With Ken Forsch pitching a four-hitter, the Astros broke a four-game losing streak by defeating the Braves, 2-1. The Braves scored their run in the fourth inning on a double by Dusty Baker and single by Mike Lum. The Astros came back with a pair in their half. Cesar Cedeno singled, took third on a single by Bob Watson and counted the tying tally on a sacrifice fly by Lee May. Watson moved to second and scored the deciding run on a double by Tommy Helms. [The Sporting News]



Houston Astros 2, Atlanta Braves 1
Game Played on Thursday, May       17, 1973 (Night game) at Astrodome
Braves       0  0  0    1  0  0    0  0  0  -   1  4  0
Astros       0  0  0    2  0  0    0  0  x  -   2 10  0


Braves               AB   R   H RBI    BB  SO    AVG      Astros               AB   R   H RBI    BB  SO    AVG
Garr rf               4   0   1   0     0   1   .250      Wynn rf               4   0   0   0     0   1   .214
Oates c               4   0   0   0     0   1   .233      Metzger ss            4   0   2   0     0   0   .179
Evans 3b              4   0   0   0     0   2   .250      Cedeno cf             4   1   2   0     0   1   .346
Aaron lf              2   0   0   0     2   1   .229      Watson lf             3   1   1   0     1   0   .353
  Gilbreath pr        0   0   0   0     0   0   .292      May 1b                3   0   1   1     0   2   .207
Baker cf              4   1   1   0     0   0   .295      Rader 3b              4   0   2   0     0   1   .234
Lum 1b                2   0   1   1     1   0   .288      Helms 2b              3   0   2   1     0   0   .259
Johnson 2b            3   0   0   0     0   2   .271      Howard c              2   0   0   0     2   2   .133
Jackson ss            3   0   1   0     0   0   .194      Forsch p              4   0   0   0     0   3   .040
Dobson p              2   0   0   0     0   0   .067
  Pierce ph           1   0   0   0     0   1   .050
  Harrison p          0   0   0   0     0   0   .000

Totals               29   1   4   1     3   8             Totals               31   2  10   2     3  10

Time of Game: 2:10   Attendance:  9,106
Left on Base: Braves 4, Astros 10
DP: Braves 0, Astros 0
Doubles: Baker (6), Metzger (3), Rader (6), Helms (5)
Stolen Bases: Garr (5), Cedeno (19)
Caught Stealing: Lum (2), Helms (1)
Sacrifice Hits: Helms (5)
Sacrifice Flies: May (2)


Braves                 IP     H   R  ER  BB  SO  HR BFP    ERA
Dobson L(2-6)           7     9   2   2   3   7   0  32   4.58
Harrison                1     1   0   0   0   3   0   4   1.73
Totals                  8    10   2   2   3  10   0  36

Astros                 IP     H   R  ER  BB  SO  HR BFP    ERA
Forsch W(4-3)           9     4   1   1   3   8   0  32   3.21
Totals                  9     4   1   1   3   8   0  32

Wild Pitches: Forsch (3)

Umpires: HP - Bruce Froemming, 1B - Terry Tata, 2B - Ed Vargo, 3B - Paul Pryor


BRAVES 1ST: Garr grounded out (shortstop to first); Oates
grounded out (second to first); Evans grounded out (second to
first); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Braves 0, Astros 0.

ASTROS 1ST: Wynn struck out; Metzger doubled; Cedeno struck out;
Watson walked; May was called out on strikes; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 2
LOB.  Braves 0, Astros 0.

BRAVES 2ND: Aaron walked; Baker flied out to center; Lum walked
[Aaron to second]; Johnson struck out; Jackson singled to center
[Aaron out at home (shortstop to catcher), Lum to second]; 0 R,
1 H, 0 E, 2 LOB.  Braves 0, Astros 0.

ASTROS 2ND: Rader doubled; Helms reached on a fielder's choice
[Rader out at third (pitcher to shortstop)]; Howard was called
out on strikes; Helms was caught stealing second (catcher to
second); 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Braves 0, Astros 0.

BRAVES 3RD: Dobson grounded out (pitcher to first); Garr struck
out; Oates lined to second; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Braves 0,
Astros 0.

ASTROS 3RD: Forsch struck out; Wynn grounded out (third to
first); Metzger grounded out (second to first); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0
LOB.  Braves 0, Astros 0.

BRAVES 4TH: Evans grounded out (second to first); Aaron struck
out; Baker doubled; Lum singled [Baker scored]; Lum was caught
stealing second (catcher to second); 1 R, 2 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.
Braves 1, Astros 0.

ASTROS 4TH: Cedeno singled; Watson singled [Cedeno to third];
May hit a sacrifice fly to center [Cedeno scored, Watson to
second]; Rader flied out to right; Helms doubled [Watson
scored]; Howard was walked intentionally; Forsch flied out to
right; 2 R, 3 H, 0 E, 2 LOB.  Braves 1, Astros 2.

BRAVES 5TH: Johnson struck out; Jackson grounded out (pitcher to
first); Dobson grounded out (second to first); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0
LOB.  Braves 1, Astros 2.

ASTROS 5TH: Wynn grounded out (shortstop to first); Metzger
flied out to center; Cedeno singled; Watson lined to center; 0
R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Braves 1, Astros 2.

BRAVES 6TH: Garr singled; Garr stole second; Oates struck out;
Evans struck out; Aaron grounded out (shortstop to first); 0 R,
1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Braves 1, Astros 2.

ASTROS 6TH: May singled; Rader singled [May to second]; Helms
out on a sacrifice bunt (pitcher to second) [May to third, Rader
to second]; Howard was walked intentionally; Forsch struck out;
Wynn made an out to shortstop; 0 R, 2 H, 0 E, 3 LOB.  Braves 1,
Astros 2.

BRAVES 7TH: Baker flied out to right; Lum grounded out (first
unassisted); Johnson flied out to right; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.
Braves 1, Astros 2.

ASTROS 7TH: Metzger singled; Cedeno forced Metzger (shortstop to
second); Cedeno stole second; Watson grounded out (catcher to
first) [Cedeno to third]; May was called out on strikes; 0 R, 1
H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Braves 1, Astros 2.

BRAVES 8TH: Jackson flied out to left; PIERCE BATTED FOR DOBSON;
Pierce struck out; Garr flied out to right; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0
LOB.  Braves 1, Astros 2.

ASTROS 8TH: HARRISON REPLACED PIERCE (PITCHING); Rader struck
out; Helms singled; Howard struck out; Forsch struck out; 0 R, 1
H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Braves 1, Astros 2.

BRAVES 9TH: Oates popped to catcher in foul territory; Evans
struck out; Aaron walked; GILBREATH RAN FOR AARON; Forsch threw
a wild pitch [Gilbreath to second]; Baker grounded out
(shortstop to first); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Braves 1, Astros 2.