Johnny Edwards walked with the bases loaded in the ninth inning to force in Cesar Cecleno and bring the Astros a 3-2 victory over the Padres. Cedeno struck out to open the stanza but reached first when Steve Arlin uncorked a wild pitch on the third strike.

Cedeno stole second and continued to third on a wild throw by catcher Joe Goddard, playing his first game in the majors. Arlin then retired Jim Wynn on a grounder before walking Lee May and Bob Watson intentionally to load the bases. [The Sporting News]



Houston Astros 3, San Diego Padres 2
Game Played on Monday, July      31, 1972 (Night game) at Astrodome
Padres       1  1  0    0  0  0    0  0  0  -   2  8  1
Astros       1  0  1    0  0  0    0  0  1  -   3 10  1


Padres               AB   R   H RBI    BB  SO    AVG      Astros               AB   R   H RBI    BB  SO    AVG
Thomas ss             3   1   1   1     1   0   .239      Metzger ss            4   1   1   0     1   0   .205
Roberts 3b            5   0   1   0     0   0   .250      Cedeno cf             5   1   1   1     0   3   .344
Stahl lf              5   0   1   0     0   1   .231      Wynn rf               4   0   2   0     1   0   .277
Colbert 1b            4   0   1   1     0   0   .233      May 1b                4   0   2   0     1   1   .291
Gaston rf             4   0   1   0     0   1   .259      Watson lf             4   1   0   0     1   0   .302
Jestadt 2b            4   0   1   0     0   0   .250      Edwards c             3   0   1   1     2   0   .246
Morales cf            2   0   0   0     1   0   .235      Rader 3b              3   0   2   1     1   0   .247
  Blefary ph          0   0   0   0     1   0   .227      Helms 2b              4   0   1   0     0   1   .262
  Jeter cf            0   0   0   0     0   0   .235      Dierker p             3   0   0   0     0   3   .184
Goddard c             3   0   0   0     0   0   .000
Arlin p               3   1   2   0     1   0   .157

Totals               33   2   8   2     4   2             Totals               34   3  10   3     7   8

Time of Game: 2:57   Attendance: 11,988
Left on Base: Padres 10, Astros 14
DP: Padres 1, Astros 2
Errors: Goddard, Metzger
Doubles: Thomas (9), Wynn (18), Rader (18)
Stolen Bases: Metzger (16), Cedeno 2 (33)
Sacrifice Hits: Goddard (1), Dierker (6)
GIDP: Morales (6), Goddard (1)
Hit by Pitch: Thomas (2,by Dierker)


Padres                 IP     H   R  ER  BB  SO  HR BFP    ERA
Arlin L(8-13)           8.1  10   3   3   7   8   0  42   3.06
Totals                  8.1  10   3   3   7   8   0  42

Astros                 IP     H   R  ER  BB  SO  HR BFP    ERA
Dierker W(9-6)          9     8   2   2   4   2   0  39   3.28
Totals                  9     8   2   2   4   2   0  39

Hit by Pitch: Dierker (3)
Wild Pitches: Arlin (10)

Umpires: HP - Bruce Froemming, 1B - Augie Donatelli, 2B - Stan Landes, 3B - Satch Davidson


PADRES 1ST: Thomas walked; Roberts flied out to center; Stahl
singled to left [Thomas to second]; Colbert singled to center
[Thomas scored, Stahl to second]; Gaston forced Colbert (second
to shortstop) [Stahl to third]; Jestadt grounded out (third to
first); 1 R, 2 H, 0 E, 2 LOB.  Padres 1, Astros 0.

ASTROS 1ST: Metzger singled to center; Metzger stole second;
Cedeno singled to center [Metzger scored]; Cedeno stole second;
Wynn walked; May flied out to left [Cedeno to third]; Watson hit
into a double play (first to second to shortstop) [Wynn out at
second]; 1 R, 2 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Padres 1, Astros 1.

