Pinch-hitting after the Astros had tied the score in the eighth inning, Cliff Johnson hit a two-run homer to beat the Braves, 6-4. The Astros took a 3-0 lead in the second with singles by Bob Watson and Johnny Edwards, a double by Doug Rader, long fly that advanced Rader to third and squeeze bunt by Larry Dierker. The Braves came back with a run in the seventh on a walk to Mike Lum and double by Vic Correll before going ahead, 4-3, in the eighth when Darrell Evans and Dusty Baker hit homers, Evans' blow coming with a man on base.

In the Astros' half, Roger Metzger walked and counted the tying run on a double by Lee May. After Watson fanned for the second out, the Braves brought in southpaw Tom House to face lefthanded-hitting Edwards. The Astros then called upon Johnson to pinch hit, with rewarding results. [The Sporting News]



Houston Astros 6, Atlanta Braves 4
Game Played on Wednesday, August    7, 1974 (Night game) at Astrodome
Braves       0  0  0    0  0  0    1  3  0  -   4  7  0
Astros       0  3  0    0  0  0    0  3  x  -   6  7  0


Braves               AB   R   H RBI    BB  SO    AVG      Astros               AB   R   H RBI    BB  SO    AVG
Garr lf               5   0   1   0     0   0   .364      Gross rf              4   0   1   0     0   0   .319
Perez 2b              4   1   0   0     0   2   .259      Metzger ss            3   1   0   0     1   2   .263
Evans 3b              4   1   1   2     0   1   .254      Cedeno cf             4   0   0   0     0   0   .300
Baker cf,rf           4   1   2   1     0   0   .253      L. May 1b             3   0   1   1     0   0   .273
Lum rf                2   1   0   0     1   0   .227        Howard pr,lf        0   1   0   0     0   0   .286
  Murrell ph,cf       1   0   0   0     0   0   .240      Watson lf,1b          4   1   1   0     0   1   .303
Johnson 1b            3   0   1   0     1   1   .251      Edwards c             3   1   1   0     0   1   .219
Robinson ss           2   0   0   0     0   2   .211        C. Johnson ph,c     1   1   1   2     0   0   .252
  Oates ph            1   0   0   0     0   0   .229      Rader 3b              4   1   1   2     0   2   .255
  Foster ss           0   0   0   0     1   0   .167      Helms 2b              2   0   1   0     1   0   .287
Correll c             3   0   2   1     0   1   .207      Dierker p             2   0   0   1     0   0   .196
  Aaron ph            1   0   0   0     0   0   .257        Scherman p          0   0   0   0     0   0   .000
J. Niekro p           0   0   0   0     0   0   .000        Forsch p            0   0   0   0     0   0   .000
  Miller ph           0   0   0   0     1   0   .171
  Krausse p           0   0   0   0     0   0   .500
  Office ph           1   0   0   0     0   0   .246
  Leon p              0   0   0   0     0   0   .000
  House p             0   0   0   0     0   0   .400
  Tepedino ph         1   0   0   0     0   1   .237

Totals               32   4   7   4     4   8             Totals               30   6   7   6     2   6

Time of Game: 2:25   Attendance: 20,338
Left on Base: Braves 6, Astros 4
DP: Braves 0, Astros 1
Doubles: Correll 2 (4), Rader (21), L. May (21)
Home Runs: Evans (13), Baker (12), C. Johnson (7)
Stolen Bases: Helms (5)
Sacrifice Hits: J. Niekro (1), Dierker (5)
GIDP: Lum (7)
Hit by Pitch: L. May (5,by J. Niekro)


Braves                 IP     H   R  ER  BB  SO  HR BFP    ERA
J. Niekro               4     5   3   3   0   3   0  18   3.52
Krausse                 2     0   0   0   0   1   0   6   2.98
Leon L(2-4)             1.2   1   2   2   2   1   0   8   2.49
House                   0.1   1   1   1   0   1   1   2   2.13
Totals                  8     7   6   6   2   6   1  34

Astros                 IP     H   R  ER  BB  SO  HR BFP    ERA
Dierker                 7.1   7   4   4   3   7   2  31   2.93
Scherman W(2-5)         0.2   0   0   0   1   0   0   3   4.24
Forsch SV(5)            1     0   0   0   0   1   0   3   3.09
Totals                  9     7   4   4   4   8   2  37

Hit by Pitch: J. Niekro (2)

Umpires: HP - Paul Pryor, 1B - Dick Stello, 2B - John McSherry, 3B - Jim Quick


BRAVES 1ST: Garr grounded out (shortstop to first); Perez struck
out; Evans lined to second; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Braves 0,
Astros 0.

