The Astros broke away with four runs in the sixth inning and defeated the Reds, 7-1, for their 11th victory in the last 12 games and 17th in the last 20. With the score tied, 1-1, Roger Metzger doubled and Cesar Cedeno was passed intentionally. Bob Watson responded with a single to score Metzger with the go-ahead run.

Lee May also singled, driving in Cedeno. Doug Rader was safe on an error to load the bases. Watson scored when Johnny Edwards grounded into a forceout. Tommie Agee, running for May, crossed the plate when Tommy Helms doubled. Jim York saved the game for Jerry Reuss, striking out Johnny Bench with the bases loaded in the eighth inning. [The Sporting News]



Houston Astros 7, Cincinnati Reds 1
Game Played on Saturday, May       12, 1973 (Night game) at Astrodome
Reds         0  0  0    1  0  0    0  0  0  -   1  5  1
Astros       1  0  0    0  0  4    2  0  x  -   7 10  0


Reds                 AB   R   H RBI    BB  SO    AVG      Astros               AB   R   H RBI    BB  SO    AVG
Rose lf               4   0   1   0     0   0   .311      Wynn rf               4   0   0   0     1   0   .238
Concepcion ss         2   0   0   0     2   0   .323      Metzger ss            5   2   2   0     0   0   .170
Bench 1b              3   1   0   0     1   1   .245      Cedeno cf             3   2   2   1     1   0   .341
Tolan cf              4   0   2   0     0   0   .252      Watson lf,1b          3   2   2   2     1   1   .376
Menke 3b              1   0   0   0     3   0   .219      May 1b                3   0   1   1     0   0   .202
Plummer c             4   0   1   1     0   1   .154        Agee pr,lf          1   1   1   1     0   0   .298
Chaney 2b             2   0   0   0     0   0   .128      Rader 3b              4   0   0   0     0   1   .227
  Gagliano ph,2b      1   0   0   0     1   1   .200      Howard c              2   0   0   0     0   0   .158
Geronimo rf           2   0   0   0     0   1   .193        Edwards ph,c        1   0   0   1     1   0   .216
  Scheinblum ph,rf    2   0   0   0     0   0   .192      Helms 2b              4   0   2   1     0   0   .260
Grimsley p            2   0   0   0     0   1   .048      Reuss p               3   0   0   0     0   1   .227
  Carroll p           0   0   0   0     0   0   .000        York p              0   0   0   0     0   0   .000
  Morgan ph           1   0   1   0     0   0   .326
  Sprague p           0   0   0   0     0   0   .000

Totals               28   1   5   1     7   5             Totals               33   7  10   7     4   3

Time of Game: 2:20   Attendance: 38,874
Left on Base: Reds 7, Astros 7
DP: Reds 1, Astros 3
Errors: Concepcion
Doubles: Helms 2 (3), Metzger (2)
Triples: Cedeno (2)
Stolen Bases: Tolan (7), Cedeno (15)
Sacrifice Hits: York (1)
GIDP: Plummer (1), Concepcion (3), Bench (5), May (5)


Reds                   IP     H   R  ER  BB  SO  HR BFP    ERA
Grimsley L(4-2)         5.1   6   5   3   2   2   0  23   2.43
Carroll                 1.2   4   2   2   0   1   0  10  10.80
Sprague                 1     0   0   0   2   0   0   5   1.13
Totals                  8    10   7   5   4   3   0  38

Astros                 IP     H   R  ER  BB  SO  HR BFP    ERA
Reuss W(5-1)            7.2   4   1   1   6   3   0  29   2.01
York SV(5)              1.1   1   0   0   1   2   0   6   1.66
Totals                  9     5   1   1   7   5   0  35

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


REDS 1ST: Rose grounded out (second to first); Concepcion flied
out to right; Bench flied out to center; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.
Reds 0, Astros 0.

ASTROS 1ST: Wynn popped to first; Metzger singled to right;
Cedeno tripled to right [Metzger scored]; Watson struck out; May
grounded out (third to first); 1 R, 2 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Reds 0,
Astros 1.

REDS 2ND: Tolan grounded out (shortstop to first); Menke walked;
Plummer grounded into a double play (shortstop to second to
first) [Menke out at second]; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Reds 0,
Astros 1.

