The Astros combined six hits and a sacrifice fly for five runs in the fourth inning and defeated the Mets, 7-4. The first five hits came in succession off Jerry Koosman. Jim Wynn and Bob Watson led off with singles. Wynn scored on a double by Doug Rader. Tommy Helms singled to drive in Watson and Wynn.

Jesus Alou followed with a double, Helms stopping at third. After Gary Gentry replaced Koosman, Bob Stinson hit a sacrifice fly to drive in Helms and Roger Metzger singled to score Alou. [The Sporting News]



Houston Astros 7, New York Mets 4
Game Played on Wednesday, August    23, 1972 (Day game) at Shea Stadium
Astros       0  0  0    5  2  0    0  0  0  -   7 10  0
Mets         0  0  1    0  0  0    0  3  0  -   4  6  0


Astros               AB   R   H RBI    BB  SO    AVG      Mets                 AB   R   H RBI    BB  SO    AVG
Metzger ss            4   0   1   1     1   1   .215      Barnes ss             4   0   1   1     0   0   .333
Cedeno cf             5   0   0   0     0   0   .340      Garrett 3b            4   0   1   0     0   0   .215
Wynn rf               3   2   1   0     1   1   .274      Agee cf               3   1   1   1     0   1   .247
Watson 1b             4   2   2   0     0   0   .309      Kranepool 1b          3   1   1   2     1   0   .256
Rader 3b              3   1   2   2     0   0   .240      Milner lf             4   0   0   0     0   1   .244
Helms 2b              4   1   2   2     0   1   .273      Marshall rf           3   0   0   0     1   1   .234
Alou lf               4   1   2   1     0   0   .311      Dyer c                3   0   0   0     1   2   .235
Howard c              1   0   0   0     0   1   .211      Boswell 2b            4   1   2   0     0   2   .175
  Stinson ph,c        2   0   0   1     0   0   .185      Koosman p             1   0   0   0     0   1   .081
Dierker p             4   0   0   0     0   1   .169        Gentry p            0   0   0   0     0   0   .125
                                                            Schneck ph          1   0   0   0     0   1   .185
                                                            Sadecki p           0   0   0   0     0   0   .200
                                                            Beauchamp ph        0   1   0   0     1   0   .233
                                                            McGraw p            0   0   0   0     0   0   .143

Totals               34   7  10   7     2   5             Totals               30   4   6   4     4   9

Time of Game: 2:29   Attendance: 26,100
Left on Base: Astros 4, Mets 4
DP: Astros 3, Mets 1
Doubles: Rader (20), Alou (4), Boswell (5)
Home Runs: Kranepool (7)
Stolen Bases: Rader (5), Marshall (1)
Sacrifice Flies: Stinson (1), Rader (8)
GIDP: Alou (1), Milner (4), Barnes (2), Kranepool (10)
Hit by Pitch: Agee (4,by Dierker)


Astros                 IP     H   R  ER  BB  SO  HR BFP    ERA
Dierker W(12-7)         9     6   4   4   4   9   1  35   3.16
Totals                  9     6   4   4   4   9   1  35

Mets                   IP     H   R  ER  BB  SO  HR BFP    ERA
Koosman L(8-10)         3     6   5   5   1   4   0  16   4.36
Gentry                  2     3   2   2   1   1   0  10   3.86
Sadecki                 3     1   0   0   0   0   0   9   2.55
McGraw                  1     0   0   0   0   0   0   3   1.82
Totals                  9    10   7   7   2   5   0  38

Hit by Pitch: Dierker (5)
Wild Pitches: Gentry (7)

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


ASTROS 1ST: Metzger struck out; Cedeno flied to right; Wynn
struck out; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Astros 0, Mets 0.

METS 1ST: Barnes grounded out (shortstop to first); Garrett
grounded out (second to first); Agee struck out; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E,
0 LOB.  Astros 0, Mets 0.

