Instead of being wiped out when the Cubs erupted for seven runs in the fourth inning, the Astros battled back to gain an 8-7 victory. The Astros scored twice in the top half of the fourth before the Cubs sent 11 men to bat in their big inning. Bill Madlock and Billy Williams each homered with a man on base.

The Astros picked up a run in the seventh, but still were far behind going into the eighth. Bob Watson began the inning by drawing a walk and stopping at third on a double by Johnny Edwards. After Horacio Pina relieved Steve Stone, Doug Rader doubled, driving in Watson and Edwards. Tommy Helms followed with a single to score Rader. Cliff Johnson then batted for Fred Scherman and came through with a homer to produce the tying and winning runs. [The Sporting News]

Houston Astros 8, Chicago Cubs 7

Game Played on Saturday, June 15, 1974 (Day game) at Wrigley Field

Astros       0  0  0    2  0  0    1  5  0  -   8 15  2
Cubs         0  0  0    7  0  0    0  0  0  -   7 14  1


Astros               AB   R   H RBI    BB  SO    AVG      Cubs                 AB   R   H RBI    BB  SO    AVG
Gross rf              5   0   2   0     0   0   .340      Kessinger ss          5   1   2   1     0   0   .292
Metzger ss            5   0   2   1     0   1   .265      Morales lf            5   1   2   1     0   0   .262
Cedeno cf             5   0   0   0     0   2   .277      Williams 1b           4   1   3   2     1   0   .301
Watson lf             3   2   3   0     2   0   .323      Cardenal rf           5   1   1   0     0   1   .299
L. May 1b             5   1   1   0     0   0   .269      Monday cf             5   1   4   1     0   0   .296
Edwards c             5   1   2   2     0   0   .227      Madlock 3b            4   1   1   2     0   0   .340
Rader 3b              5   2   2   2     0   1   .254        Alexander 3b        1   0   0   0     0   0   .200
Helms 2b              4   0   2   1     0   1   .299      Rosello 2b            3   0   0   0     1   1   .231
  Milbourne pr,2b     0   1   0   0     0   0   .300        Ward ph             0   0   0   0     0   0   .293
Griffin p             0   0   0   0     0   0   .286        Thornton ph         1   0   0   0     0   0   .279
  Forsch p            0   0   0   0     0   0   .000        Harris pr           0   0   0   0     0   0   .188
  Brown ph            1   0   0   0     0   1   .197      Swisher c             3   1   1   0     1   2   .286
  Cosgrove p          0   0   0   0     0   0   .000        Fanzone ph          1   0   0   0     0   1   .218
  Gallagher ph        1   0   0   0     0   0   .204      Stone p               3   0   0   0     0   2   .111
  Scherman p          0   0   0   0     0   0   .000        Pina p              0   0   0   0     0   0   .000
  C. Johnson ph       1   1   1   2     0   0   .315        LaRoche p           0   0   0   0     0   0   .250
  J. Johnson p        0   0   0   0     0   0   .000        Tyrone ph           1   0   0   0     0   0   .188
  Roberts p           0   0   0   0     0   0   .206

Totals               40   8  15   8     2   6             Totals               41   7  14   7     3   7

Time of Game: 3:04   Attendance: 15,869
Left on Base: Astros 8, Cubs 11
DP: Astros 1, Cubs 1
Errors: Metzger, J. Johnson, Kessinger
Doubles: Edwards 2 (4), Watson (7), Rader (12), Gross (7), Monday 2 (12), Morales (8)
Triples: Kessinger (3)
Home Runs: C. Johnson (4), Madlock (3), Williams (9)
Stolen Bases: Cardenal (11), Rosello (1)
Caught Stealing: Metzger (2)
Sacrifice Hits: Griffin (5), Stone (2)
GIDP: Morales (7)


Astros                 IP     H   R  ER  BB  SO  HR BFP    ERA
Griffin                 3.2  11   7   7   1   4   2  22   3.48
Forsch                  0.1   1   0   0   0   0   0   3   3.60
Cosgrove                2     1   0   0   1   0   0   8   0.46
Scherman W(1-3)         1     0   0   0   1   1   0   4   4.05
J. Johnson              1     1   0   0   0   1   0   5   4.46
Roberts SV(1)           1     0   0   0   0   1   0   3   3.88
Totals                  9    14   7   7   3   7   2  45

Cubs                   IP     H   R  ER  BB  SO  HR BFP    ERA
Stone                   7.1  10   5   5   2   3   0  33   5.15
Pina L(3-4)             0     3   3   3   0   0   1   3   2.97
LaRoche                 1.2   2   0   0   0   3   0   7   3.86
Totals                  9    15   8   8   2   6   1  43

Wild Pitches: Forsch (2), Cosgrove (2), LaRoche (2)

Umpires: HP - Andy Olsen, 1B - Dutch Rennert, 2B - Shag Crawford, 3B - John Kibler


ASTROS 1ST: Gross flied out to left; Metzger singled to center;
Metzger was caught stealing second (catcher to second); Cedeno
flied out to center; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Astros 0, Cubs 0.

CUBS 1ST: Kessinger singled to center; Morales grounded into a
double play (third to second to first) [Kessinger out at
second]; Williams singled to shortstop; Cardenal flied out to
left; 0 R, 2 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Astros 0, Cubs 0.

