The Astros exploded for five runs on two homers in the ninth inning to defeat the Cubs, 7-2. With one away, Doug Rader and Johnny Edwards singled and Tommy Helms homered off Fergie Jenkins to break a 2-2 tie. When Roger Metgzer followed with a single, Dan McGinn replaced Jenkins and retired Jim Ray, the winner in relief, but Norm Miller then iced the game with another homer. [The Sporting News]



Houston Astros 7, Chicago Cubs 2
Game Played on Thursday, July      13, 1972 (Day game) at Wrigley Field
Astros       0  0  1    1  0  0    0  0  5  -   7 12  0
Cubs         1  0  0    0  0  0    1  0  0  -   2  7  0


Astros               AB   R   H RBI    BB  SO    AVG      Cubs                 AB   R   H RBI    BB  SO    AVG
Metzger ss            5   2   3   0     0   0   .211      Kessinger ss          5   0   2   0     0   0   .267
Miller cf             5   1   2   3     0   2   .224      Beckert 2b            4   1   1   0     0   1   .274
Wynn rf               5   0   0   0     0   0   .282      Williams lf           4   0   1   1     1   0   .328
May 1b                4   1   1   0     0   1   .283      Hickman 1b            1   0   0   0     3   1   .293
Watson lf             4   0   0   0     0   1   .298        Coggins pr          0   0   0   0     0   0   .000
Rader 3b              4   1   3   0     0   1   .248        Pepitone 1b         0   0   0   0     0   0   .235
Edwards c             4   1   1   1     0   0   .249      Santo 3b              3   0   0   0     1   2   .295
Helms 2b              4   1   1   3     0   0   .248      Cardenal rf           3   0   1   1     1   0   .271
Reuss p               3   0   1   0     0   2   .108      Monday cf             4   0   0   0     0   3   .267
  Ray p               1   0   0   0     0   0   .083      Hundley c             4   0   1   0     0   1   .218
                                                          Jenkins p             2   1   1   0     0   0   .221
                                                            McGinn p            0   0   0   0     0   0   .333
                                                            Popovich ph         1   0   0   0     0   0   .200

Totals               39   7  12   7     0   7             Totals               31   2   7   2     6   8

Time of Game: 2:33   Attendance: 13,427
Left on Base: Astros 5, Cubs 10
DP: Astros 2, Cubs 0
Doubles: Rader (15), Metzger (8), Reuss (2), Beckert (14)
Home Runs: Helms (5), Miller (3)
Stolen Bases: Metzger (11)
Caught Stealing: Hickman (1)
Sacrifice Hits: Jenkins (2)
GIDP: Santo (10)
Hit by Pitch: Beckert (1,by Reuss)


Astros                 IP     H   R  ER  BB  SO  HR BFP    ERA
Reuss                   6.1   6   2   2   6   6   0  31   3.98
Ray W(9-3)              2.2   1   0   0   0   2   0   8   4.06
Totals                  9     7   2   2   6   8   0  39

Cubs                   IP     H   R  ER  BB  SO  HR BFP    ERA
Jenkins L(11-8)         8.2  11   6   6   0   7   1  37   2.97
McGinn                  0.1   1   1   1   0   0   1   2   4.20
Totals                  9    12   7   7   0   7   2  39

Passed Balls: Edwards (3)
Hit by Pitch: Reuss (6)

Umpires: HP - John McSherry, 1B - Ken Burkhart, 2B - Paul Pryor, 3B - Bob Engel


ASTROS 1ST: Metzger flied out to left; Miller struck out; Wynn
popped to catcher in foul territory; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.
Astros 0, Cubs 0.

CUBS 1ST: Kessinger singled to right; Beckert forced Kessinger
(third to second); Williams walked [Beckert to second]; Hickman
struck out; Santo walked [Beckert to third, Williams to second];
Cardenal singled to third [Beckert scored, Williams to third,
Santo to second]; Monday flied out to left; 1 R, 2 H, 0 E, 3
LOB.  Astros 0, Cubs 1.

