Hitless in 14 official trips, Roger Metzger broke out of his slump with a run-scoring single in the sixth inning to bring the Astros a 4-3 victory over the Padres. Bob Watson walked and counted the Astros' initial run on a double by Jim Wynn in the second inning. After the Padres went ahead in the third, 3-1, Watson doubled in the sixth, Wynn walked and Johnny Edwards drove them home with a triple to tie the score. Metzger followed with his deciding single. [The Sporting News]



Houston Astros 4, San Diego Padres 3
Game Played on Sunday, April     22, 1973 (Day game) at Astrodome
Padres       0  0  3    0  0  0    0  0  0  -   3  7  3
Astros       0  1  0    0  0  3    0  0  x  -   4  6  0


Padres               AB   R   H RBI    BB  SO    AVG      Astros               AB   R   H RBI    BB  SO    AVG
Thomas ss             4   1   2   0     1   1   .256      Agee lf               4   0   0   0     0   1   .318
Campbell 2b           3   1   1   0     1   1   .250      Helms 2b              3   0   0   0     1   0   .242
  Hernandez pr        0   0   0   0     0   0   .185      Cedeno cf             4   0   0   0     0   2   .317
Lee lf                3   1   0   0     2   2   .276      Watson 1b             3   2   1   0     1   0   .317
Colbert 1b            5   0   0   0     0   2   .217      Wynn rf               3   1   2   1     1   0   .278
Gaston rf             2   0   1   2     2   0   .282      Rader 3b              4   0   0   0     0   0   .177
J. Morales cf         2   0   0   1     1   0   .273      Howard c              2   0   0   0     0   0   .176
Hilton 3b             4   0   1   0     0   0   .207        Edwards ph,c        2   1   1   2     0   0   .229
Kendall c             4   0   2   0     0   0   .250      Metzger ss            4   0   1   1     0   0   .089
Norman p              2   0   0   0     0   0   .125      Reuss p               2   0   1   0     0   0   .333
  Ross p              0   0   0   0     0   0   .000        York p              0   0   0   0     0   0   .000
  Miller p            0   0   0   0     0   0   .000
  Roberts ph          1   0   0   0     0   1   .095

Totals               30   3   7   3     7   7             Totals               31   4   6   4     3   3

Time of Game: 2:41   Attendance: 11,396
Left on Base: Padres 10, Astros 7
DP: Padres 1, Astros 1
Errors: Thomas 2, Hilton
Doubles: Thomas (2), Kendall (4), Wynn (3), Watson (2)
Triples: Edwards (2)
Stolen Bases: Metzger (1)
Sacrifice Hits: Campbell (1), Ross (1), Reuss (1)
Sacrifice Flies: J. Morales (1)


Padres                 IP     H   R  ER  BB  SO  HR BFP    ERA
Norman                  4.2   1   1   1   2   3   0  19   3.38
Ross L(1-1)             1     2   3   3   1   0   0   6   4.02
Miller                  2.1   3   0   0   0   0   0  10   0.82
Totals                  8     6   4   4   3   3   0  35

Astros                 IP     H   R  ER  BB  SO  HR BFP    ERA
Reuss W(3-0)            8.2   7   3   3   7   7   0  39   2.03
York SV(2)              0.1   0   0   0   0   0   0   1   2.51
Totals                  9     7   3   3   7   7   0  40

Wild Pitches: Reuss (1)

Umpires: HP - Tom Gorman, 1B - Bill Williams, 2B - Dick Stello, 3B - Jerry Dale


PADRES 1ST: Thomas doubled to right; Campbell out on a sacrifice
bunt (pitcher to first) [Thomas to third]; Lee struck out;
Colbert made an out to first; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Padres 0,
Astros 0.

ASTROS 1ST: Agee struck out; Helms grounded out (shortstop to
first); Cedeno was called out on strikes; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.
Padres 0, Astros 0.

PADRES 2ND: Gaston walked; J. Morales walked [Gaston to second];
Hilton forced J. Morales (second to shortstop) [Gaston to
third]; Kendall lined to right; Norman grounded out (pitcher to
first); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 2 LOB.  Padres 0, Astros 0.

