With 21 men already in action, the Astros let relief pitcher Jim Ray bat for himself in the 14th inning and the move paid off in a four-run outburst that beat the Mets, 9-5. Tommie Agee and Jim Wynn started the uprising with singles. Ray, expecting to bunt but getting the hit sign instead, came through with a single to drive in the tie-breaking tally. Cesar Cedeno singled to load the bases and Bob Watson walked to force in the second run. Doug Rader then doubled to drive in the last two tallies.

Jerry Koosman, who started for the Mets, was lifted with a 5-2 lead in the eighth inning after loading the bases on singles by Agee, Jesus Alou and Cedeno. Tug McGraw, relieving, experienced an unusual spell of wildness and walked three batters to force in the tying runs. [The Sporting News]



Houston Astros 9, New York Mets 5
Game Played on Friday, May       4, 1973 (Night game) at Shea Stadium
Astros       0  0  0    2  0  0    0  3  0    0  0  0    0  4  -   9 13  2
Mets         0  4  0    0  0  1    0  0  0    0  0  0    0  0  -   5  8  1


Astros               AB   R   H RBI    BB  SO    AVG      Mets                 AB   R   H RBI    BB  SO    AVG
Wynn rf               7   2   1   0     0   4   .252      Martinez cf           7   0   1   2     0   2   .283
Metzger ss            3   0   0   0     0   1   .108      Millan 2b             7   0   3   0     0   1   .196
  Alou ph             1   1   1   0     0   0   .333      Garrett 3b            6   0   0   0     0   2   .200
  Crawford p          0   0   0   0     0   0   .333      Staub rf              5   1   1   0     2   0   .171
  Upshaw p            0   0   0   0     0   0   .000      Kranepool 1b          1   2   0   0     2   1   .276
  Edwards ph          1   0   0   0     0   1   .217        Beauchamp ph        0   0   0   0     0   0   .300
  York p              0   0   0   0     0   0   .000        Boswell ph          1   0   0   0     0   0   .200
  Gallagher ph        1   0   0   0     0   1   .200        Theodore 1b,lf      2   0   0   0     0   0   .231
  Ray p               1   1   1   1     0   0   .333      Gosger lf             3   1   0   0     3   0   .333
  Gladding p          0   0   0   0     0   0   .000        Parker p            0   0   0   0     0   0   .200
Cedeno cf             7   3   4   1     0   1   .305      Grote c               6   1   2   1     0   1   .256
Watson lf,1b          3   1   1   2     4   0   .344      Harrelson ss          6   0   0   0     0   0   .203
May 1b                4   0   0   0     0   2   .197      Koosman p             3   0   0   1     0   1   .133
  Torres ss           3   0   0   0     0   1   .087        McGraw p            0   0   0   0     0   0   .000
Rader 3b              6   0   3   4     1   0   .219        Hennigan p          2   0   1   0     0   1   .333
Howard c              6   0   0   1     1   1   .147        Fregosi 1b          0   0   0   0     1   0   .194
Helms 2b              6   0   0   0     0   0   .226
Forsch p              1   0   0   0     0   1   .059
  Stewart ph          1   0   0   0     0   1   .167
  Griffin p           0   0   0   0     0   0   .000
  Agee ph,lf          4   1   2   0     0   1   .286

Totals               55   9  13   9     6  15             Totals               49   5   8   4     8   9

Time of Game: 4:02   Attendance: 17,397
Left on Base: Astros 10, Mets 11
DP: Astros 0, Mets 1
Errors: Wynn, Metzger, Hennigan
Doubles: Rader (3), Martinez (1), Staub (4)
Triples: Watson (2)
Home Runs: Cedeno (3)
Stolen Bases: Cedeno (10)
Caught Stealing: Martinez (3)
Sacrifice Hits: Garrett (1)
GIDP: Rader (3)


Astros                 IP     H   R  ER  BB  SO  HR BFP    ERA
Forsch                  4     2   4   4   3   2   0  17   4.14
Griffin                 3     1   1   0   1   3   0  12   3.66
Crawford                0.1   1   0   0   0   1   0   2   3.38
Upshaw                  0.2   0   0   0   1   0   0   3   5.00
York                    3     2   0   0   1   2   0  11   1.77
Ray W(2-0)              2     1   0   0   2   0   0   9   0.00
Gladding SV(1)          1     1   0   0   0   1   0   4   3.24
Totals                 14     8   5   4   8   9   0  58