ASTROS 2ND: May was called out on strikes; Watson popped to
second; Rader doubled to left; Edwards lined to shortstop; 0 R,
1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Astros 0, Cubs 1.

CUBS 2ND: Hundley singled to shortstop; Jenkins out on a
sacrifice bunt (first to second) [Hundley to second]; Kessinger
grounded out (second to first) [Hundley stayed at second];
Beckert reached on a fielder's choice [Hundley out at third
(third unassisted)]; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Astros 0, Cubs 1.

ASTROS 3RD: Helms grounded out (pitcher to first); Reuss was
called out on strikes; Metzger doubled to right; Miller singled
to left [Metzger scored]; Wynn grounded out (first to pitcher);
1 R, 2 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Astros 1, Cubs 1.

CUBS 3RD: Williams flied out to left; Hickman walked; Santo
struck out while Hickman was caught stealing second (catcher to
second); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Astros 1, Cubs 1.

ASTROS 4TH: May singled to center; Watson struck out; Rader
singled to center [May to third]; Edwards forced Rader (second
to shortstop) [May scored]; Helms forced Edwards (second to
shortstop); 1 R, 2 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Astros 2, Cubs 1.

CUBS 4TH: Cardenal grounded out (second to first); Monday struck
out; Hundley struck out; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Astros 2, Cubs 1.

ASTROS 5TH: Reuss was called out on strikes; Metzger singled to
third; Metzger stole second; Miller was called out on strikes;
Wynn grounded out (third to first); 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.
Astros 2, Cubs 1.

CUBS 5TH: Jenkins popped to catcher in foul territory; Kessinger
lined to first; Beckert doubled to left; Williams flied out to
left; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Astros 2, Cubs 1.

ASTROS 6TH: May grounded out (shortstop to first); Watson popped
to first in foul territory; Rader struck out; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0
LOB.  Astros 2, Cubs 1.

CUBS 6TH: Hickman walked; Edwards allowed a passed ball [Hickman
to second]; Santo was called out on strikes; Cardenal walked;
Monday struck out; Hundley grounded out (shortstop to first); 0
R, 0 H, 0 E, 2 LOB.  Astros 2, Cubs 1.

ASTROS 7TH: Edwards popped to first; Helms grounded out (third
to first); Reuss doubled to left; Metzger grounded out (second
to first); 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Astros 2, Cubs 1.

CUBS 7TH: Jenkins singled to left; On a bunt Kessinger popped to
catcher in foul territory; Beckert was hit by a pitch [Jenkins
to second]; Williams singled to left [Jenkins scored, Beckert to
second]; Hickman walked [Beckert to third, Williams to second];
COGGINS RAN FOR HICKMAN; RAY REPLACED REUSS (PITCHING); Santo
grounded into a double play (shortstop to second to first)
[Coggins out at second]; 1 R, 2 H, 0 E, 2 LOB.  Astros 2, Cubs 2.

ASTROS 8TH: PEPITONE REPLACED COGGINS (PLAYING 1B); Miller
grounded out (second to first); Wynn popped to third in foul
territory; May popped to first; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Astros 2,
Cubs 2.

CUBS 8TH: Cardenal grounded out (second to first); Monday struck
out; Hundley popped to shortstop; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Astros
2, Cubs 2.

ASTROS 9TH: Watson flied out to center; Rader singled to center;
Edwards singled to right [Rader to third]; Helms homered [Rader
scored, Edwards scored]; Ray popped to second; Metzger singled
to center; MCGINN REPLACED JENKINS (PITCHING); Miller homered
[Metzger scored]; Wynn lined to shortstop; 5 R, 5 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.
 Astros 7, Cubs 2.

CUBS 9TH: POPOVICH BATTED FOR MCGINN; Popovich flied out to
right; Kessinger singled to right; Beckert struck out; Williams
grounded out (first to pitcher); 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Astros
7, Cubs 2.