ASTROS 2ND: Watson walked; Wynn doubled to right [Watson
scored]; Rader lined into a double play (shortstop to second)
[Wynn out at second]; Howard flied out to center; 1 R, 1 H, 0 E,
0 LOB.  Padres 0, Astros 1.

PADRES 3RD: Thomas singled to left; Campbell singled to third
[Thomas to second]; Reuss threw a wild pitch [Thomas to third,
Campbell to second]; Lee walked; Colbert was called out on
strikes; Gaston singled to center [Thomas scored, Campbell
scored, Lee to third]; J. Morales sacrifice flied into a double
play (center to shortstop) [Lee scored, Gaston out at second]; 3
R, 3 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Padres 3, Astros 1.

ASTROS 3RD: Metzger grounded out (third to first); Reuss
grounded out (second to first); Agee reached on an error by
Hilton [Agee to first]; Helms walked [Agee to second]; Cedeno
struck out; 0 R, 0 H, 1 E, 2 LOB.  Padres 3, Astros 1.

PADRES 4TH: Hilton singled to center; Kendall doubled to right
[Hilton to third]; Norman grounded out (second to first); Thomas
was walked intentionally; Campbell popped to first in foul
territory; Lee grounded out (shortstop to first); 0 R, 2 H, 0 E,
3 LOB.  Padres 3, Astros 1.

ASTROS 4TH: Watson reached on an error by Thomas [Watson to
first]; Wynn made an out to shortstop; Rader flied out to left;
Howard flied out to left; 0 R, 0 H, 1 E, 1 LOB.  Padres 3,
Astros 1.

PADRES 5TH: Colbert struck out; Gaston walked; J. Morales flied
out to left; Hilton flied out to right; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.
Padres 3, Astros 1.

ASTROS 5TH: Metzger reached on an error by Thomas [Metzger to
first]; Reuss out on a sacrifice bunt (first to second) [Metzger
to second]; Agee grounded out (first to pitcher) [Metzger to
third]; ROSS REPLACED NORMAN (PITCHING); Helms flied out to
left; 0 R, 0 H, 1 E, 1 LOB.  Padres 3, Astros 1.

PADRES 6TH: Kendall singled to center; Ross out on a sacrifice
bunt (pitcher to first) [Kendall to second]; Thomas grounded out
(shortstop to first); Campbell struck out; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.
 Padres 3, Astros 1.

ASTROS 6TH: Cedeno grounded out (shortstop to first); Watson
doubled to right; Wynn walked; Rader flied out to center;
EDWARDS BATTED FOR HOWARD; Edwards tripled to left [Watson
scored, Wynn scored]; MILLER REPLACED ROSS (PITCHING); Metzger
singled to left [Edwards scored]; Metzger stole second; Reuss
singled to third [Metzger to third]; Agee forced Reuss
(shortstop unassisted); 3 R, 4 H, 0 E, 2 LOB.  Padres 3, Astros
4.

PADRES 7TH: EDWARDS STAYED IN GAME (PLAYING C ); Lee was called
out on strikes; Colbert flied out to left; Gaston grounded out
(second to first); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Padres 3, Astros 4.

ASTROS 7TH: Helms grounded out (shortstop to first); Cedeno
flied out to center; Watson flied out to right; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0
LOB.  Padres 3, Astros 4.

PADRES 8TH: J. Morales made an out to third; Hilton grounded out
(shortstop to first); Kendall grounded out (third to first); 0
R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Padres 3, Astros 4.

ASTROS 8TH: Wynn singled to left; Rader made an out to second;
Edwards flied out to center; Metzger grounded out (shortstop to
first); 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Padres 3, Astros 4.

PADRES 9TH: ROBERTS BATTED FOR MILLER; Roberts struck out;
Thomas struck out; Campbell walked; HERNANDEZ RAN FOR CAMPBELL;
Lee walked [Hernandez to second]; YORK REPLACED REUSS
(PITCHING); Colbert flied out to right; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 2 LOB.
Padres 3, Astros 4.