J.R. Richard pitched a two-hitter and Bob Watson whacked a grand-slam homer as the Astros defeated the Pirates, 10-2. The Astros scored their first four runs off Dock Ellis in the fourth inning, but all were unearned as the result of an error by Rennie Stennett. Doug Rader singled in one run and Lee May homered for three others. In the next inning, Richard and Bob Gallagher singled and Roger Metzger walked to force the exit of Ellis. John Lamb relieved and was the victim of Watson's slam. [The Sporting News]



Houston Astros 10, Pittsburgh Pirates 2
Game Played on Monday, August    20, 1973 (Night game) at Astrodome
Pirates      0  0  0    0  0  0    0  0  2  -   2  2  1
Astros       0  0  0    4  4  0    0  2  x  -  10 12  0


Pirates              AB   R   H RBI    BB  SO    AVG      Astros               AB   R   H RBI    BB  SO    AVG
Clines cf             4   0   0   0     0   1   .265      Gallagher rf          5   2   2   0     0   1   .231
Hebner 3b             3   1   0   0     1   0   .270      Metzger ss            3   1   1   1     2   0   .259
Oliver 1b             4   0   2   2     0   0   .279      Cedeno cf             5   0   0   0     0   2   .311
Stargell lf           4   0   0   0     0   4   .298      Watson lf             4   2   2   4     0   0   .320
Zisk rf               3   0   0   0     0   0   .346      Rader 3b              3   1   2   1     0   0   .252
Sanguillen c          3   0   0   0     0   1   .283        Stewart pr,3b       1   0   0   0     0   0   .185
Stennett 2b           3   0   0   0     0   1   .243      May 1b                4   2   2   3     0   0   .272
Maxvill ss            1   1   0   0     2   1   .230      Edwards c             3   1   1   0     1   0   .237
Ellis p               1   0   0   0     0   1   .115      Helms 2b              4   0   1   1     0   0   .283
  Lamb p              0   0   0   0     0   0   .000        Torres pr,2b        0   0   0   0     0   0   .095
  Parker ph           1   0   0   0     0   0   .203      Richard p             3   1   1   0     0   2   .160
  Walker p            0   0   0   0     0   0   .069
  R. Hernandez p      0   0   0   0     0   0   .000
  May ph              1   0   0   0     0   0   .277

Totals               28   2   2   2     3   9             Totals               35  10  12  10     3   5

Time of Game: 2:05   Attendance: 11,057
Left on Base: Pirates 2, Astros 5
DP: Pirates 1, Astros 1
Errors: Stennett
Doubles: Oliver (22), Rader (19), May (20)
Home Runs: May (20), Watson (12)
Stolen Bases: Oliver (5)
Sacrifice Hits: Richard (1)
GIDP: Parker (1)


Pirates                IP     H   R  ER  BB  SO  HR BFP    ERA
Ellis L(11-12)          4.1   5   7   3   1   1   1  20   2.87
Lamb                    0.2   2   1   1   0   1   1   4   6.00
Walker                  2     1   0   0   2   2   0   8   4.29
R. Hernandez            1     4   2   2   0   1   0   7   2.42
Totals                  8    12  10   6   3   5   2  39

Astros                 IP     H   R  ER  BB  SO  HR BFP    ERA
Richard W(5-1)          9     2   2   2   3   9   0  31   2.97
Totals                  9     2   2   2   3   9   0  31

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


PIRATES 1ST: Clines struck out; Hebner grounded out (first
unassisted); Oliver flied out to left; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.
Pirates 0, Astros 0.

ASTROS 1ST: Gallagher grounded out (first unassisted); Metzger
grounded out (third to first); Cedeno lined to third; 0 R, 0 H,
0 E, 0 LOB.  Pirates 0, Astros 0.

PIRATES 2ND: Stargell struck out; Zisk made an out to shortstop;
Sanguillen lined to left; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Pirates 0,
Astros 0.

ASTROS 2ND: Watson made an out to first; Rader grounded out
(third to first); May grounded out (third to first); 0 R, 0 H, 0
E, 0 LOB.  Pirates 0, Astros 0.