ASTROS 1ST: Gross singled to center; Metzger grounded out
(pitcher to first) [Gross to second]; Cedeno grounded out (third
to first) [Gross to third]; L. May flied out to right; 0 R, 1 H,
0 E, 1 LOB.  Braves 0, Astros 0.

BRAVES 2ND: Baker singled to center; Lum grounded into a double
play (first to shortstop to first) [Baker out at second];
Johnson walked; Robinson struck out; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.
Braves 0, Astros 0.

ASTROS 2ND: Watson singled to right; Edwards singled to right
[Watson to second]; Rader doubled [Watson scored, Edwards
scored]; Helms flied out to center [Rader to third]; Dierker out
on a sacrifice bunt (pitcher to first) [Rader scored]; Gross
grounded out (second to first); 3 R, 3 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Braves 0,
Astros 3.

BRAVES 3RD: Correll doubled to left; J. Niekro out on a
sacrifice bunt (pitcher to second) [Correll to third]; Garr
flied out to left; Perez struck out; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.
Braves 0, Astros 3.

ASTROS 3RD: Metzger struck out (catcher to first); Cedeno flied
out to right; L. May was hit by a pitch; Watson grounded out
(first unassisted); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Braves 0, Astros 3.

BRAVES 4TH: Evans struck out; Baker flied out to center; Lum
lined to center; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Braves 0, Astros 3.

ASTROS 4TH: Edwards struck out (catcher to first); Rader struck
out; Helms singled to center; Dierker grounded out (third to
first); 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Braves 0, Astros 3.

BRAVES 5TH: Johnson singled to center; Robinson struck out;
Correll struck out; MILLER BATTED FOR J. NIEKRO; Miller walked
[Johnson to second]; Garr lined to right; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 2 LOB.
Braves 0, Astros 3.

ASTROS 5TH: KRAUSSE REPLACED MILLER (PITCHING); Gross grounded
out (pitcher to first); Metzger was called out on strikes;
Cedeno lined to left; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Braves 0, Astros 3.

BRAVES 6TH: Perez grounded out (third to first); Evans flied out
to right; Baker flied out to left; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Braves
0, Astros 3.

ASTROS 6TH: L. May grounded out (shortstop to first); Watson
grounded out (shortstop to first); Edwards grounded out (second
to first); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Braves 0, Astros 3.

BRAVES 7TH: Lum walked; Johnson struck out; OATES BATTED FOR
ROBINSON; Oates grounded out (second to first) [Lum to second];
Correll doubled to left [Lum scored]; OFFICE BATTED FOR KRAUSSE;
Office flied out to left; 1 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Braves 1,
Astros 3.

ASTROS 7TH: FOSTER REPLACED OATES (PLAYING SS); LEON REPLACED
OFFICE (PITCHING); Rader grounded out (shortstop to first);
Helms walked; Helms stole second; Dierker lined to third; Gross
lined to left; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Braves 1, Astros 3.

BRAVES 8TH: Garr singled to center; Perez forced Garr (pitcher
to shortstop); Evans homered [Perez scored]; Baker homered;
SCHERMAN REPLACED DIERKER (PITCHING); MURRELL BATTED FOR LUM;
Murrell grounded out (shortstop to first); Johnson lined to
right; 3 R, 3 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Braves 4, Astros 3.

ASTROS 8TH: BAKER CHANGED POSITIONS (PLAYING RF); MURRELL STAYED
IN GAME (PLAYING CF); Metzger walked; Cedeno grounded out
(pitcher to first) [Metzger to second]; L. May doubled [Metzger
scored]; HOWARD RAN FOR L. MAY; Watson struck out; HOUSE
REPLACED LEON (PITCHING); C. JOHNSON BATTED FOR EDWARDS; C.
Johnson homered [Howard scored]; Rader struck out; 3 R, 2 H, 0
E, 0 LOB.  Braves 4, Astros 6.

BRAVES 9TH: HOWARD STAYED IN GAME (PLAYING LF); WATSON CHANGED
POSITIONS (PLAYING 1B); C. JOHNSON STAYED IN GAME (PLAYING C );
Foster walked; FORSCH REPLACED SCHERMAN (PITCHING); AARON BATTED
FOR CORRELL; Aaron grounded out (pitcher to first) [Foster to
second]; TEPEDINO BATTED FOR HOUSE; Tepedino struck out; Garr
grounded out (shortstop to first); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Braves
4, Astros 6.