Don Gullett yielded only two singles, both by Roger Metzger, while pitching the Reds to a 4-0 victory over the Astros. The Reds decided the outcome early against Tom Griffin, scoring two runs in the second inning on singles by Johnny Bench, Tony Perez and Dan Driessen and sacrifice fly by Dave Concepcion. The Reds added two unearned runs in the third to provide a more comfortable margin for Gullett's 13th victory. [The Sporting News]



Cincinnati Reds 4, Houston Astros 0
Game Played on Wednesday, July      31, 1974 (Night game) at Riverfront Stadium
Astros       0  0  0    0  0  0    0  0  0  -   0  2  2
Reds         0  2  2    0  0  0    0  0  x  -   4  8  1


Astros               AB   R   H RBI    BB  SO    AVG      Reds                 AB   R   H RBI    BB  SO    AVG
Gross rf              4   0   0   0     0   1   .311      Geronimo cf           3   1   2   0     1   0   .320
Metzger ss            4   0   2   0     0   1   .271      Rose lf               3   0   1   0     1   0   .282
Cedeno cf             2   0   0   0     2   0   .307      Morgan 2b             4   1   1   0     0   1   .292
L. May 1b             4   0   0   0     0   0   .271      Bench c               4   1   2   0     0   0   .280
Watson lf             3   0   0   0     0   1   .295      Perez 1b              3   1   1   1     0   0   .275
C. Johnson c          3   0   0   0     0   1   .248        Chaney 3b           0   0   0   0     0   0   .207
Rader 3b              3   0   0   0     0   2   .255      Driessen 3b,1b        4   0   1   1     0   1   .281
Helms 2b              3   0   0   0     0   1   .295      Concepcion ss         3   0   0   1     0   0   .272
Griffin p             1   0   0   0     0   0   .302      Griffey rf            4   0   0   0     0   1   .192
  Campbell ph         1   0   0   0     0   1   .095      Gullett p             3   0   0   0     1   2   .222
  Richard p           0   0   0   0     0   0   .000
  Busse ph            1   0   0   0     0   0   .200
  Cosgrove p          0   0   0   0     0   0   .000

Totals               29   0   2   0     2   8             Totals               31   4   8   3     3   5

Time of Game: 2:19   Attendance: 26,253
Left on Base: Astros 4, Reds 8
DP: Astros 0, Reds 0
Errors: L. May, Griffin, Driessen
Doubles: Geronimo (13)
Stolen Bases: Morgan (42)
Caught Stealing: Helms (4)
Sacrifice Flies: Concepcion (2), Perez (5)


Astros                 IP     H   R  ER  BB  SO  HR BFP    ERA
Griffin L(11-4)         5     6   4   2   2   3   0  25   3.23
Richard                 2     2   0   0   1   1   0   8   3.97
Cosgrove                1     0   0   0   0   1   0   3   2.50
Totals                  8     8   4   2   3   5   0  36

Reds                   IP     H   R  ER  BB  SO  HR BFP    ERA
Gullett W(13-7)         9     2   0   0   2   8   0  31   2.78
Totals                  9     2   0   0   2   8   0  31

Umpires: HP - Shag Crawford, 1B - Terry Tata, 2B - John Kibler, 3B - Dutch Rennert


ASTROS 1ST: Gross grounded out (shortstop to first); Metzger was
called out on strikes; Cedeno grounded out (pitcher to first); 0
R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Astros 0, Reds 0.

REDS 1ST: Geronimo flied out to center; Rose flied out to left;
Morgan was called out on strikes; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Astros
0, Reds 0.

ASTROS 2ND: L. May grounded out (third to first); Watson flied
out to left; C. Johnson flied out to center; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0
LOB.  Astros 0, Reds 0.

REDS 2ND: Bench singled to center; Perez singled to right [Bench
to third]; Driessen singled to center [Bench scored, Perez to
third]; Concepcion hit a sacrifice fly to left [Perez scored];
Griffey grounded out (pitcher to first) [Driessen to second];
Gullett struck out; 2 R, 3 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Astros 0, Reds 2.

ASTROS 3RD: Rader flied out to right; Helms reached on an error
by Driessen [Helms to first]; Helms was caught stealing second
(catcher to second); Griffin flied out to right; 0 R, 0 H, 1 E,
0 LOB.  Astros 0, Reds 2.

REDS 3RD: Geronimo doubled to right; Rose reached on a fielder's
choice [Geronimo to third]; Morgan reached on a fielder's choice
[Geronimo scored (error by Griffin) (unearned) (no RBI), Rose
out at second (pitcher to shortstop to third to second)]; Morgan
stole second; Bench singled to left [Morgan to third]; Perez hit
a sacrifice fly to center [Morgan scored (unearned)]; Driessen
struck out; 2 R (0 ER), 2 H, 1 E, 1 LOB.  Astros 0, Reds 4.

ASTROS 4TH: Gross flied out to left; Metzger singled to right;
Cedeno popped to shortstop; L. May forced Metzger (shortstop to
second); 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Astros 0, Reds 4.

REDS 4TH: Concepcion grounded out (third to first); Griffey
grounded out (second to first); Gullett walked; Geronimo singled
to center [Gullett to second]; Rose walked [Gullett to third,
Geronimo to second]; Morgan grounded out (first unassisted); 0
R, 1 H, 0 E, 3 LOB.  Astros 0, Reds 4.

ASTROS 5TH: Watson struck out; C. Johnson popped to first; Rader
struck out; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Astros 0, Reds 4.

REDS 5TH: Bench grounded out (pitcher to first); Perez grounded
out (catcher to first); Driessen reached on an error by L. May
[Driessen to second]; Concepcion popped to catcher in foul
territory; 0 R, 0 H, 1 E, 1 LOB.  Astros 0, Reds 4.

ASTROS 6TH: Helms flied out to left; CAMPBELL BATTED FOR
GRIFFIN; Campbell struck out; Gross struck out; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0
LOB.  Astros 0, Reds 4.

REDS 6TH: RICHARD REPLACED CAMPBELL (PITCHING); Griffey struck
out; Gullett grounded out (shortstop to first); Geronimo walked;
Rose singled to center [Geronimo to second]; Morgan singled to
second [Geronimo out at home (second to catcher), Rose to
second]; 0 R, 2 H, 0 E, 2 LOB.  Astros 0, Reds 4.

ASTROS 7TH: Metzger singled to left; Cedeno walked [Metzger to
second]; L. May flied out to left; Watson popped to catcher in
foul territory; C. Johnson struck out; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 2 LOB.
Astros 0, Reds 4.

REDS 7TH: Bench grounded out (third to first); Perez popped to
second; Driessen grounded out (second to first); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E,
0 LOB.  Astros 0, Reds 4.

ASTROS 8TH: CHANEY REPLACED PEREZ (PLAYING 3B); DRIESSEN CHANGED
POSITIONS (PLAYING 1B); Rader struck out; Helms struck out;
BUSSE BATTED FOR RICHARD; Busse grounded out (second to first);
0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Astros 0, Reds 4.

REDS 8TH: COSGROVE REPLACED BUSSE (PITCHING); Concepcion
grounded out (first unassisted); Griffey popped to third;
Gullett struck out; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Astros 0, Reds 4.

ASTROS 9TH: Gross grounded out (first to pitcher); Metzger
grounded out (shortstop to first); Cedeno walked; L. May flied
out to center; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Astros 0, Reds 4.