Larry Dierker pitched a five-hitter and batterymate Milt May drove in three runs with two singles and a double as the Astros defeated the Pirates, 7-1. The Astros settled the issue quickly with run-scoring singles by Cesar Cedeno, Lee May and Milt May in the first inning. Milt May added his other RBIs with a single in the third and double in the seventh. Willie Stargell accounted for the Pirates' lone run with a homer in the seventh. [The Sporting News]



Houston Astros 7, Pittsburgh Pirates 1
Game Played on Friday, July      5, 1974 (Night game) at Astrodome
Pirates      0  0  0    0  0  0    1  0  0  -   1  5  3
Astros       3  0  1    2  0  0    1  0  x  -   7 12  0


Pirates              AB   R   H RBI    BB  SO    AVG      Astros               AB   R   H RBI    BB  SO    AVG
Stennett 2b           4   0   0   0     0   1   .298      Gross rf,lf           4   2   2   0     1   0   .341
Clines cf             4   0   0   0     0   1   .239      Metzger ss            4   1   1   1     1   2   .273
Hebner 3b             4   0   0   0     0   0   .289      Cedeno cf             5   1   2   1     0   1   .297
Stargell lf           4   1   2   1     0   1   .277      Watson lf,1b          3   1   0   0     1   0   .312
Zisk rf               3   0   1   0     1   1   .318      L. May 1b             4   1   3   1     0   0   .270
Robertson 1b          3   0   0   0     0   1   .217        Howard pr,rf        0   1   0   0     0   0   .333
Sanguillen c          3   0   1   0     0   1   .288      M. May c              4   0   3   3     0   0   .254
Taveras ss            3   0   0   0     0   0   .266      Rader 3b              4   0   0   0     0   0   .246
Ellis p               1   0   1   0     0   0   .250      Helms 2b              3   0   1   0     0   1   .294
  Brett ph            1   0   0   0     0   1   .333        Milbourne pr,2b     1   0   0   0     0   0   .286
  Morlan p            0   0   0   0     0   0   .000      Dierker p             2   0   0   0     1   2   .175
  Popovich ph         1   0   0   0     0   0   .229
  Patterson p         0   0   0   0     0   0   .000

Totals               31   1   5   1     1   7             Totals               34   7  12   6     4   6

Time of Game: 2:11   Attendance: 23,047
Left on Base: Pirates 4, Astros 8
DP: Pirates 0, Astros 1
Errors: Hebner, Stargell, Ellis
Doubles: Stargell (21), Gross (10), M. May (6)
Home Runs: Stargell (14)
Stolen Bases: Cedeno (35), Gross (8)
Sacrifice Hits: Dierker (3)
GIDP: Clines (6)


Pirates                IP     H   R  ER  BB  SO  HR BFP    ERA
Ellis L(3-7)            4     9   6   4   2   5   0  22   4.25
Morlan                  3     3   1   1   1   0   0  13   2.25
Patterson               1     0   0   0   1   1   0   4   6.00
Totals                  8    12   7   5   4   6   0  39

Astros                 IP     H   R  ER  BB  SO  HR BFP    ERA
Dierker W(6-4)          9     5   1   1   1   7   1  32   1.97
Totals                  9     5   1   1   1   7   1  32

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


PIRATES 1ST: umpire Shag Crawford missed the game due to a
back problem; Stennett flied out to right; Clines made an
out to second; Hebner grounded out (second to first); 0 R, 0 H,
0 E, 0 LOB.  Pirates 0, Astros 0.

ASTROS 1ST: Gross doubled to left; Metzger was called out on
strikes; Cedeno singled to right [Gross scored]; Cedeno stole
second; Watson walked; L. May singled to right [Cedeno scored,
Watson to third]; M. May singled to right [Watson scored, L. May
to third, M. May out at second (second unassisted)]; Rader
grounded out (third to first); 3 R, 4 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Pirates 0,
Astros 3.

