The Reds, who had been shut out for 21 consecutive innings, broke their drouth with a two-run homer by Dan Driessen in the fourth and defeated the Astros, 2-1. The blow off Larry Dierker enabled Jack Billingham to gain the victory after a narrow squeak in the fifth inning. With two out, Tommy Helms hit a line drive that got past George Foster, who failed in an attempted shoestring catch. Johnny Edwards scored, but Helms, who was credited with a triple, tried for an inside-the-park homer and was thrown out at the plate. [The Sporting News]



Cincinnati Reds 2, Houston Astros 1
Game Played on Friday, May       10, 1974 (Night game) at Riverfront Stadium
Astros       0  0  0    0  1  0    0  0  0  -   1  6  0
Reds         0  0  0    2  0  0    0  0  x  -   2  6  0


Astros               AB   R   H RBI    BB  SO    AVG      Reds                 AB   R   H RBI    BB  SO    AVG
Kelleher ss           3   0   0   0     0   0   .125      Rose lf               2   0   0   0     2   1   .306
  Easler ph           1   0   0   0     0   1   .000      Morgan 2b             2   0   0   0     2   0   .320
Gross rf              3   0   1   0     1   0   .364      Bench c               3   0   1   0     1   0   .239
Cedeno cf             3   0   0   0     1   0   .287      Perez 1b              3   1   0   0     1   0   .313
Watson lf             4   0   0   0     0   0   .345      Driessen 3b           3   1   3   2     1   0   .273
L. May 1b             3   0   0   0     0   1   .316        Chaney 3b           0   0   0   0     0   0   .000
Rader 3b              3   0   1   0     0   0   .267      Foster cf,rf          3   0   0   0     0   0   .250
Edwards c             3   1   2   0     0   0   .227      Griffey rf            3   0   0   0     0   0   .148
  Milbourne pr,2b     0   0   0   0     0   0   .294        Geronimo cf         1   0   0   0     0   0   .270
Helms 2b              3   0   1   1     0   0   .326      Concepcion ss         3   0   2   0     0   0   .264
  J. Johnson p        0   0   0   0     0   0   .000      Billingham p          3   0   0   0     0   2   .000
Dierker p             2   0   1   0     0   1   .235
  Forsch p            0   0   0   0     0   0   .000
  M. May ph,c         1   0   0   0     0   0   .270

Totals               29   1   6   1     2   3             Totals               26   2   6   2     7   3

Time of Game: 2:19   Attendance: 31,463
Left on Base: Astros 3, Reds 8
DP: Astros 3, Reds 1
Doubles: Edwards (2), Concepcion (13)
Triples: Helms (1)
Home Runs: Driessen (1)
Stolen Bases: Cedeno (17), Concepcion (4)
Caught Stealing: Gross (2), Kelleher (1)
Sacrifice Hits: Foster (1)
GIDP: Helms (2), Griffey (2), Bench (3)


Astros                 IP     H   R  ER  BB  SO  HR BFP    ERA
Dierker L(2-2)          6.2   6   2   2   6   3   1  30   2.17
Forsch                  0.1   0   0   0   0   0   0   1   1.26
J. Johnson              1     0   0   0   1   0   0   3   3.52
Totals                  8     6   2   2   7   3   1  34

Reds                   IP     H   R  ER  BB  SO  HR BFP    ERA
Billingham W(5-1)       9     6   1   1   2   3   0  31   3.45
Totals                  9     6   1   1   2   3   0  31

Umpires: HP - Ed Sudol, 1B - Satch Davidson, 2B - Lee Weyer, 3B - Frank Pulli


ASTROS 1ST: Kelleher grounded out (pitcher to first); Gross
flied out to left; Cedeno popped to shortstop; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0
LOB.  Astros 0, Reds 0.

REDS 1ST: Rose struck out; Morgan popped to first; Bench flied
out to left; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Astros 0, Reds 0.

