The Astros exploded for nine runs in the sixth inning and rolled to a 13-2 victory over the Reds. Cesar Cedeno, who singled in the first inning, stole second and scored on a single by Bob Watson, opened the sixth with a homer. A single by Watson, double by Lee May and error on a grounder by Doug Rader loaded the bases. Tommy Helms capitalized on the opportunity with a two-run double.

Then, with two out, Jim Wynn walked to reload the sacks and Roger Metzger was hit by a pitch to force in a run. Cedeno walked to force in another. Watson then doubled to clear the bases and scored himself on a single by Rafael Batista. Bobby Tolan homered for the Reds' pair in the seventh, but Rader added three more runs to the Astros' total with a bases-loaded double in the eighth. [The Sporting News]



Houston Astros 13, Cincinnati Reds 2
Game Played on Monday, June      25, 1973 (Night game) at Astrodome
Reds         0  0  0    0  0  0    2  0  0  -   2  7  1
Astros       1  0  0    0  0  9    0  3  x  -  13 13  1


Reds                 AB   R   H RBI    BB  SO    AVG      Astros               AB   R   H RBI    BB  SO    AVG
Rose lf               4   0   0   0     0   0   .292      Wynn rf               2   2   0   0     3   0   .228
Morgan 2b             4   0   0   0     0   0   .302      Metzger ss            4   1   2   1     0   2   .254
Driessen 3b           4   0   2   0     0   0   .379      Cedeno cf             4   4   2   2     1   0   .320
Perez 1b              2   0   0   0     2   0   .289      Watson lf             4   3   3   4     1   0   .336
Stahl rf              4   1   1   0     0   1   .295      May 1b                3   0   1   0     0   0   .267
Tolan cf              4   1   2   2     0   1   .203        Batista pr,1b       2   1   1   1     0   0   .500
Concepcion ss         4   0   1   0     0   0   .272      Rader 3b              5   1   1   3     0   2   .250
Plummer c             4   0   1   0     0   3   .191      Helms 2b              5   1   1   2     0   1   .291
Billingham p          2   0   0   0     0   0   .024      Jutze c               4   0   1   0     0   1   .225
  Sprague p           0   0   0   0     0   0   .000      Forsch p              4   0   1   0     0   1   .070
  Geronimo ph         1   0   0   0     0   0   .162
  Tomlin p            0   0   0   0     0   0   .000
  King ph             1   0   0   0     0   0   .167

Totals               34   2   7   2     2   5             Totals               37  13  13  13     5   7

Time of Game: 2:21   Attendance: 25,781
Left on Base: Reds 7, Astros 6
DP: Reds 1, Astros 1
Errors: Driessen, May
Doubles: May (12), Helms (14), Watson (12), Rader (11)
Home Runs: Tolan (4), Cedeno (13)
Stolen Bases: Cedeno (27)
GIDP: Rose (9), Cedeno (10)
Hit by Pitch: Metzger (2,by Sprague)


Reds                   IP     H   R  ER  BB  SO  HR BFP    ERA
Billingham L(9-5)       5     9   6   4   1   4   1  25   3.74
Sprague                 1     2   4   4   2   2   0   8   5.97
Tomlin                  2     2   3   3   2   1   0  10   4.32
Totals                  8    13  13   7*  5   7   1  43

Astros                 IP     H   R  ER  BB  SO  HR BFP    ERA
Forsch W(8-7)           9     7   2   2   2   5   1  36   3.20
Totals                  9     7   2   2   2   5   1  36

Passed Balls: Plummer (1)
Hit by Pitch: Sprague (2)

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


REDS 1ST: Rose flied out to left; Morgan grounded out (second to
first); Driessen singled to shortstop; Perez walked [Driessen to
second]; Stahl flied out to center; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 2 LOB.  Reds
0, Astros 0.

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

REDS 2ND: Tolan grounded out (first unassisted); Concepcion
grounded out (shortstop to first); Plummer struck out; 0 R, 0 H,
0 E, 0 LOB.  Reds 0, Astros 1.