ASTROS 2ND: Rader grounded out (shortstop to first); Howard
popped to shortstop; Helms doubled to left; Reuss grounded out
(second to first); 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Reds 0, Astros 1.

REDS 3RD: Chaney popped to second; Geronimo struck out; Grimsley
grounded out (third to first); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Reds 0,
Astros 1.

ASTROS 3RD: Wynn grounded out (third to first); Metzger flied
out to center; Cedeno grounded out (shortstop to first); 0 R, 0
H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Reds 0, Astros 1.

REDS 4TH: Rose singled to center; Concepcion grounded into a
double play (second to shortstop to first) [Rose out at second];
Bench walked; Tolan singled to right [Bench to second]; Menke
walked [Bench to third, Tolan to second]; Plummer singled to
center [Bench scored, Tolan out at home (center to catcher),
Menke to third]; 1 R, 3 H, 0 E, 2 LOB.  Reds 1, Astros 1.

ASTROS 4TH: Watson walked; May grounded into a double play
(shortstop to second to first) [Watson out at second]; Rader
struck out; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Reds 1, Astros 1.

REDS 5TH: Chaney grounded out (second to first); Geronimo popped
to second; Grimsley was called out on strikes; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0
LOB.  Reds 1, Astros 1.

ASTROS 5TH: Howard grounded out (shortstop to first); Helms
lined to second; Reuss popped to third in foul territory; 0 R, 0
H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Reds 1, Astros 1.

REDS 6TH: Rose grounded out (shortstop to first); Concepcion
walked; Bench grounded into a double play (third to second to
first) [Concepcion out at second]; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Reds
1, Astros 1.

ASTROS 6TH: Wynn grounded out (shortstop to first); Metzger
doubled to right; Cedeno was walked intentionally; Watson
singled to left [Metzger scored, Cedeno to second]; May singled
to left [Cedeno scored, Watson to second]; CARROLL REPLACED
GRIMSLEY (PITCHING); AGEE RAN FOR MAY; Rader reached on an error
by Concepcion [Watson to third, Agee to second, Rader to first];
EDWARDS BATTED FOR HOWARD; Edwards forced Rader (second to
shortstop) [Watson scored (unearned), Agee to third]; Helms
doubled to left [Agee scored (unearned), Edwards to third];
Reuss struck out; 4 R (2 ER), 4 H, 1 E, 2 LOB.  Reds 1, Astros 5.

REDS 7TH: AGEE STAYED IN GAME (PLAYING LF); WATSON CHANGED
POSITIONS (PLAYING 1B); EDWARDS STAYED IN GAME (PLAYING C );
Tolan flied out to center; Menke flied out to center; Plummer
was called out on strikes; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Reds 1, Astros
5.

ASTROS 7TH: Wynn grounded out (shortstop to first); Metzger
grounded out (shortstop to first); Cedeno singled to center;
Cedeno stole second; Watson singled to shortstop [Cedeno scored,
Watson to second]; Agee singled to left [Watson scored]; Rader
flied out to left; 2 R, 3 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Reds 1, Astros 7.

REDS 8TH: GAGLIANO BATTED FOR CHANEY; Gagliano walked;
SCHEINBLUM BATTED FOR GERONIMO; Scheinblum flied out to center;
MORGAN BATTED FOR CARROLL; Morgan singled to right [Gagliano to
second]; Rose grounded out (second to first) [Gagliano to third,
Morgan to second]; Concepcion walked; YORK REPLACED REUSS
(PITCHING); Bench struck out; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 3 LOB.  Reds 1,
Astros 7.

ASTROS 8TH: SCHEINBLUM STAYED IN GAME (PLAYING RF); GAGLIANO
STAYED IN GAME (PLAYING 2B); SPRAGUE REPLACED MORGAN (PITCHING);
Edwards walked; Helms flied out to center; York out on a
sacrifice bunt (first unassisted) [Edwards to second]; Wynn
walked; Metzger forced Wynn (second unassisted); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E,
2 LOB.  Reds 1, Astros 7.

REDS 9TH: Tolan singled to center; Tolan stole second; Menke
walked; Plummer popped to first; Gagliano struck out; Scheinblum
forced Menke (second to shortstop); 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 2 LOB.  Reds
1, Astros 7.