ASTROS 2ND: Watson popped to second; L. May lined to left; Rader
grounded out (shortstop to first); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Astros
0, Reds 0.

REDS 2ND: Perez walked; Driessen singled to right [Perez to
second]; Foster flied out to center; Griffey grounded into a
double play (second to first) [Driessen out at second]; 0 R, 1
H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Astros 0, Reds 0.

ASTROS 3RD: Edwards singled to center; Helms grounded into a
double play (third to second to first) [Edwards out at second];
Dierker struck out; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Astros 0, Reds 0.

REDS 3RD: Concepcion flied out to left; Billingham struck out;
Rose walked; Morgan grounded out (shortstop to first); 0 R, 0 H,
0 E, 1 LOB.  Astros 0, Reds 0.

ASTROS 4TH: Kelleher grounded out (shortstop to first); Gross
singled to right; Gross was caught stealing second (catcher to
shortstop); Cedeno walked; Cedeno stole second; Watson grounded
out (shortstop to first); 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Astros 0, Reds
0.

REDS 4TH: Bench singled to third; Perez forced Bench (third to
second); Driessen homered [Perez scored]; Foster grounded out
(shortstop to first); Griffey grounded out (second to first); 2
R, 2 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Astros 0, Reds 2.

ASTROS 5TH: L. May struck out; Rader singled to center; Edwards
forced Rader (first to shortstop); Helms tripled to right
[Edwards scored, Helms out at home (right to shortstop to
catcher)]; 1 R, 2 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Astros 1, Reds 2.

REDS 5TH: Concepcion singled to left; Concepcion stole second;
On a bunt Billingham struck out; Rose walked; Morgan walked
[Concepcion to third, Rose to second]; Bench grounded into a
double play (shortstop to second to first) [Morgan out at
second]; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 2 LOB.  Astros 1, Reds 2.

ASTROS 6TH: Dierker singled to shortstop; Kelleher forced
Dierker (first to shortstop); Kelleher was caught stealing
second (catcher to shortstop); Gross flied out to left; 0 R, 1
H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Astros 1, Reds 2.

REDS 6TH: Perez flied out to right; Driessen singled to right;
Foster flied out to left; Griffey grounded out (first
unassisted); 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Astros 1, Reds 2.

ASTROS 7TH: FOSTER CHANGED POSITIONS (PLAYING RF); GERONIMO
REPLACED GRIFFEY (PLAYING CF); Cedeno grounded out (shortstop to
first); Watson grounded out (shortstop to first); L. May
grounded out (third to first); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Astros 1,
Reds 2.

REDS 7TH: Concepcion doubled; On a bunt Billingham reached on a
fielder's choice [Concepcion out at third (pitcher to third)];
Rose forced Billingham (second to shortstop); Morgan walked
[Rose to second]; Bench walked [Rose to third, Morgan to
second]; FORSCH REPLACED DIERKER (PITCHING); Perez forced Bench
(shortstop to second); 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 3 LOB.  Astros 1, Reds 2.

ASTROS 8TH: On a bunt Rader grounded out (third to first);
Edwards doubled to center; MILBOURNE RAN FOR EDWARDS; Helms
popped to catcher; M. MAY BATTED FOR FORSCH; M. May popped to
third; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Astros 1, Reds 2.

REDS 8TH: MILBOURNE STAYED IN GAME (PLAYING 2B); J. JOHNSON
REPLACED HELMS (PITCHING); M. MAY STAYED IN GAME (PLAYING C );
Driessen walked; Foster out on a sacrifice bunt (pitcher to
second) [Driessen to second]; Geronimo lined into a double play
(pitcher to shortstop) [Driessen out at second]; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E,
0 LOB.  Astros 1, Reds 2.

ASTROS 9TH: CHANEY REPLACED DRIESSEN (PLAYING 3B); EASLER BATTED
FOR KELLEHER; Easler struck out; Gross walked; Cedeno popped to
first; Watson flied out to center; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Astros
1, Reds 2.