ASTROS 2ND: Rader was called out on strikes; Helms struck out;
Jutze singled; Forsch forced Jutze (shortstop to second); 0 R, 1
H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Reds 0, Astros 1.

REDS 3RD: Billingham reached on an error by May [Billingham to
first]; Rose grounded into a double play (shortstop to second to
first) [Billingham out at second]; Morgan popped to catcher in
foul territory; 0 R, 0 H, 1 E, 0 LOB.  Reds 0, Astros 1.

ASTROS 3RD: Wynn walked; On a bunt Metzger singled [Wynn to
second]; Cedeno grounded into a double play (third to second to
first) [Wynn to third, Metzger out at second]; Watson flied out
to right; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Reds 0, Astros 1.

REDS 4TH: Driessen grounded out (shortstop to first); Perez
grounded out (shortstop to first); Stahl was called out on
strikes; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Reds 0, Astros 1.

ASTROS 4TH: May grounded out (second to first); Rader popped to
third; Helms popped to shortstop; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Reds 0,
Astros 1.

REDS 5TH: Tolan singled to right; Concepcion forced Tolan (third
to second); Plummer struck out; Billingham forced Concepcion
(second to shortstop); 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Reds 0, Astros 1.

ASTROS 5TH: Jutze flied out to right; Forsch singled to third;
Wynn flied out to left; Metzger was called out on strikes; 0 R,
1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Reds 0, Astros 1.

REDS 6TH: Rose grounded out (first to pitcher); Morgan popped to
third; Driessen grounded out (shortstop to first); 0 R, 0 H, 0
E, 0 LOB.  Reds 0, Astros 1.

ASTROS 6TH: Cedeno homered; Watson singled; May doubled to left
[Watson to third]; BATISTA RAN FOR MAY; Rader reached on an
error by Driessen [Watson stayed at third, Batista stayed at
second, Rader to first]; Helms doubled to left [Watson scored,
Batista scored, Rader to third]; SPRAGUE REPLACED BILLINGHAM
(PITCHING); Jutze grounded out (shortstop to first); Forsch
struck out; Wynn was walked intentionally; Metzger was hit by a
pitch [Rader scored (unearned), Helms to third, Wynn to second];
Cedeno walked [Helms scored (unearned), Wynn to third, Metzger
to second]; Watson doubled to left [Wynn scored (unearned, but
earned for the pitcher), Metzger scored (unearned, but earned
for the pitcher), Cedeno scored (unearned, but earned for the
pitcher)]; Batista singled [Watson scored (unearned, but earned
for the pitcher)]; Rader struck out; 9 R (7 ER), 6 H, 1 E, 1
LOB.  Reds 0, Astros 10.

REDS 7TH: BATISTA STAYED IN GAME (PLAYING 1B); Perez flied out
to right; Stahl singled to right; Tolan homered [Stahl scored];
Concepcion grounded out (third to first); Plummer singled to
left; GERONIMO BATTED FOR SPRAGUE; Geronimo forced Plummer
(second to shortstop); 2 R, 3 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Reds 2, Astros 10.

ASTROS 7TH: TOMLIN REPLACED GERONIMO (PITCHING); Helms popped to
first; Jutze was called out on strikes; Forsch flied out to
center; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Reds 2, Astros 10.

REDS 8TH: Rose flied out to left; Morgan flied out to left;
Driessen singled; Perez walked [Driessen to second]; Stahl flied
out to right; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 2 LOB.  Reds 2, Astros 10.

ASTROS 8TH: Wynn walked; Plummer allowed a passed ball [Wynn to
second]; Metzger singled [Wynn to third]; Cedeno forced Metzger
(third to second) [Wynn stayed at third]; Watson walked [Cedeno
to second]; Batista popped to catcher in foul territory; Rader
doubled [Wynn scored, Cedeno scored, Watson scored]; Helms lined
to center; 3 R, 2 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Reds 2, Astros 13.

REDS 9TH: Tolan struck out; Concepcion singled to left; Plummer
struck out; KING BATTED FOR TOMLIN; King grounded out (third to
first); 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Reds 2, Astros 13.