PIRATES 2ND: Stargell struck out; Zisk singled to center;
Robertson struck out; Sanguillen singled to left [Zisk to
third]; Taveras grounded out (pitcher to first); 0 R, 2 H, 0 E,
2 LOB.  Pirates 0, Astros 3.

ASTROS 2ND: Helms flied out to right; Dierker struck out; Gross
singled to pitcher [Gross to second (error by Ellis)]; Metzger
grounded out (first unassisted); 0 R, 1 H, 1 E, 1 LOB.  Pirates
0, Astros 3.

PIRATES 3RD: Ellis singled to third; Stennett lined to center;
Clines grounded into a double play (shortstop to first) [Ellis
out at second]; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Pirates 0, Astros 3.

ASTROS 3RD: Cedeno struck out; Watson grounded out (second to
first); L. May singled to third [L. May to second (error by
Hebner)]; M. May singled to center [L. May scored (unearned)];
Rader flied out to left; 1 R (0 ER), 2 H, 1 E, 1 LOB.  Pirates
0, Astros 4.

PIRATES 4TH: Hebner grounded out (first unassisted); Stargell
made an out to shortstop; Zisk walked; Robertson flied out to
center; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Pirates 0, Astros 4.

ASTROS 4TH: Helms struck out; Dierker was called out on strikes;
Gross walked; Gross stole second; Metzger singled to center
[Gross scored]; Cedeno singled to left [Metzger scored (error by
Stargell) (unearned), Cedeno to second]; Watson grounded out
(shortstop to first); 2 R (1 ER), 2 H, 1 E, 1 LOB.  Pirates 0,
Astros 6.

PIRATES 5TH: Sanguillen made an out to third; Taveras flied out
to center; BRETT BATTED FOR ELLIS; Brett was called out on
strikes; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Pirates 0, Astros 6.

ASTROS 5TH: MORLAN REPLACED BRETT (PITCHING); L. May flied out
to right; M. May made an out to shortstop; Rader lined to
second; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Pirates 0, Astros 6.

PIRATES 6TH: Stennett flied out to right; Clines struck out;
Hebner grounded out (second to first); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.
Pirates 0, Astros 6.

ASTROS 6TH: Helms singled to center; MILBOURNE RAN FOR HELMS;
Dierker out on a sacrifice bunt (third to second) [Milbourne to
second]; Gross made an out to shortstop; Metzger walked; Cedeno
grounded out (pitcher to first); 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 2 LOB.  Pirates
0, Astros 6.

PIRATES 7TH: MILBOURNE STAYED IN GAME (PLAYING 2B); Stargell
homered; Zisk grounded out (third to first); Robertson made an
out to third; Sanguillen struck out; 1 R, 1 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.
Pirates 1, Astros 6.

ASTROS 7TH: Watson lined to third; L. May singled to left;
HOWARD RAN FOR L. MAY; M. May doubled to right [Howard scored];
Rader grounded out (second to first) [M. May to third];
Milbourne grounded out (pitcher to first); 1 R, 2 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.
 Pirates 1, Astros 7.

PIRATES 8TH: GROSS CHANGED POSITIONS (PLAYING LF); WATSON
CHANGED POSITIONS (PLAYING 1B); HOWARD STAYED IN GAME (PLAYING
RF); Taveras grounded out (third to first); POPOVICH BATTED FOR
MORLAN; Popovich lined to right; Stennett struck out; 0 R, 0 H,
0 E, 0 LOB.  Pirates 1, Astros 7.

ASTROS 8TH: PATTERSON REPLACED POPOVICH (PITCHING); Dierker
walked; Gross lined to left; Metzger struck out; Cedeno made an
out to third; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Pirates 1, Astros 7.

PIRATES 9TH: Clines grounded out (second to first); Hebner
grounded out (second to first); Stargell doubled to right; Zisk
struck out; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Pirates 1, Astros 7.