The Astros marked the return of Leo Durocher to his managerial duties by defeating the Reds, 5-1, behind the two-hit pitching of Don Wilson. Durocher had been absent from his job since April 20 because of an intestinal infection and missed 16 games. The Astros won 13 and lost three under coach Preston Gomez.

Wilson gave up the Reds' only run on a double by Joe Morgan and single by Johnny Bench in the sixth inning. Lee May hit a two-run homer for the Astros and Cesar Cedeno, who collected three singles, also accounted for two RBIs. [The Sporting News]



Houston Astros 5, Cincinnati Reds 1
Game Played on Friday, May       11, 1973 (Night game) at Astrodome
Reds         0  0  0    0  0  1    0  0  0  -   1  3  2
Astros       0  3  0    0  1  0    1  0  x  -   5 11  0


Reds                 AB   R   H RBI    BB  SO    AVG      Astros               AB   R   H RBI    BB  SO    AVG
Rose lf               3   0   0   0     1   0   .313      Wynn rf               3   1   2   1     0   0   .246
Morgan 2b             4   1   1   0     0   0   .319      Metzger ss            2   1   1   0     0   0   .158
Bench c               4   0   1   1     0   1   .252      Cedeno cf             4   0   3   2     0   0   .333
Tolan cf              4   0   0   0     0   1   .243      Watson lf             3   1   1   0     1   0   .368
Hague 1b              4   0   0   0     0   1   .167      May 1b                4   1   1   2     0   1   .198
Concepcion ss         3   0   0   0     1   1   .330      Rader 3b              4   1   2   0     0   0   .235
Geronimo rf           4   0   0   0     0   1   .198      Edwards c             3   0   0   0     0   0   .218
Menke 3b              1   0   0   0     2   0   .222      Helms 2b              3   0   1   0     0   0   .252
Nelson p              1   0   0   0     0   1   .083      Wilson p              3   0   0   0     1   2   .136
  Locklear ph         1   0   0   0     0   0   .143
  Sprague p           0   0   0   0     0   0   .000
  Chaney ph           1   0   1   0     0   0   .135
  Borbon p            0   0   0   0     0   0   .250

Totals               30   1   3   1     4   6             Totals               29   5  11   5     2   3

Time of Game: 2:12   Attendance: 31,354
Left on Base: Reds 6, Astros 7
DP: Reds 2, Astros 0
Errors: Concepcion, Menke
Doubles: Morgan (7), Wynn (5), Rader (5)
Triples: Metzger (4)
Home Runs: May (3)
Stolen Bases: Concepcion (7), Cedeno 2 (14)
Caught Stealing: Cedeno (3)
Sacrifice Hits: Metzger 2 (3), Helms (4)
Sacrifice Flies: Wynn (2)
GIDP: May (4)
Hit by Pitch: Edwards (1,by Nelson)


Reds                   IP     H   R  ER  BB  SO  HR BFP    ERA
Nelson L(2-2)           4     4   3   1   1   2   1  18   2.14
Sprague                 2     3   1   1   1   0   0   9   1.29
Borbon                  2     4   1   1   0   1   0   9   0.99
Totals                  8    11   5   3   2   3   1  36

Astros                 IP     H   R  ER  BB  SO  HR BFP    ERA
Wilson W(3-3)           9     3   1   1   4   6   0  34   3.34
Totals                  9     3   1   1   4   6   0  34

Hit by Pitch: Nelson (1)

Umpires: HP - Bob Engel, 1B - Harry Wendelstedt, 2B - Satch Davidson, 3B - Augie Donatelli


REDS 1ST: Rose walked; Morgan flied out to right; Bench lined to
left; Tolan struck out; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Reds 0, Astros 0.

ASTROS 1ST: Wynn singled to center; Metzger hit into a double
play (third to first) [Wynn out at third (first to third to
second)]; Cedeno flied out to left; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Reds
0, Astros 0.

REDS 2ND: Hague grounded out (first unassisted); Concepcion
walked; Concepcion stole second; Geronimo flied out to center;
Menke walked; Nelson struck out; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 2 LOB.  Reds 0,
Astros 0.

ASTROS 2ND: Watson reached on an error by Menke [Watson to
first]; May homered [Watson scored (unearned)]; Rader singled to
shortstop [Rader to second (error by Concepcion)]; Edwards was
hit by a pitch; Helms out on a sacrifice bunt (third to first)
[Rader to third, Edwards to second]; Wilson walked; Wynn hit a
sacrifice fly to center [Rader scored (unearned)]; Metzger
grounded out (pitcher to first); 3 R (1 ER), 2 H, 2 E, 2 LOB.
Reds 0, Astros 3.

REDS 3RD: Rose flied out to left; Morgan out on an unknown play;
Bench struck out; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Reds 0, Astros 3.

ASTROS 3RD: Cedeno singled to center; Cedeno stole second;
Watson reached on a fielder's choice [Cedeno out at third
(shortstop to third)]; May struck out; Rader forced Watson
(shortstop to second); 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Reds 0, Astros 3.

REDS 4TH: Tolan lined to second; Hague struck out; Concepcion
popped to second; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Reds 0, Astros 3.

ASTROS 4TH: Edwards grounded out (first unassisted); Helms flied
out to center; Wilson struck out; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Reds 0,
Astros 3.

REDS 5TH: Geronimo popped to third in foul territory; Menke
walked; LOCKLEAR BATTED FOR NELSON; Locklear forced Menke (third
to second); Rose flied out to left; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Reds
0, Astros 3.

ASTROS 5TH: SPRAGUE REPLACED LOCKLEAR (PITCHING); Wynn doubled
to left; Metzger out on a sacrifice bunt (catcher to second)
[Wynn to third]; Cedeno singled to left [Wynn scored]; Cedeno
stole second; Cedeno was caught stealing third (catcher to
third); Watson walked; May grounded out (third to first); 1 R, 2
H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Reds 0, Astros 4.

REDS 6TH: Morgan doubled to right; Bench singled to right
[Morgan scored]; Tolan popped to catcher in foul territory;
Hague forced Bench (second unassisted); Concepcion grounded out
(third to first); 1 R, 2 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Reds 1, Astros 4.

ASTROS 6TH: Rader grounded out (third to first); Edwards
grounded out (second to first); Helms singled to left; Wilson
flied out to left; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Reds 1, Astros 4.

REDS 7TH: Geronimo struck out; Menke flied out to center; CHANEY
BATTED FOR SPRAGUE; Chaney singled to right; Rose grounded out
(second to first); 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Reds 1, Astros 4.

ASTROS 7TH: BORBON REPLACED CHANEY (PITCHING); Wynn grounded out
(shortstop to first); Metzger tripled to left; Cedeno singled to
left [Metzger scored]; Watson singled to right [Cedeno to
second]; May grounded into a double play (shortstop to second to
first) [Watson out at second]; 1 R, 3 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Reds 1,
Astros 5.

REDS 8TH: Morgan popped to second; Bench grounded out (third to
first); Tolan flied out to left; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Reds 1,
Astros 5.

ASTROS 8TH: Rader doubled to left; Edwards out on an unknown
play; Helms popped to center; Wilson struck out; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E,
1 LOB.  Reds 1, Astros 5.

REDS 9TH: Hague grounded out (pitcher to first); Concepcion
struck out; Geronimo popped to first in foul territory; 0 R, 0
H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Reds 1, Astros 5.