In addition to pitching a six-hitter, Claude Osteen had a perfect night at bat with a double, two singles and a sacrifice bunt as the Astros defeated the Braves, 5-1. Osteen's double, a walk to Greg Gross and singles by Larry Milbourne, Cesar Cedeno and Bob Watson produced three runs in the fifth inning. Singles by Tommy Helms, Osteen and Gross added a tally in the sixth. The Astros' final run in the seventh was unearned on an error by Ralph Garr. The Braves' lone tally off Osteen also was unearned, resulting from a wild throw by Helms. [The Sporting News]



Houston Astros 5, Atlanta Braves 1
Game Played on Tuesday, July      2, 1974 (Night game) at Atlanta Stadium
Astros       0  0  0    0  3  1    1  0  0  -   5 13  1
Braves       0  0  0    0  0  1    0  0  0  -   1  6  1


Astros               AB   R   H RBI    BB  SO    AVG      Braves               AB   R   H RBI    BB  SO    AVG
Gross rf,lf           3   1   1   1     1   0   .341      Robinson ss           4   0   1   0     0   0   .204
Metzger ss            1   0   0   0     0   0   .268      Garr rf               4   0   1   0     0   1   .359
  Milbourne ss        4   1   1   1     0   1   .286      Aaron lf              4   0   0   0     0   0   .247
Cedeno cf             5   0   2   1     0   1   .296      Johnson 1b            4   0   1   0     0   0   .260
Watson lf,1b          5   0   1   1     0   0   .317      Baker cf              3   0   0   0     1   0   .243
L. May 1b             4   0   1   0     0   0   .265      Evans 3b              4   0   2   0     0   0   .262
  Gallagher pr,rf     1   1   0   0     0   0   .200      Perez 2b              4   0   1   0     0   0   .285
M. May c              3   0   1   0     1   0   .247      Correll c             3   0   0   0     0   0   .107
Rader 3b              4   0   1   0     0   2   .251      Harrison p            1   0   0   0     0   0   .182
Helms 2b              4   1   2   0     0   0   .291        J. Niekro p         0   0   0   0     0   0   .000
Osteen p              3   1   3   0     0   0   .297        Foster ph           0   1   0   0     1   0   .190
                                                            Krausse p           0   0   0   0     0   0   .000
                                                            Murrell ph          1   0   0   0     0   1   .239
                                                            House p             0   0   0   0     0   0   .250

Totals               37   5  13   4     2   4             Totals               32   1   6   0     2   2

Time of Game: 2:21   Attendance:  6,109
Left on Base: Astros 9, Braves 6
DP: Astros 1, Braves 1
Errors: Helms, Garr
Doubles: Rader (14), Osteen (4), M. May (5)
Sacrifice Hits: Gross (4), Osteen (2)
GIDP: Rader (8), Garr (4)


Astros                 IP     H   R  ER  BB  SO  HR BFP    ERA
Osteen W(7-7)           9     6   1   0   2   2   0  34   3.34
Totals                  9     6   1   0   2   2   0  34

Braves                 IP     H   R  ER  BB  SO  HR BFP    ERA
Harrison L(6-10)        5.2  10   4   4   2   1   0  28   4.58
J. Niekro               0.1   0   0   0   0   1   0   1   1.35
Krausse                 1     2   1   0   0   1   0   5   2.89
House                   2     1   0   0   0   1   0   7   1.67
Totals                  9    13   5   4   2   4   0  41

Umpires: HP - Bruce Froemming, 1B - John McSherry, 2B - Paul Runge, 3B - Ed Vargo


ASTROS 1ST: 14 minute rain delay before start of game;
Gross grounded out (third to first); Metzger grounded out
(second to first); Cedeno singled; Watson flied out to right; 0
R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Astros 0, Braves 0.

BRAVES 1ST: MILBOURNE REPLACED METZGER (PLAYING SS); Robinson
grounded out (second to first); Garr grounded out (shortstop to
first); Aaron made an out to shortstop; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.
Astros 0, Braves 0.

ASTROS 2ND: L. May flied out to right; M. May flied out to
center; Rader doubled; Helms made an out to second; 0 R, 1 H, 0
E, 1 LOB.  Astros 0, Braves 0.