Mets                   IP     H   R  ER  BB  SO  HR BFP    ERA
Koosman                 7.1   7   5   5   1   6   1  30   1.96
McGraw                  0.1   0   0   0   3   1   0   4   1.32
Hennigan L(0-2)         5.2   5   4   4   1   7   0  23   3.31
Parker                  0.2   1   0   0   1   1   0   4   0.59
Totals                 14    13   9   9   6  15   1  61

Umpires: HP - Lee Weyer, 1B - John Kibler, 2B - Frank Pulli, 3B - Ken Burkhart


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

METS 1ST: Martinez struck out; Millan grounded out (second to
first); Garrett lined to second; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Astros
0, Mets 0.

ASTROS 2ND: Watson walked; May popped to catcher in foul
territory; Rader singled to left [Watson to third]; Howard
reached on a fielder's choice [Watson out at home (third to
catcher to shortstop to pitcher), Rader to third]; Helms
grounded out (shortstop to first); 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 2 LOB.  Astros
0, Mets 0.

METS 2ND: Staub walked; Kranepool walked [Staub to second];
Gosger walked [Staub to third, Kranepool to second]; Grote
singled to left [Gosger to second, Kranepool to third, Staub
scored]; Harrelson popped to shortstop; Koosman grounded out
(pitcher to first) [Grote to second, Gosger to third, Kranepool
scored]; Martinez doubled to left [Grote scored, Gosger scored];
Millan grounded out (second to first); 4 R, 2 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.
Astros 0, Mets 4.

ASTROS 3RD: Forsch struck out; Wynn struck out; Metzger struck
out; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Astros 0, Mets 4.

METS 3RD: Garrett grounded out (pitcher to first); Staub flied
to right; Kranepool was called out on strikes; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0
LOB.  Astros 0, Mets 4.

ASTROS 4TH: Cedeno homered; Watson tripled to right; May struck
out; Rader singled to left [Watson scored]; Howard popped to
first in foul territory; Helms forced Rader (shortstop to
second); 2 R, 3 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Astros 2, Mets 4.

METS 4TH: Gosger popped to shortstop; Grote popped to first;
Harrelson grounded out (second to first); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.
Astros 2, Mets 4.

ASTROS 5TH: STEWART BATTED FOR FORSCH; Stewart struck out; Wynn
grounded out (second to first); Metzger grounded out (second to
first); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Astros 2, Mets 4.

METS 5TH: GRIFFIN REPLACED STEWART (PITCHING); Koosman was
called out on strikes; Martinez lined to shortstop; Millan
singled to center; Garrett struck out; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.
Astros 2, Mets 4.

ASTROS 6TH: Cedeno popped to first in foul territory; Watson
lined to third; May grounded out (shortstop to first); 0 R, 0 H,
0 E, 0 LOB.  Astros 2, Mets 4.

METS 6TH: Staub grounded out (first unassisted); Kranepool
walked; Gosger grounded out (first unassisted) [Kranepool to
second]; Grote reached on an error by Metzger [Kranepool scored
(unearned) (no RBI)]; Harrelson grounded out (first to pitcher);
1 R (0 ER), 0 H, 1 E, 1 LOB.  Astros 2, Mets 5.

ASTROS 7TH: Rader grounded out (third to first); Howard grounded
out (shortstop to first); Helms flied to left; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0
LOB.  Astros 2, Mets 5.

METS 7TH: Koosman grounded out (pitcher to first); Martinez
reached on an error by Wynn [Martinez to first]; Martinez was
caught stealing second (catcher to shortstop); Millan struck
out; 0 R, 0 H, 1 E, 0 LOB.  Astros 2, Mets 5.

ASTROS 8TH: AGEE BATTED FOR GRIFFIN; Agee singled to center;
Wynn forced Agee (third to second); ALOU BATTED FOR METZGER;
Alou singled to center [Wynn to second]; Cedeno singled [Alou to
second, Wynn to third]; MCGRAW REPLACED KOOSMAN (PITCHING);
Watson walked [Wynn scored, Alou to third, Cedeno to second];
May struck out; Rader walked [Alou scored, Cedeno to third,
Watson to second]; Howard walked [Cedeno scored, Watson to
third, Rader to second]; HENNIGAN REPLACED MCGRAW (PITCHING);
Helms popped to shortstop; 3 R, 3 H, 0 E, 3 LOB.  Astros 5, Mets
5.

