted for the last run with a round-tripper in the fifth. [The Sporting News]



Pittsburgh Pirates 6, Houston Astros 4
Game Played on Wednesday, July      5, 1972 (Night game) at Astrodome
Pirates      1  0  0    4  1  0    0  0  0  -   6  9  1
Astros       3  1  0    0  0  0    0  0  0  -   4  7  1


Pirates              AB   R   H RBI    BB  SO    AVG      Astros               AB   R   H RBI    BB  SO    AVG
Stennett 2b           4   0   0   0     0   1   .323      Metzger ss            3   1   1   0     0   0   .208
Davalillo lf          5   1   2   0     0   1   .350      Cedeno cf             4   1   3   2     0   0   .347
Clemente rf           3   1   2   2     1   0   .316      Wynn rf               3   1   0   0     0   1   .274
Stargell 1b           4   1   1   0     0   2   .296      May 1b                4   0   1   1     0   1   .286
Oliver cf             4   1   1   0     0   1   .321      Watson lf             3   0   0   0     1   1   .304
Sanguillen c          4   1   1   2     0   1   .333      Rader 3b              3   0   0   1     0   0   .238
Robertson 3b          3   1   1   2     0   0   .154      Helms 2b              4   0   1   0     0   0   .260
Alley ss              4   0   1   0     0   3   .278      Howard c              3   0   0   0     0   2   .239
Ellis p               0   0   0   0     0   0   .100        Stinson ph          1   0   0   0     0   1   .263
  Johnson p           4   0   0   0     0   1   .208      Forsch p              1   1   1   0     0   0   .138
                                                            Ray p               1   0   0   0     0   1   .125
                                                            Miller ph           1   0   0   0     0   0   .196
                                                            Culver p            0   0   0   0     0   0   .182
                                                            Stewart ph          1   0   0   0     0   0   .231

Totals               35   6   9   6     1  10             Totals               32   4   7   4     1   7

Time of Game: 2:20   Attendance: 23,646
Left on Base: Pirates 5, Astros 5
DP: Pirates 0, Astros 1
Errors: Sanguillen, Watson
Doubles: Davalillo (12), Sanguillen (11), Cedeno 2 (20)
Home Runs: Robertson (5), Clemente (8)
Stolen Bases: Cedeno (23)
Sacrifice Hits: Metzger (5)
Sacrifice Flies: Rader (5)
GIDP: Johnson (1)
Hit by Pitch: Robertson (1,by Ray), Stennett (1,by Culver), Wynn (2,by Ellis)


Pirates                IP     H   R  ER  BB  SO  HR BFP    ERA
Ellis                   1.1   5   4   4   1   0   0  11   3.00
Johnson W(2-3)          7.2   2   0   0   0   7   0  25   3.56
Totals                  9     7   4   4   1   7   0  36

Astros                 IP     H   R  ER  BB  SO  HR BFP    ERA
Forsch L(4-3)           3     8   5   5   0   4   1  17   3.75
Ray                     3     1   1   1   0   2   1  10   4.66
Culver                  3     0   0   0   1   4   0  11   2.75
Totals                  9     9   6   6   1  10   2  38

Hit by Pitch: Ellis (3), Ray (3), Culver (3)
Wild Pitches: Forsch (7)

Umpires: HP - John McSherry, 1B - Frank Pulli, 2B - Tom Gorman, 3B - Bill Williams


PIRATES 1ST: Stennett struck out; Davalillo doubled to right;
Clemente singled to center [Davalillo scored, Clemente to second
(on throw)]; Stargell struck out; Oliver made an out to
shortstop; 1 R, 2 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Pirates 1, Astros 0.

ASTROS 1ST: Metzger singled to second; Cedeno doubled to right
[Metzger scored]; Wynn was hit by a pitch; May singled to center
[Cedeno scored, Wynn to third, May to second (on throw)]; Watson
was walked intentionally; Rader hit a sacrifice fly to left
[Wynn scored]; Helms forced Watson (shortstop to second) [May to
third]; Howard flied out to left; 3 R, 3 H, 0 E, 2 LOB.  Pirates
1, Astros 3.

