The Astros exploded for five runs in the eighth inning, three scoring on a homer by Cesar Cedeno, to gain a 7-2 victory over the Cubs. A double by Bob Watson, intentional pass to Doug Rader and singles by Tommy Helms and Don Wilson produced the first two runs of the outburst before Cedeno hit his homer. [The Sporting News]



Houston Astros 7, Chicago Cubs 2
Game Played on Saturday, July      22, 1972 (Night game) at Astrodome
Cubs         0  0  0    0  1  0    0  0  1  -   2  6  0
Astros       0  0  0    2  0  0    0  5  x  -   7 15  0


Cubs                 AB   R   H RBI    BB  SO    AVG      Astros               AB   R   H RBI    BB  SO    AVG
Monday cf             4   0   2   0     0   2   .261      Metzger ss            5   0   2   0     0   0   .209
Kessinger ss          4   1   1   0     0   0   .273      Cedeno cf             5   1   2   3     0   2   .354
Williams lf           4   0   2   1     0   0   .344      Wynn rf               4   0   2   0     1   1   .277
Cardenal rf           4   0   0   0     0   3   .280      May 1b                4   0   0   0     1   3   .287
Pepitone 1b           4   1   1   1     0   2   .245      Watson lf             5   1   1   0     0   0   .302
Beckert 2b            4   0   0   0     0   0   .271      Edwards c             4   1   2   0     0   0   .249
Santo 3b              3   0   0   0     0   2   .291      Rader 3b              3   2   2   1     1   0   .243
Hundley c             2   0   0   0     0   2   .218      Helms 2b              4   1   3   2     0   0   .255
  Hickman ph          1   0   0   0     0   0   .288      Wilson p              4   1   1   1     0   0   .081
  Rudolph c           0   0   0   0     0   0   .208
Reuschel p            2   0   0   0     0   1   .133
  Martin ph           0   0   0   0     1   0   .333
  Aker p              0   0   0   0     0   0   .000
  Hands p             0   0   0   0     0   0   .000

Totals               32   2   6   2     1  12             Totals               38   7  15   7     3   6

Time of Game: 2:36   Attendance: 33,530
Left on Base: Cubs 4, Astros 10
DP: Cubs 1, Astros 1
Doubles: Williams (20), Edwards (13), Watson (16), Wynn (16)
Triples: Rader (3), Metzger (2)
Home Runs: Pepitone (6), Cedeno (13)
Stolen Bases: Monday (9), Williams (3), Cedeno (26), Metzger (13)
GIDP: Williams (9), Wilson (1)


Cubs                   IP     H   R  ER  BB  SO  HR BFP    ERA
Reuschel L(3-4)         7    10   2   2   1   6   0  31   3.28
Aker                    0.2   5   5   5   1   0   1   8   2.48
Hands                   0.1   0   0   0   1   0   0   2   3.58
Totals                  8    15   7   7   3   6   1  41

Astros                 IP     H   R  ER  BB  SO  HR BFP    ERA
Wilson W(6-7)           9     6   2   2   1  12   1  33   3.29
Totals                  9     6   2   2   1  12   1  33

Wild Pitches: Reuschel (1)

Umpires: HP - Nick Colosi, 1B - Andy Olsen, 2B - Tom Gorman, 3B - Stan Landes


CUBS 1ST: Monday struck out; Kessinger flied out to center;
Williams flied out to right; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Cubs 0,
Astros 0.

ASTROS 1ST: Metzger grounded out (shortstop to first); Cedeno
singled to third; Cedeno stole second; Reuschel threw a wild
pitch [Cedeno to third]; Wynn struck out; May was called out on
strikes; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Cubs 0, Astros 0.

CUBS 2ND: Cardenal flied out to left; Pepitone popped to catcher
in foul territory; Beckert lined to left; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.
Cubs 0, Astros 0.

ASTROS 2ND: Watson grounded out (shortstop to first); Edwards
singled to center; Rader flied out to center; Helms singled to
third [Edwards to second]; Wilson forced Helms (shortstop to
second); 0 R, 2 H, 0 E, 2 LOB.  Cubs 0, Astros 0.

CUBS 3RD: Santo struck out; Hundley struck out; Reuschel was
called out on strikes; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Cubs 0, Astros 0.

ASTROS 3RD: Metzger grounded out (first unassisted); Cedeno was
called out on strikes; Wynn singled to center; May forced Wynn
(shortstop to second); 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Cubs 0, Astros 0.

CUBS 4TH: Monday singled to right; Kessinger popped to second;
Williams grounded into a double play (shortstop to first)
[Monday out at second]; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Cubs 0, Astros 0.

ASTROS 4TH: Watson grounded out (third to first); Edwards
doubled to left; Rader tripled to center [Edwards scored]; Helms
singled to center [Rader scored]; Wilson grounded into a double
play (first to second) [Helms out at second]; 2 R, 3 H, 0 E, 0
LOB.  Cubs 0, Astros 2.

CUBS 5TH: Cardenal struck out; Pepitone homered; Beckert lined
to shortstop; Santo struck out; 1 R, 1 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Cubs 1,
Astros 2.

ASTROS 5TH: Metzger singled to left; Metzger stole second;
Cedeno struck out; Wynn flied out to left; May struck out; 0 R,
1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Cubs 1, Astros 2.

CUBS 6TH: Hundley struck out; Reuschel lined to center; Monday
singled to center; Monday stole second; Kessinger grounded out
(shortstop to first); 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Cubs 1, Astros 2.

ASTROS 6TH: Watson grounded out (shortstop to first); Edwards
flied out to left; Rader singled to center; Helms forced Rader
(shortstop to second); 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Cubs 1, Astros 2.

CUBS 7TH: Williams singled to right; Williams stole second;
Cardenal struck out; Pepitone struck out; Beckert popped to
second; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Cubs 1, Astros 2.

ASTROS 7TH: Wilson grounded out (third to first); Metzger
tripled to left; Cedeno popped to second; Wynn was walked
intentionally; May struck out; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 2 LOB.  Cubs 1,
Astros 2.

CUBS 8TH: Santo grounded out (second to first); HICKMAN BATTED
FOR HUNDLEY; Hickman flied out to center; MARTIN BATTED FOR
REUSCHEL; Martin walked; Monday struck out; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 1
LOB.  Cubs 1, Astros 2.

ASTROS 8TH: AKER REPLACED MARTIN (PITCHING); RUDOLPH REPLACED
HICKMAN (PLAYING C ); Watson doubled to left; Edwards grounded
out (first unassisted) [Watson to third]; Rader was walked
intentionally; Helms singled to center [Watson scored, Rader to
second]; Wilson singled to left [Rader scored, Helms to second];
Metzger flied out to center; Cedeno homered [Helms scored,
Wilson scored]; Wynn doubled to left; HANDS REPLACED AKER
(PITCHING); May walked; Watson forced May (shortstop to second);
5 R, 5 H, 0 E, 2 LOB.  Cubs 1, Astros 7.

CUBS 9TH: Kessinger singled to right; Williams doubled to left
[Kessinger scored]; Cardenal struck out; Pepitone struck out;
Beckert popped to shortstop; 1 R, 2 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Cubs 2,
Astros 7.