Exploding in the 13th inning, the Astros scored four runs on homers by Bob Watson and Roger Metzger to defeat the Giants, 5-1. Don Wilson pitched the route for the Astros. Randy Moffitt was on the mound for the Giants in relief of Sam McDowell when Watson led off the 13th with a circuit clout to break a 1-1 tie.

With one out, Tommy Helms doubled. After an intentional pass to Larry Howard, Moffitt struck out Wilson. The Giants then brought Don McMahon to the mound and Metzger whacked his first pitch for a three-run homer. [The Sporting News]



Houston Astros 5, San Francisco Giants 1
Game Played on Thursday, September 7, 1972 (Day game) at Candlestick Park
Astros       0  0  1    0  0  0    0  0  0    0  0  0    4  -   5 15  0
Giants       0  0  0    0  1  0    0  0  0    0  0  0    0  -   1 10  0


Astros               AB   R   H RBI    BB  SO    AVG      Giants               AB   R   H RBI    BB  SO    AVG
Metzger ss            5   1   4   4     2   1   .228      Bonds rf              6   0   0   0     0   2   .249
Wynn rf               4   0   2   0     3   1   .271      Speier ss             5   0   3   0     1   1   .275
Cedeno cf             7   0   0   0     0   1   .330      Henderson lf          6   0   2   0     0   0   .260
May 1b                6   0   1   0     0   1   .283      McCovey 1b            6   0   0   0     0   0   .209
Watson lf             6   1   3   1     0   0   .310      Rader c               4   1   0   0     1   0   .268
Rader 3b              6   0   1   0     0   3   .245      Hart 3b               5   0   3   0     0   1   .265
Helms 2b              6   1   1   0     0   0   .277        B. Williams pr      0   0   0   0     0   0   .185
Howard c              4   1   2   0     2   0   .217        Blanco 3b           0   0   0   0     0   0   .353
Wilson p              6   1   1   0     0   3   .109      Fuentes 2b            5   0   2   1     0   1   .266
                                                          Maddox cf             5   0   0   0     0   1   .266
                                                            McMahon p           0   0   0   0     0   0   .250
                                                          McDowell p            3   0   0   0     0   0   .135
                                                            Kingman ph          1   0   0   0     0   0   .216
                                                            Moffitt p           0   0   0   0     0   0   .000
                                                            Howarth cf          1   0   0   0     0   1   .255

Totals               50   5  15   5     7  10             Totals               47   1  10   1     2   7

Time of Game: 3:27   Attendance:  2,427
Left on Base: Astros 13, Giants 9
DP: Astros 0, Giants 3
Doubles: Howard (7), Helms (18), Wynn (25), Fuentes (30), Henderson (17)
Triples: Wilson (1), Fuentes (5)
Home Runs: Watson (13), Metzger (2)
Stolen Bases: Metzger (21)
Caught Stealing: Metzger (8), Hart (1)
GIDP: Wilson (2)


Astros                 IP     H   R  ER  BB  SO  HR BFP    ERA
Wilson W(11-8)         13    10   1   1   2   7   0  49   2.79
Totals                 13    10   1   1   2   7   0  49

Giants                 IP     H   R  ER  BB  SO  HR BFP    ERA
McDowell               10    10   1   1   5   8   0  42   4.47
Moffitt L(1-3)          2.2   3   3   3   2   2   1  12   3.63
McMahon                 0.1   2   1   1   0   0   1   3   3.75
Totals                 13    15   5   5   7  10   2  57

Umpires: HP - Harry Wendelstedt, 1B - Jerry Dale, 2B - Ed Vargo, 3B - Paul Pryor


ASTROS 1ST: Metzger was called out on strikes; Wynn struck out;
Cedeno flied out to right; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Astros 0,
Giants 0.

GIANTS 1ST: Bonds flied out to center; Speier grounded out
(shortstop to first); Henderson made an out to shortstop; 0 R, 0
H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Astros 0, Giants 0.

ASTROS 2ND: May struck out; Watson singled to center; Rader
struck out; Helms flied to right in foul territory; 0 R, 1 H, 0
E, 1 LOB.  Astros 0, Giants 0.

GIANTS 2ND: McCovey flied out to right; Rader flied out to
right; Hart struck out; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Astros 0, Giants
0.

ASTROS 3RD: Howard made an out to shortstop; Wilson tripled to
left; Metzger singled to center [Wilson scored]; Metzger was
picked off and caught stealing second (pitcher to first to
second); Wynn walked; Cedeno forced Wynn (shortstop to second);
1 R, 2 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Astros 1, Giants 0.

GIANTS 3RD: Fuentes tripled to right; Maddox struck out;
McDowell flied out to center; Bonds struck out; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1
LOB.  Astros 1, Giants 0.