METS 8TH: CRAWFORD REPLACED ALOU (PITCHING); AGEE STAYED IN GAME
(PLAYING LF); WATSON CHANGED POSITIONS (PLAYING 1B); TORRES
REPLACED MAY (PLAYING SS); Garrett was called out on strikes;
Staub doubled to right; BEAUCHAMP BATTED FOR KRANEPOOL; UPSHAW
REPLACED CRAWFORD (PITCHING); BOSWELL BATTED FOR BEAUCHAMP;
Boswell grounded out (second to first) [Staub to third]; Gosger
was walked intentionally; Grote grounded out (second to first);
0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 2 LOB.  Astros 5, Mets 5.

ASTROS 9TH: THEODORE REPLACED BOSWELL (PLAYING 1B); Agee
grounded out (first unassisted); Wynn struck out; EDWARDS BATTED
FOR UPSHAW; Edwards struck out; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Astros 5,
Mets 5.

METS 9TH: YORK REPLACED EDWARDS (PITCHING); Harrelson flied to
left; Hennigan singled to right; Martinez grounded out (second
to first) [Hennigan to second]; Hennigan was picked off second
(pitcher to second to shortstop); 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Astros
5, Mets 5.

ASTROS 10TH: Cedeno singled to left; Cedeno stole second; Watson
reached on an error by Hennigan [Cedeno to third]; Torres flied
to right; Rader grounded into a double play (second to first)
[Watson out at second]; 0 R, 1 H, 1 E, 1 LOB.  Astros 5, Mets 5.

METS 10TH: Millan singled to left; Garrett out on a sacrifice
bunt (first unassisted) [Millan to second]; Staub was walked
intentionally; Theodore flied to left; Gosger flied to center; 0
R, 1 H, 0 E, 2 LOB.  Astros 5, Mets 5.

ASTROS 11TH: Howard grounded out (shortstop to first); Helms
flied to right; Agee struck out; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Astros
5, Mets 5.

METS 11TH: Grote struck out; Harrelson grounded out (shortstop
to first); Hennigan was called out on strikes; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0
LOB.  Astros 5, Mets 5.

ASTROS 12TH: Wynn struck out; GALLAGHER BATTED FOR YORK;
Gallagher struck out; Cedeno struck out; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.
Astros 5, Mets 5.

METS 12TH: RAY REPLACED GALLAGHER (PITCHING); Martinez grounded
out (second to first); Millan lined to shortstop; Garrett flied
to left; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Astros 5, Mets 5.

ASTROS 13TH: Watson walked; On a bunt Torres struck out; Rader
flied to center; Howard forced Watson (shortstop to second); 0
R, 0 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Astros 5, Mets 5.

METS 13TH: Staub grounded out (shortstop to first); Theodore
grounded out (first unassisted); Gosger walked; Grote singled to
left [Gosger to second]; Harrelson grounded out (pitcher to
first); 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 2 LOB.  Astros 5, Mets 5.

ASTROS 14TH: Helms flied to center; Agee singled to right; Wynn
singled to right [Agee to third]; Ray singled to center [Agee
scored, Wynn to second]; Cedeno singled to center [Ray to
second, Wynn to third]; PARKER REPLACED GOSGER (PITCHING);
FREGOSI REPLACED HENNIGAN (PLAYING 1B); THEODORE CHANGED
POSITIONS (PLAYING LF); Watson walked [Wynn scored, Ray to
third, Cedeno to second]; Torres popped to first; Rader doubled
to left [Watson to third, Cedeno scored, Ray scored]; Howard
struck out; 4 R, 5 H, 0 E, 2 LOB.  Astros 9, Mets 5.

METS 14TH: Fregosi walked; GLADDING REPLACED RAY (PITCHING);
Martinez struck out; Millan singled to left [Fregosi to second];
Garrett flied to center; Staub flied to left; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 2
LOB.  Astros 9, Mets 5.