ASTROS 2ND: Watson flied to right; Rader singled to left; Rader
stole second; Helms struck out; Alou grounded out (catcher to
first); 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Astros 0, Mets 0.

METS 2ND: Kranepool walked; Milner grounded into a double play
(second to shortstop to first) [Kranepool out at second];
Marshall grounded out (second to first); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.
Astros 0, Mets 0.

ASTROS 3RD: Howard struck out; Dierker grounded out (first
unassisted); Metzger walked; Cedeno grounded out (third to
first); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Astros 0, Mets 0.

METS 3RD: Dyer struck out; Boswell doubled to right; Koosman
struck out; Barnes singled to left [Boswell scored]; Garrett
grounded out (first unassisted); 1 R, 2 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Astros
0, Mets 1.

ASTROS 4TH: Wynn singled to left; Watson singled to right [Wynn
to third]; Rader doubled to right [Wynn scored, Watson to
third]; Helms singled to right [Watson scored, Rader scored];
Alou doubled to left [Helms to third]; GENTRY REPLACED KOOSMAN
(PITCHING); STINSON BATTED FOR HOWARD; Stinson hit a sacrifice
fly to left [Helms scored]; Dierker struck out; Metzger singled
to left [Alou scored, Metzger to second (on throw)]; Cedeno
grounded out (shortstop to first); 5 R, 6 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Astros
5, Mets 1.

METS 4TH: STINSON STAYED IN GAME (PLAYING C ); Agee was hit by a
pitch; Kranepool grounded out (first unassisted) [Agee to
second]; Milner grounded out (second to first) [Agee to third];
Marshall popped to shortstop; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Astros 5,
Mets 1.

ASTROS 5TH: Wynn walked; Watson singled to right [Wynn to
third]; Rader hit a sacrifice fly to center [Wynn scored];
Gentry threw a wild pitch [Watson to second]; Helms flied to
center; Alou singled to center [Watson scored]; Stinson flied to
left; 2 R, 2 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Astros 7, Mets 1.

METS 5TH: Dyer walked; Boswell singled to center [Dyer to
second]; SCHNECK BATTED FOR GENTRY; Schneck struck out; Barnes
grounded into a double play (shortstop to second to first)
[Boswell out at second]; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Astros 7, Mets 1.

ASTROS 6TH: SADECKI REPLACED SCHNECK (PITCHING); Dierker flied
to center; Metzger grounded out (third to first); Cedeno flied
to center; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Astros 7, Mets 1.

METS 6TH: Garrett flied to left; Agee singled to right;
Kranepool grounded into a double play (second to shortstop to
first) [Agee out at second]; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Astros 7,
Mets 1.

ASTROS 7TH: Wynn grounded out (third to first); Watson grounded
out (shortstop to first); Rader flied to center; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E,
0 LOB.  Astros 7, Mets 1.

METS 7TH: Milner struck out; Marshall walked; Marshall stole
second; Dyer struck out; Boswell struck out; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 1
LOB.  Astros 7, Mets 1.

ASTROS 8TH: Helms singled to left; Alou grounded into a double
play (shortstop to second to first) [Helms out at second];
Stinson grounded out (second to first); 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.
Astros 7, Mets 1.

METS 8TH: BEAUCHAMP BATTED FOR SADECKI; Beauchamp walked; Barnes
popped to shortstop; Garrett singled to right [Beauchamp to
third]; Agee forced Garrett (second to shortstop) [Beauchamp
scored]; Kranepool homered [Agee scored]; Milner flied to right;
3 R, 2 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Astros 7, Mets 4.

ASTROS 9TH: MCGRAW REPLACED BEAUCHAMP (PITCHING); Dierker
grounded out (second to first); Metzger flied to center; Cedeno
lined to right; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Astros 7, Mets 4.

METS 9TH: Marshall struck out; Dyer popped to catcher in foul
territory; Boswell struck out; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Astros 7,
Mets 4.