PIRATES 2ND: Sanguillen struck out; Robertson flied out to
center; Alley struck out; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Pirates 1,
Astros 3.

ASTROS 2ND: Forsch singled to right; Metzger out on a sacrifice
bunt (first unassisted) [Forsch to second]; Cedeno singled to
left [Forsch scored]; JOHNSON REPLACED ELLIS (PITCHING); Cedeno
stole second [Cedeno to third (error by Sanguillen)]; Wynn
struck out; May was called out on strikes; 1 R, 2 H, 1 E, 1 LOB.
 Pirates 1, Astros 4.

PIRATES 3RD: Johnson lined to shortstop; Stennett grounded out
(shortstop to first); Davalillo singled to left [Davalillo to
second (error by Watson)]; Forsch threw a wild pitch [Davalillo
to third]; Clemente flied out to center; 0 R, 1 H, 1 E, 1 LOB.
Pirates 1, Astros 4.

ASTROS 3RD: Watson grounded out (third to first); Rader grounded
out (third to first); Helms singled to left; Howard was called
out on strikes; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Pirates 1, Astros 4.

PIRATES 4TH: Stargell singled to left; Oliver singled to right
[Stargell to second]; Sanguillen doubled to center [Stargell
scored, Oliver scored]; Robertson homered [Sanguillen scored];
Alley singled to second; RAY REPLACED FORSCH (PITCHING); On a
bunt Johnson grounded into a double play (catcher to shortstop
to second) [Alley out at second]; Stennett grounded out
(shortstop to first); 4 R, 5 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Pirates 5, Astros 4.

ASTROS 4TH: Ray struck out; Metzger grounded out (second to
first); Cedeno doubled to center; Wynn popped to catcher in foul
territory; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Pirates 5, Astros 4.

PIRATES 5TH: Davalillo made an out to third; Clemente homered;
Stargell lined to right; Oliver struck out; 1 R, 1 H, 0 E, 0
LOB.  Pirates 6, Astros 4.

ASTROS 5TH: May flied out to left; Watson lined to right; Rader
grounded out (second to first); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Pirates
6, Astros 4.

PIRATES 6TH: Sanguillen flied out to left; Robertson was hit by
a pitch; Alley was called out on strikes; Johnson flied out to
right; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Pirates 6, Astros 4.

ASTROS 6TH: Helms flied out to center; Howard struck out; MILLER
BATTED FOR RAY; Miller grounded out (second to first); 0 R, 0 H,
0 E, 0 LOB.  Pirates 6, Astros 4.

PIRATES 7TH: CULVER REPLACED MILLER (PITCHING); Stennett
grounded out (third to first); Davalillo flied out to right;
Clemente walked; Stargell struck out; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.
Pirates 6, Astros 4.

ASTROS 7TH: Metzger made an out to third; Cedeno grounded out
(shortstop to first); Wynn grounded out (second to first); 0 R,
0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Pirates 6, Astros 4.

PIRATES 8TH: Oliver flied out to center; Sanguillen made an out
to second; Robertson grounded out (first to pitcher); 0 R, 0 H,
0 E, 0 LOB.  Pirates 6, Astros 4.

ASTROS 8TH: May flied out to left; Watson was called out on
strikes; Rader grounded out (pitcher to first); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0
LOB.  Pirates 6, Astros 4.

PIRATES 9TH: Alley struck out; Johnson was called out on
strikes; Stennett was hit by a pitch; Davalillo struck out; 0 R,
0 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Pirates 6, Astros 4.

ASTROS 9TH: Helms made an out to shortstop; STINSON BATTED FOR
HOWARD; Stinson struck out; STEWART BATTED FOR CULVER; Stewart
flied out to center; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Pirates 6, Astros 4.