Hotter than the day's 104-degree temperature, Lee May smashed three homers, driving in five runs, and Tommy Helms added a grand slam as the Astros bombed the Padres, 12-2. Cesar Cedeno also homered for the Astros to account for their initial run.

May, who hit safely in his 20th straight game for a Houston club record, hit a solo swat in the second and followed with two-run blows in the seventh and ninth. Helms' slam came in the fifth on the first pitch thrown by Mike Corkins after taking over in relief of Bill Greif with the bases loaded. Dave Winfield hit his first major league homer for the Padres. [The Sporting News]



Houston Astros 12, San Diego Padres 2
Game Played on Thursday, June      21, 1973 (Day game) at San Diego Stadium
Astros       1  1  0    5  0  0    2  0  3  -  12 14  0
Padres       0  0  0    0  1  0    0  1  0  -   2  8  2


Astros               AB   R   H RBI    BB  SO    AVG      Padres               AB   R   H RBI    BB  SO    AVG
Wynn rf               4   0   1   0     1   3   .237      Thomas ss,2b          4   0   1   1     0   1   .207
Metzger ss            4   1   0   0     1   1   .248      Grubb cf              4   0   1   0     0   0   .299
Cedeno cf             5   2   3   1     0   1   .311      Kendall c             4   0   0   0     0   0   .288
Watson lf             4   3   1   1     1   0   .327      Colbert 1b            4   0   2   0     0   1   .238
May 1b                5   4   4   5     0   0   .272      Gaston rf             4   0   0   0     0   2   .304
Rader 3b              5   1   3   0     0   0   .245      Roberts 3b            4   0   1   0     0   0   .193
Helms 2b              5   1   1   4     0   0   .276      Winfield lf           4   2   3   1     0   1   .500
Jutze c               4   0   0   0     0   1   .192      R. Morales 2b         2   0   0   0     0   1   .119
Forsch p              4   0   1   0     0   2   .051        Locklear ph         1   0   0   0     0   0   .190
                                                            Anderson ss         0   0   0   0     0   0   .128
                                                          Greif p               1   0   0   0     0   0   .063
                                                            Corkins p           0   0   0   0     0   0   .176
                                                            Murrell ph          1   0   0   0     0   0   .194
                                                            Miller p            0   0   0   0     0   0   .000
                                                            Lee ph              1   0   0   0     0   0   .264
                                                            Ross p              0   0   0   0     0   0   .000

Totals               40  12  14  11     3   8             Totals               34   2   8   2     0   6

Time of Game: 2:11   Attendance:  2,474
Left on Base: Astros 4, Padres 5
DP: Astros 1, Padres 0
Errors: Thomas 2
Doubles: Rader (9), Forsch (1), Cedeno (14)
Home Runs: Cedeno (11), May 3 (9), Helms (2), Winfield (1)
Stolen Bases: Cedeno (22)
Caught Stealing: Wynn (8), Rader (2)
GIDP: Roberts (2)


Astros                 IP     H   R  ER  BB  SO  HR BFP    ERA
Forsch W(7-7)           9     8   2   2   0   6   1  34   3.28
Totals                  9     8   2   2   0   6   1  34

Padres                 IP     H   R  ER  BB  SO  HR BFP    ERA
Greif L(4-10)           3     6   6   5   1   2   2  15   3.08
Corkins                 2     3   1   1   0   2   1   9   5.22
Miller                  3     3   2   2   1   4   1  13   4.11
Ross                    1     2   3   2   1   0   1   6   5.97
Totals                  9    14  12  10   3   8   5  43

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


ASTROS 1ST: Wynn walked; Wynn was caught stealing second
(catcher to shortstop); Metzger made an out to second; Cedeno
homered; Watson grounded out (second to first); 1 R, 1 H, 0 E, 0
LOB.  Astros 1, Padres 0.

PADRES 1ST: Thomas grounded out (third to first); Grubb grounded
out (third to first); Kendall grounded out (third to first); 0
R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Astros 1, Padres 0.

