The Astros were held to three hits but bunched them for three runs in the sixth inning to win the opener of a doubleheader, 3-1, before handing a 6-5 victory to the Padres in the nightcap on a pass with the bases loaded in the 11th inning. The Padres' run in the lidlifter counted in the first inning on a double by Bobby Tolan and single by Cito Gaston. Greg Gross got the Astros' first hit off Lowell Palmer, starting the sixth with a single. Roger Metzger sacrificed and Cesar Cedeno doubled to tie the score. Cedeno took third on the throw to the plate and scored on a sacrifice fly by Bob Watson. Lee May then insured the victory with a homer.

In the nightcap, the Astros temporarily avoided defeat when Doug Rader hit for the circuit in the seventh inning to tie the score at 5-5. However in the 11th, Nate Colbert doubled, Gaston beat out a bunt and Derrel Thomas was passed intentionally to load the bases. Fred Kendall popped up, but Horace Clarke then drew a pass from Jerry Johnson to force in the Padres' winning run. [The Sporting News]

Houston Astros 3, San Diego Padres 1 (Game 1)

Game Played on Sunday, June 30, 1974 (Day game) at San Diego Stadium

Astros       0  0  0    0  0  3    0  0  0  -   3  3  0
Padres       1  0  0    0  0  0    0  0  0  -   1  8  0


Astros               AB   R   H RBI    BB  SO    AVG      Padres               AB   R   H RBI    BB  SO    AVG
Gross rf,lf           3   1   1   0     1   0   .340      Tolan rf              5   1   2   0     0   0   .281
Metzger ss            3   0   0   0     0   1   .268      Clarke 2b             3   0   0   0     2   0   .209
Cedeno cf             4   1   1   1     0   2   .290      Gaston lf             4   0   1   1     0   0   .237
Watson lf             3   0   0   1     0   0   .321      McCovey 1b            4   0   1   0     0   0   .246
  Gallagher rf        0   0   0   0     0   0   .208      Grubb cf              3   0   0   0     1   0   .319
L. May 1b             3   1   1   1     1   0   .263      Thomas 3b             4   0   2   0     0   0   .282
Edwards c             4   0   0   0     0   1   .220      Kendall c             4   0   1   0     0   1   .243
  Forsch p            0   0   0   0     0   0   .000      Hernandez ss          3   0   1   0     1   0   .238
Rader 3b              1   0   0   0     2   1   .243      Palmer p              2   0   0   0     0   1   .182
Helms 2b              3   0   0   0     0   0   .284        Laxton p            0   0   0   0     0   0   .000
Dierker p             0   0   0   0     0   0   .184        Winfield ph         1   0   0   0     0   1   .258
  Campbell ph         1   0   0   0     0   1   .154        Corkins p           0   0   0   0     0   0   .000
  Cosgrove p          2   0   0   0     0   2   .000        Colbert ph          1   0   0   0     0   1   .203
  M. May c            0   0   0   0     0   0   .253

Totals               27   3   3   3     4   8             Totals               34   1   8   1     4   4

Time of Game: 2:28
Left on Base: Astros 3, Padres 10
DP: Astros 1, Padres 1
Doubles: Cedeno (16), Tolan (14)
Home Runs: L. May (12)
Stolen Bases: Hernandez (22), Thomas (5)
Sacrifice Hits: Metzger (8)
Sacrifice Flies: Watson (3)
GIDP: Helms (7), Thomas (6)


Astros                 IP     H   R  ER  BB  SO  HR BFP    ERA
Dierker                 2     4   1   1   1   0   0  10   2.05
Cosgrove W(3-0)         6.1   3   0   0   3   3   0  25   1.50
Forsch SV(4)            0.2   1   0   0   0   1   0   3   3.75
Totals                  9     8   1   1   4   4   0  38

Padres                 IP     H   R  ER  BB  SO  HR BFP    ERA
Palmer L(1-1)           5.2   3   3   3   3   5   1  23   5.16
Laxton                  1.1   0   0   0   1   1   0   4   2.70
Corkins                 2     0   0   0   0   2   0   6   4.50
Totals                  9     3   3   3   4   8   1  33

Wild Pitches: Dierker (3)

Umpires: HP - Tom Gorman, 1B - Bill Williams, 2B - Dick Stello, 3B - Terry Tata


ASTROS 1ST: Gross grounded out (third to first); Metzger struck
out; Cedeno flied out to right; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Astros 0,
Padres 0.