PADRES 2ND: Morales grounded out (second to first); Goddard
lined to pitcher; Debut game for Joe Goddard; Arlin
singled to center; Thomas doubled to center [Arlin scored];
Roberts flied out to right; 1 R, 2 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Padres 2,
Astros 1.

ASTROS 2ND: Edwards singled to center; Rader lined to left;
Helms singled to center [Edwards to second]; Dierker struck out;
Metzger walked [Edwards to third, Helms to second]; Cedeno made
an out to shortstop; 0 R, 2 H, 0 E, 3 LOB.  Padres 2, Astros 1.

PADRES 3RD: Stahl grounded out (first to pitcher); Colbert
grounded out (third to first); Gaston grounded out (second to
first); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Padres 2, Astros 1.

ASTROS 3RD: Wynn flied out to right; May singled to left; Watson
forced May (shortstop to second); Edwards walked [Watson to
second]; Rader singled to left [Watson scored, Edwards to
second]; Helms grounded out (shortstop to first); 1 R, 2 H, 0 E,
2 LOB.  Padres 2, Astros 2.

PADRES 4TH: Jestadt singled to left; Morales grounded into a
double play (second to first) [Jestadt out at second]; Goddard
lined to center; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Padres 2, Astros 2.

ASTROS 4TH: Dierker struck out; Metzger lined to left; Cedeno
was called out on strikes; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Padres 2,
Astros 2.

PADRES 5TH: Arlin flied out to left; Thomas grounded out
(shortstop to first); Roberts singled to left; Stahl was called
out on strikes; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Padres 2, Astros 2.

ASTROS 5TH: Wynn doubled to left; May struck out; Watson popped
to first in foul territory; Edwards flied out to right; 0 R, 1
H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Padres 2, Astros 2.

PADRES 6TH: Colbert made an out to shortstop; Gaston was called
out on strikes; Jestadt grounded out (shortstop to first); 0 R,
0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Padres 2, Astros 2.

ASTROS 6TH: Rader doubled to left; Helms flied out to right;
Dierker struck out; Metzger grounded out (first to pitcher); 0
R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Padres 2, Astros 2.

PADRES 7TH: Morales walked; Goddard out on a sacrifice bunt
(first to second) [Morales to second]; Arlin walked; Thomas was
hit by a pitch [Morales to third, Arlin to second]; Roberts made
an out to second; Stahl flied out to right; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 3
LOB.  Padres 2, Astros 2.

ASTROS 7TH: Cedeno struck out; Wynn singled to left; May singled
to left [Wynn to second]; Watson flied out to right; Edwards
grounded out (second to first); 0 R, 2 H, 0 E, 2 LOB.  Padres 2,
Astros 2.

PADRES 8TH: Colbert reached on an error by Metzger [Colbert to
first]; Gaston singled to center [Colbert to third]; Jestadt
flied out to right; BLEFARY BATTED FOR MORALES; Blefary walked
[Gaston to second]; Goddard grounded into a double play
(shortstop to second to first) [Blefary out at second]; 0 R, 1
H, 1 E, 2 LOB.  Padres 2, Astros 2.

ASTROS 8TH: JETER REPLACED BLEFARY (PLAYING CF); Rader walked;
Helms struck out; Dierker out on a sacrifice bunt (pitcher to
second) [Rader to second]; Metzger made an out to shortstop; 0
R, 0 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Padres 2, Astros 2.

PADRES 9TH: Arlin singled to left; On a bunt Thomas forced Arlin
(first to shortstop); Roberts grounded out (pitcher to first)
[Thomas to second]; Stahl grounded out (shortstop to first); 0
R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Padres 2, Astros 2.

ASTROS 9TH: Cedeno struck out but advanced to first on a wild
pitch; Cedeno stole second [Cedeno to third (error by Goddard)];
Wynn grounded out (shortstop to first); May was walked
intentionally; Watson was walked intentionally [May to second];
Edwards walked [Cedeno scored, May to third, Watson to second];
1 R, 0 H, 1 E, 3 LOB.  Padres 2, Astros 3.