PIRATES 3RD: Stennett struck out; Maxvill struck out; Ellis
struck out; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Pirates 0, Astros 0.

ASTROS 3RD: Edwards grounded out (first unassisted); Helms made
an out to second; Richard struck out; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.
Pirates 0, Astros 0.

PIRATES 4TH: Clines lined to first; Hebner made an out to
shortstop; Oliver grounded out (shortstop to first); 0 R, 0 H, 0
E, 0 LOB.  Pirates 0, Astros 0.

ASTROS 4TH: Gallagher singled to center; Metzger reached on an
error by Stennett [Gallagher to second, Metzger to first];
Cedeno flied out to center; Watson forced Metzger (shortstop to
second) [Gallagher to third]; Rader singled to center [Gallagher
scored (unearned), Watson to second]; May homered (unearned)
[Watson scored (unearned), Rader scored (unearned)]; Edwards
grounded out (second to first); 4 R (0 ER), 3 H, 1 E, 0 LOB.
Pirates 0, Astros 4.

PIRATES 5TH: Stargell struck out; Zisk flied out to right;
Sanguillen grounded out (shortstop to first); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0
LOB.  Pirates 0, Astros 4.

ASTROS 5TH: Helms lined to left; Richard singled to second;
Gallagher singled to center [Richard to second]; Metzger walked
[Richard to third, Gallagher to second]; LAMB REPLACED ELLIS
(PITCHING); Cedeno struck out; Watson homered [Richard scored,
Gallagher scored, Metzger scored]; Rader doubled to center;
STEWART RAN FOR RADER; May flied out to right; 4 R, 4 H, 0 E, 1
LOB.  Pirates 0, Astros 8.

PIRATES 6TH: STEWART STAYED IN GAME (PLAYING 3B); Stennett
grounded out (second to first); Maxvill walked; PARKER BATTED
FOR LAMB; Parker grounded into a double play (second to
shortstop to first) [Maxvill out at second]; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0
LOB.  Pirates 0, Astros 8.

ASTROS 6TH: WALKER REPLACED PARKER (PITCHING); Edwards walked;
Helms flied out to right; Richard out on a sacrifice bunt
(pitcher to second) [Edwards to second]; Gallagher struck out; 0
R, 0 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Pirates 0, Astros 8.

PIRATES 7TH: Clines grounded out (catcher to first); Hebner
lined to right; Oliver singled to center; Oliver stole second;
Stargell struck out; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Pirates 0, Astros 8.

ASTROS 7TH: Metzger walked; Cedeno struck out; Watson singled to
left [Metzger to second]; Stewart lined into a double play
(shortstop to second) [Metzger out at second]; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1
LOB.  Pirates 0, Astros 8.

PIRATES 8TH: Zisk lined to third; Sanguillen struck out;
Stennett grounded out (shortstop to first); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0
LOB.  Pirates 0, Astros 8.

ASTROS 8TH: R. HERNANDEZ REPLACED WALKER (PITCHING); May doubled
to right; Edwards singled to first [May to third]; Helms singled
to right [May scored, Edwards to second]; TORRES RAN FOR HELMS;
Richard struck out; Gallagher made an out to second; Metzger
singled to center [Edwards scored, Torres to second]; Cedeno
made an out to second; 2 R, 4 H, 0 E, 2 LOB.  Pirates 0, Astros
10.

PIRATES 9TH: TORRES STAYED IN GAME (PLAYING 2B); Maxvill walked;
MAY BATTED FOR R. HERNANDEZ; May flied out to center; Clines
grounded out (shortstop to first) [Maxvill to second]; Hebner
walked; Oliver doubled to center [Maxvill scored, Hebner
scored]; Oliver advanced to third because of defensive
indifference [Oliver to third]; Al Oliver ran to 3B when J.R.
Richard pitched from windup; Stargell struck out; 2 R, 1 H,
0 E, 1 LOB.  Pirates 2, Astros 10.