BRAVES 2ND: Johnson grounded out (shortstop to first); Baker
made an out to first; Evans flied out to right; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0
LOB.  Astros 0, Braves 0.

ASTROS 3RD: Osteen singled; Gross out on a sacrifice bunt
(catcher to first) [Osteen to second]; Milbourne flied out to
left; Cedeno made an out to third; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Astros
0, Braves 0.

BRAVES 3RD: Perez grounded out (shortstop to first); Correll
flied out to left; Harrison made an out to third; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E,
0 LOB.  Astros 0, Braves 0.

ASTROS 4TH: Watson made an out to second; L. May grounded out
(third to first); M. May grounded out (first to pitcher); 0 R, 0
H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Astros 0, Braves 0.

BRAVES 4TH: Robinson made an out to first; Garr struck out;
Aaron flied out to center; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Astros 0,
Braves 0.

ASTROS 5TH: Rader struck out; Helms grounded out (pitcher to
first); Osteen doubled; Gross walked; Milbourne singled [Osteen
scored, Gross to second]; Cedeno singled [Gross scored,
Milbourne to second]; Watson singled [Milbourne scored, Cedeno
to third]; L. May grounded out (shortstop to first); 3 R, 4 H, 0
E, 2 LOB.  Astros 3, Braves 0.

BRAVES 5TH: Johnson singled; Baker flied out to right; Evans
singled [Johnson to second]; Perez forced Evans (shortstop to
second) [Johnson to third]; Correll flied out to center; 0 R, 2
H, 0 E, 2 LOB.  Astros 3, Braves 0.

ASTROS 6TH: M. May walked; Rader grounded into a double play
(third to second to first) [M. May out at second]; Helms
singled; Osteen singled [Helms to second]; Gross singled [Helms
scored, Osteen to second]; J. NIEKRO REPLACED HARRISON
(PITCHING); Milbourne struck out; 1 R, 3 H, 0 E, 2 LOB.  Astros
4, Braves 0.

BRAVES 6TH: FOSTER BATTED FOR J. NIEKRO; Foster walked; Robinson
flied out to left; Garr singled [Foster to second]; Aaron forced
Garr (shortstop to second) [Foster scored (error by Helms)
(unearned) (no RBI), Aaron to second]; Johnson grounded out
(shortstop to first); 1 R (0 ER), 1 H, 1 E, 1 LOB.  Astros 4,
Braves 1.

ASTROS 7TH: KRAUSSE REPLACED FOSTER (PITCHING); Cedeno made an
out to second; Watson grounded out (third to first); L. May
singled; GALLAGHER RAN FOR L. MAY; M. May doubled to right
[Gallagher scored (error by Garr) (unearned)]; Rader struck out;
1 R (0 ER), 2 H, 1 E, 1 LOB.  Astros 5, Braves 1.

BRAVES 7TH: GROSS CHANGED POSITIONS (PLAYING LF); WATSON CHANGED
POSITIONS (PLAYING 1B); GALLAGHER STAYED IN GAME (PLAYING RF);
Baker walked; Evans made an out to second; Perez singled [Baker
to second]; Correll flied out to center; MURRELL BATTED FOR
KRAUSSE; Murrell was called out on strikes; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 2
LOB.  Astros 5, Braves 1.

ASTROS 8TH: HOUSE REPLACED MURRELL (PITCHING); Helms singled;
Osteen out on a sacrifice bunt (catcher to first) [Helms to
second]; Gross grounded out (second to first) [Helms to third];
Milbourne flied out to center; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Astros 5,
Braves 1.

BRAVES 8TH: Robinson singled; Garr grounded into a double play
(second to shortstop to first) [Robinson out at second]; Aaron
grounded out (third to first); 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Astros 5,
Braves 1.

ASTROS 9TH: Cedeno struck out; Watson flied out to right;
Gallagher flied out to center; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Astros 5,
Braves 1.

BRAVES 9TH: Johnson flied out to center; Baker grounded out
(shortstop to first); Evans singled; Perez flied out to right; 0
R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Astros 5, Braves 1.