PADRES 1ST: Tolan doubled to right; Clarke grounded out (second
to first) [Tolan to third]; Gaston singled to center [Tolan
scored]; On a bunt McCovey singled [Gaston to second]; Dierker
threw a wild pitch [Gaston to third, McCovey to second]; Grubb
walked; Thomas grounded into a double play (second to shortstop
to first) [Grubb out at second]; 1 R, 3 H, 0 E, 2 LOB.  Astros
0, Padres 1.

ASTROS 2ND: Watson grounded out (shortstop to first); L. May
flied out to left; Edwards made an out to shortstop; 0 R, 0 H, 0
E, 0 LOB.  Astros 0, Padres 1.

PADRES 2ND: Kendall singled to right; Hernandez forced Kendall
(second to shortstop); Hernandez stole second; Palmer grounded
out (first unassisted) [Hernandez to third]; Tolan flied out to
right; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Astros 0, Padres 1.

ASTROS 3RD: Rader was called out on strikes; Helms grounded out
(pitcher to first); CAMPBELL BATTED FOR DIERKER; Campbell struck
out; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Astros 0, Padres 1.

PADRES 3RD: COSGROVE REPLACED CAMPBELL (PITCHING); Clarke
walked; Gaston flied out to left; McCovey popped to catcher in
foul territory; Grubb grounded out (second to first); 0 R, 0 H,
0 E, 1 LOB.  Astros 0, Padres 1.

ASTROS 4TH: Gross walked; Metzger made an out to second; Cedeno
struck out; Watson grounded out (third to first); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E,
1 LOB.  Astros 0, Padres 1.

PADRES 4TH: Thomas singled to left; Thomas stole second; Kendall
struck out; Hernandez grounded out (shortstop to first) [Thomas
to third]; Palmer struck out; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Astros 0,
Padres 1.

ASTROS 5TH: L. May walked; Edwards flied out to center; Rader
walked [L. May to second]; Helms lined to third; Cosgrove struck
out; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 2 LOB.  Astros 0, Padres 1.

PADRES 5TH: Tolan grounded out (second to first); Clarke walked;
Gaston flied out to center; McCovey popped to catcher in foul
territory; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Astros 0, Padres 1.

ASTROS 6TH: Gross singled to center; Metzger out on a sacrifice
bunt (pitcher to first) [Gross to second]; Cedeno doubled to
left [Gross scored, Cedeno to third (on throw to home)]; Watson
hit a sacrifice fly to right [Cedeno scored]; L. May homered;
LAXTON REPLACED PALMER (PITCHING); Edwards flied out to right; 3
R, 3 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Astros 3, Padres 1.

PADRES 6TH: Grubb grounded out (second to first); Thomas flied
out to center; Kendall flied out to right; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.
 Astros 3, Padres 1.

ASTROS 7TH: Rader walked; Helms grounded into a double play
(shortstop to second to first) [Rader out at second]; Cosgrove
struck out; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Astros 3, Padres 1.

PADRES 7TH: Hernandez walked; WINFIELD BATTED FOR LAXTON;
Winfield struck out; Tolan flied out to left; Clarke forced
Hernandez (second unassisted); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Astros 3,
Padres 1.

ASTROS 8TH: CORKINS REPLACED WINFIELD (PITCHING); Gross grounded
out (third to first); Metzger made an out to third; Cedeno
struck out; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Astros 3, Padres 1.

PADRES 8TH: Gaston made an out to first; McCovey flied out to
right; Grubb lined to right; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Astros 3,
Padres 1.

ASTROS 9TH: Watson grounded out (shortstop to first); L. May
popped to catcher in foul territory; Edwards struck out; 0 R, 0
H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Astros 3, Padres 1.

PADRES 9TH: GROSS CHANGED POSITIONS (PLAYING LF); GALLAGHER
REPLACED WATSON (PLAYING RF); Thomas singled to center; Kendall
forced Thomas (third to second); Hernandez singled to left
[Kendall to second]; COLBERT BATTED FOR CORKINS; FORSCH REPLACED
EDWARDS (PITCHING); M. MAY REPLACED COSGROVE (PLAYING C );
Colbert struck out; Tolan singled to left [Kendall to third,
Hernandez to second]; Clarke grounded out (first to pitcher); 0
R, 3 H, 0 E, 3 LOB.  Astros 3, Padres 1.

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