ASTROS 2ND: May homered; Rader doubled; Rader was picked off and
caught stealing third (pitcher to shortstop to third to
shortstop to third); Helms flied out to center; Jutze struck
out; 1 R, 2 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Astros 2, Padres 0.

PADRES 2ND: Colbert grounded out (third to first); Gaston struck
out; Roberts singled to left; Winfield singled [Roberts to
second]; R. Morales grounded out (second to first); 0 R, 2 H, 0
E, 2 LOB.  Astros 2, Padres 0.

ASTROS 3RD: Forsch lined to right; Wynn struck out; Metzger
grounded out (first unassisted); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Astros
2, Padres 0.

PADRES 3RD: Greif grounded out (third to first); Thomas struck
out; Grubb grounded out (first unassisted); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0
LOB.  Astros 2, Padres 0.

ASTROS 4TH: Cedeno singled; Cedeno stole second; Watson singled
to center [Cedeno scored]; May reached on an error by Thomas
[Watson to second, May to first]; Rader singled [Watson to
third, May to second]; CORKINS REPLACED GREIF (PITCHING); Helms
homered [Watson scored, May scored (unearned), Rader scored];
Jutze grounded out (shortstop to first); Forsch struck out; Wynn
singled to center; Metzger made an out to shortstop; 5 R (4 ER),
5 H, 1 E, 1 LOB.  Astros 7, Padres 0.

PADRES 4TH: Kendall popped to first in foul territory; Colbert
struck out; Gaston grounded out (third to first); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E,
0 LOB.  Astros 7, Padres 0.

ASTROS 5TH: Cedeno struck out; Watson made an out to first; May
singled to left; Rader flied out to center; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1
LOB.  Astros 7, Padres 0.

PADRES 5TH: Roberts flied out to center; Winfield homered; R.
Morales struck out; MURRELL BATTED FOR CORKINS; Murrell popped
to catcher in foul territory; 1 R, 1 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Astros 7,
Padres 1.

ASTROS 6TH: MILLER REPLACED MURRELL (PITCHING); Helms lined to
third; Jutze grounded out (third to first); Forsch doubled to
right; Wynn was called out on strikes; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.
Astros 7, Padres 1.

PADRES 6TH: Thomas made an out to second; Grubb grounded out
(second to first); Kendall flied out to left; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0
LOB.  Astros 7, Padres 1.

ASTROS 7TH: Metzger was called out on strikes; Cedeno made an
out to shortstop; Watson walked; May homered [Watson scored];
Rader singled to right; Helms lined to center; 2 R, 2 H, 0 E, 1
LOB.  Astros 9, Padres 1.

PADRES 7TH: Colbert singled to center; Gaston struck out;
Roberts grounded into a double play (shortstop to second to
first) [Colbert out at second]; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Astros 9,
Padres 1.

ASTROS 8TH: Jutze grounded out (shortstop to first); Forsch
struck out; Wynn struck out; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Astros 9,
Padres 1.

PADRES 8TH: Winfield singled to right; LOCKLEAR BATTED FOR R.
MORALES; Locklear flied out to center; LEE BATTED FOR MILLER;
Lee grounded out (first to pitcher) [Winfield to second]; Thomas
singled to center [Winfield scored]; Grubb singled to right
[Thomas to third]; Kendall flied out to center; 1 R, 3 H, 0 E, 2
LOB.  Astros 9, Padres 2.

ASTROS 9TH: THOMAS CHANGED POSITIONS (PLAYING 2B); ANDERSON
REPLACED LOCKLEAR (PLAYING SS); ROSS REPLACED LEE (PITCHING);
Metzger walked; Cedeno doubled to left [Metzger to third];
Watson reached on an error by Thomas [Metzger scored (no RBI),
Cedeno out at home (first to catcher), Watson to first]; May
homered [Watson scored (unearned)]; Rader grounded out (second
to first); Helms flied out to right; 3 R (2 ER), 2 H, 1 E, 0
LOB.  Astros 12, Padres 2.

PADRES 9TH: Colbert singled to center; Gaston flied out to
right; Roberts flied out to left; Winfield struck out; 0 R, 1 H,
0 E, 1 LOB.  Astros 12, Padres 2.