ASTROS 2ND: Watson walked; L. May flied out to left; Edwards
flied out to center; Rader popped to second; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 1
LOB.  Astros 0, Cubs 0.

CUBS 2ND: Monday doubled to left; Madlock grounded out (third to
first); Rosello struck out; Swisher struck out; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1
LOB.  Astros 0, Cubs 0.

ASTROS 3RD: Helms singled to first; Griffin out on a sacrifice
bunt (pitcher to second) [Helms to second]; Gross lined into a
double play (shortstop to second) [Helms out at second]; 0 R, 1
H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Astros 0, Cubs 0.

CUBS 3RD: Stone was called out on strikes; Kessinger grounded
out (first unassisted); Morales doubled to center; Williams was
walked intentionally; Cardenal forced Williams (shortstop to
second); 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 2 LOB.  Astros 0, Cubs 0.

ASTROS 4TH: Metzger popped to third in foul territory; Cedeno
was called out on strikes; Watson singled to right; L. May
singled to left [Watson to second]; Edwards doubled to right
[Watson scored, L. May scored]; Rader grounded out (third to
first); 2 R, 3 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Astros 2, Cubs 0.

CUBS 4TH: Monday singled to left; Madlock homered [Monday
scored]; Rosello grounded out (third to first); Swisher singled
to left; Stone struck out; Kessinger tripled to center [Swisher
scored]; Morales singled to right [Kessinger scored]; Williams
homered [Morales scored]; Cardenal singled to center; FORSCH
REPLACED GRIFFIN (PITCHING); Cardenal stole second; Forsch threw
a wild pitch [Cardenal to third]; Monday singled to center
[Cardenal scored]; Madlock reached on an error by Metzger
[Monday to second, Madlock to first]; Rosello forced Madlock
(shortstop to second); 7 R, 8 H, 1 E, 2 LOB.  Astros 2, Cubs 7.

ASTROS 5TH: Helms lined to center; BROWN BATTED FOR FORSCH;
Brown struck out; Gross flied out to center; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0
LOB.  Astros 2, Cubs 7.

CUBS 5TH: COSGROVE REPLACED BROWN (PITCHING); Swisher walked;
Stone out on a sacrifice bunt (catcher to second) [Swisher to
second]; Cosgrove threw a wild pitch [Swisher to third];
Kessinger popped to first in foul territory; Morales popped to
first in foul territory; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Astros 2, Cubs 7.

ASTROS 6TH: Metzger flied out to right; Cedeno flied out to
center; Watson doubled to center; L. May reached on an error by
Kessinger [Watson to third, L. May to first]; Edwards flied out
to left; 0 R, 1 H, 1 E, 2 LOB.  Astros 2, Cubs 7.

CUBS 6TH: Williams singled to right; Cardenal grounded out
(third to first) [Williams to second]; Monday grounded out
(shortstop to first) [Williams to third]; Madlock grounded out
(third to first); 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Astros 2, Cubs 7.

ASTROS 7TH: ALEXANDER REPLACED MADLOCK (PLAYING 3B); Rader
singled to center; Helms struck out; GALLAGHER BATTED FOR
COSGROVE; Gallagher flied out to left; Gross singled to left
[Rader to second]; Metzger singled to center [Rader scored,
Gross to second]; Cedeno flied out to center; 1 R, 3 H, 0 E, 2
LOB.  Astros 3, Cubs 7.

CUBS 7TH: SCHERMAN REPLACED GALLAGHER (PITCHING); Rosello
walked; Rosello stole second; Swisher struck out; Stone lined to
center; Kessinger grounded out (second to first); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E,
1 LOB.  Astros 3, Cubs 7.

ASTROS 8TH: Watson walked; L. May flied out to right; Edwards
doubled to left [Watson to third]; PINA REPLACED STONE
(PITCHING); Rader doubled to left [Watson scored, Edwards
scored]; Helms singled to center [Rader scored]; MILBOURNE RAN
FOR HELMS; C. JOHNSON BATTED FOR SCHERMAN; C. Johnson homered
[Milbourne scored]; LAROCHE REPLACED PINA (PITCHING); Gross
doubled to left; Metzger was called out on strikes; Cedeno
struck out; 5 R, 5 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Astros 8, Cubs 7.

CUBS 8TH: MILBOURNE STAYED IN GAME (PLAYING 2B); J. JOHNSON
REPLACED C. JOHNSON (PITCHING); Morales flied out to right;
Williams flied out to left; Cardenal struck out; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E,
0 LOB.  Astros 8, Cubs 7.

ASTROS 9TH: Watson singled to left; LaRoche threw a wild pitch
[Watson to second]; L. May flied out to right; Edwards grounded
out (first to pitcher) [Watson to third]; Rader struck out; 0 R,
1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Astros 8, Cubs 7.

CUBS 9TH: Monday doubled to left; Alexander reached on a
fielder's choice [Monday to third (error by J. Johnson)]; WARD
BATTED FOR ROSELLO; ROBERTS REPLACED J. JOHNSON (PITCHING);
THORNTON BATTED FOR WARD; Thornton reached on a fielder's choice
[Monday out at home (third to catcher), Alexander to third];
HARRIS RAN FOR THORNTON; FANZONE BATTED FOR SWISHER; Fanzone
struck out; TYRONE BATTED FOR LAROCHE; Tyrone forced Harris
(shortstop to second); 0 R, 1 H, 1 E, 2 LOB.  Astros 8, Cubs 7.

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