ASTROS 4TH: May grounded out (second to first); Watson singled
to center; Rader struck out; Helms forced Watson (shortstop to
second); 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Astros 1, Giants 0.

GIANTS 4TH: Speier struck out; Henderson made an out to first;
McCovey grounded out (pitcher to shortstop to first); 0 R, 0 H,
0 E, 0 LOB.  Astros 1, Giants 0.

ASTROS 5TH: Howard doubled to left; Wilson popped to pitcher;
Metzger walked; Wynn singled to right [Howard to third, Metzger
to second]; Cedeno struck out; May forced Metzger (third
unassisted); 0 R, 2 H, 0 E, 3 LOB.  Astros 1, Giants 0.

GIANTS 5TH: Rader walked; Hart singled to second [Rader to
second]; Fuentes doubled to right [Rader scored, Hart to third];
Maddox made an out to third; McDowell made an out to shortstop;
Bonds grounded out (shortstop to first); 1 R, 2 H, 0 E, 2 LOB.
Astros 1, Giants 1.

ASTROS 6TH: Watson flied out to right; Rader singled to left;
Helms flied out to left; Howard singled to right [Rader to
second]; Wilson struck out; 0 R, 2 H, 0 E, 2 LOB.  Astros 1,
Giants 1.

GIANTS 6TH: Speier walked; Henderson flied out to right; McCovey
grounded out (second to first) [Speier to second]; Rader made an
out to second; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Astros 1, Giants 1.

ASTROS 7TH: Metzger singled to left; Wynn walked [Metzger to
second]; Cedeno lined into a double play (second to first) [Wynn
out at first]; May made an out to second; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.
Astros 1, Giants 1.

GIANTS 7TH: Hart singled to left; Hart was caught stealing
second (catcher to shortstop); Fuentes made an out to second;
Maddox grounded out (shortstop to first); 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.
Astros 1, Giants 1.

ASTROS 8TH: Watson grounded out (shortstop to first); Rader made
an out to first; Helms grounded out (shortstop to first); 0 R, 0
H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Astros 1, Giants 1.

GIANTS 8TH: McDowell flied out to right; Bonds popped to catcher
in foul territory; Speier singled to center; Henderson flied out
to center; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Astros 1, Giants 1.

ASTROS 9TH: Howard walked; Wilson grounded into a double play
(second to shortstop to first) [Howard out at second]; Metzger
walked; Wynn flied out to right; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Astros
1, Giants 1.

GIANTS 9TH: McCovey popped to catcher in foul territory; Rader
made an out to first; Hart flied out to center; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0
LOB.  Astros 1, Giants 1.

ASTROS 10TH: Cedeno flied out to left; May singled to center;
Watson flied out to center; Rader struck out; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1
LOB.  Astros 1, Giants 1.

GIANTS 10TH: Fuentes struck out; Maddox flied out to center;
KINGMAN BATTED FOR MCDOWELL; Kingman grounded out (shortstop to
first); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Astros 1, Giants 1.

ASTROS 11TH: MOFFITT REPLACED KINGMAN (PITCHING); Helms flied
out to right; Howard grounded out (shortstop to first); Wilson
struck out; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Astros 1, Giants 1.

GIANTS 11TH: Bonds was called out on strikes; Speier singled to
center; Henderson singled to right [Speier out at third (right
to third)]; McCovey grounded out (shortstop to first); 0 R, 2 H,
0 E, 1 LOB.  Astros 1, Giants 1.

ASTROS 12TH: Metzger singled to right; Metzger stole second;
Wynn walked; Cedeno hit into a double play (center to third)
[Metzger out at third]; May made an out to shortstop; 0 R, 1 H,
0 E, 1 LOB.  Astros 1, Giants 1.

GIANTS 12TH: Rader flied out to center; Hart singled to left; B.
WILLIAMS RAN FOR HART; Fuentes grounded out (second to first)
[B. Williams to second]; Maddox popped to first in foul
territory; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Astros 1, Giants 1.

ASTROS 13TH: BLANCO REPLACED B. WILLIAMS (PLAYING 3B); Watson
homered; Rader grounded out (third to first); Helms doubled to
center; Howard was walked intentionally; On a bunt Wilson struck
out; MCMAHON REPLACED MADDOX (PITCHING); HOWARTH REPLACED
MOFFITT (PLAYING CF); Metzger homered [Helms scored, Howard
scored]; Wynn doubled to center; Cedeno grounded out (third to
first); 4 R, 4 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Astros 5, Giants 1.

GIANTS 13TH: Howarth struck out; Bonds flied out to right;
Speier singled to center; Henderson doubled to left [Speier to
third]; McCovey flied out to right; 0 R, 2 H, 0 E, 2 LOB.
Astros 5, Giants 1.