Cliff Johnson, batting in the 10th inning, delivered his fifth pinch-homer of the season, one short of the major league record, to provide the Astros with a 3-2 victory over the Mets. John Frederick holds the record with six pinch-homers for the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1932.

Johnson's drive off Jerry Cram enabled Ramon de los Santos to receive credit for his first major league victory after pitching to one batter in relief. The Astros got off to a 2-0 lead before the Mets began the ninth with a homer by Rusty Staub. Mike Cosgrove, relieving Larry Dierker, gave up a one-out single to Benny Ayala. Ken Forsch took over and the Mets then scored the tying run on a single by Duffy Dyer and sacrifice fly by Ted Martinez. After Forsch walked George Theodore, de los Santos came in and retired Bud Harrelson to end the rally. [The Sporting News]



Houston Astros 3, New York Mets 2
Game Played on Wednesday, August    28, 1974 (Day game) at Shea Stadium
Astros       0  0  0    1  0  0    0  1  0    1  -   3  8  0
Mets         0  0  0    0  0  0    0  0  2    0  -   2  9  3


Astros               AB   R   H RBI    BB  SO    AVG      Mets                 AB   R   H RBI    BB  SO    AVG
Gross rf              5   0   1   0     0   2   .318      Gosger cf             4   0   0   0     0   0   .097
Metzger ss            5   0   1   1     0   0   .263        Harrelson ph,ss     1   0   0   0     0   0   .223
Cedeno cf             2   1   0   0     0   0   .281      Millan 2b             5   0   2   0     0   0   .262
  Howard cf           2   0   0   0     0   1   .250      Kranepool 1b          5   0   1   0     0   0   .301
Watson lf,1b          4   0   2   1     0   0   .301      Staub rf              5   1   2   1     0   0   .275
L. May 1b             4   0   1   0     0   2   .275      Garrett 3b            3   0   1   0     2   0   .221
  Gallagher pr,lf     0   0   0   0     0   0   .189      Ayala lf              4   1   2   0     1   1   .429
Rader 3b              4   0   1   0     0   0   .259      Hodges c              2   0   0   0     1   0   .245
M. May c              4   0   0   0     0   0   .282        Dyer ph,c           2   0   1   0     0   1   .154
Milbourne 2b          4   1   1   0     0   1   .315      Martinez ss,cf        3   0   0   1     0   1   .216
Dierker p             2   0   0   0     0   1   .169      Matlack p             2   0   0   0     0   0   .079
  Cosgrove p          0   0   0   0     0   0   .063        Boswell ph          1   0   0   0     0   0   .227
  Forsch p            0   0   0   0     0   0   .000        Miller p            0   0   0   0     0   0   .111
  de los Santos p     0   0   0   0     0   0   .000        Theodore ph         0   0   0   0     1   0   .159
  C. Johnson ph       1   1   1   1     0   0   .231        Cram p              0   0   0   0     0   0   .000
  Scherman p          0   0   0   0     0   0   .000
  York p              0   0   0   0     0   0   .000

Totals               37   3   8   3     0   7             Totals               37   2   9   2     5   3

Time of Game: 3:04   Attendance: 13,987
Left on Base: Astros 5, Mets 11
DP: Astros 0, Mets 2
Errors: Millan, Garrett, Martinez
Doubles: Watson (16), Gross (13)
Home Runs: C. Johnson (8), Staub (16)
Stolen Bases: Cedeno (43)
Sacrifice Hits: Dierker (7)
Sacrifice Flies: Martinez (3)
GIDP: Howard (1), Rader (12)


Astros                 IP     H   R  ER  BB  SO  HR BFP    ERA
Dierker                 8     4   1   1   3   2   1  31   2.75
Cosgrove                0.1   1   1   1   0   0   0   2   2.69
Forsch                  0.1   1   0   0   1   0   0   3   2.97
de los Santos W(1-0)    0.1   0   0   0   0   0   0   1   0.00
Scherman                0.2   3   0   0   0   0   0   4   4.23
York SV(1)              0.1   0   0   0   1   1   0   2   2.96
Totals                 10     9   2   2   5   3   1  43

Mets                   IP     H   R  ER  BB  SO  HR BFP    ERA
Matlack                 8     5   2   1   0   7   0  30   2.59
Miller                  1     1   0   0   0   0   0   3   3.42
Cram L(0-1)             1     2   1   1   0   0   1   5   1.50
Totals                 10     8   3   2   0   7   1  38

Umpires: HP - Paul Pryor, 1B - Dick Stello, 2B - John McSherry, 3B - Chris Pelekoudas


ASTROS 1ST: Gross was called out on strikes; Metzger lined to
right; Cedeno reached on an error by Martinez; Cedeno stole
second; Watson was credited with a single when a runner was hit
by the batted ball [Cedeno out at third (shortstop unassisted)];
0 R, 1 H, 1 E, 1 LOB.  Astros 0, Mets 0.

METS 1ST: Gosger flied to center; Millan flied to right;
Kranepool grounded out (second to first); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.
Astros 0, Mets 0.

ASTROS 2ND: L. May popped to second; Rader grounded out (third
to first); M. May flied to left; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Astros
0, Mets 0.

METS 2ND: Staub flied to left; Garrett flied to left; Ayala
singled to right; Hodges walked [Ayala to second]; Martinez
popped to first in foul territory; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 2 LOB.  Astros
0, Mets 0.

ASTROS 3RD: Milbourne popped to first; Dierker struck out; Gross
grounded out (pitcher to first); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Astros
0, Mets 0.

METS 3RD: Matlack grounded out (shortstop to first); Gosger
flied to center; Millan flied to center; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.
Astros 0, Mets 0.

ASTROS 4TH: Metzger grounded out (third to first); Cedeno
reached on an error by Millan; Watson doubled to left [Cedeno
scored (unearned)]; L. May struck out; Rader flied to center; 1
R (0 ER), 1 H, 1 E, 1 LOB.  Astros 1, Mets 0.

METS 4TH: HOWARD REPLACED CEDENO (PLAYING CF); Kranepool singled
to right; Staub grounded out (shortstop to first) [Kranepool to
second]; Garrett walked; Ayala struck out; Hodges popped to
shortstop; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 2 LOB.  Astros 1, Mets 0.

ASTROS 5TH: M. May grounded out (second to first); Milbourne
struck out; Dierker flied to center; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.
Astros 1, Mets 0.

METS 5TH: Martinez struck out; Matlack popped to shortstop;
Gosger grounded out (second to first); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.
Astros 1, Mets 0.

ASTROS 6TH: Gross was called out on strikes; Metzger grounded
out (third to first); Howard struck out; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.
Astros 1, Mets 0.

METS 6TH: Millan grounded out (pitcher to first); Kranepool
flied to center; Staub popped to second; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.
Astros 1, Mets 0.

ASTROS 7TH: Watson flied to right; L. May struck out; Rader
singled to center; M. May flied to left; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.
Astros 1, Mets 0.

METS 7TH: Garrett walked; Ayala popped to third; Hodges flied to
center; Martinez popped to catcher in foul territory; 0 R, 0 H,
0 E, 1 LOB.  Astros 1, Mets 0.

ASTROS 8TH: Milbourne singled to left; Dierker out on a
sacrifice bunt (third to second) [Milbourne to second]; Gross
reached on an error by Garrett [Milbourne to third]; Metzger
singled to left [Gross to second, Milbourne scored]; Howard
grounded into a double play (shortstop to second to first)
[Metzger out at second]; 1 R, 2 H, 1 E, 1 LOB.  Astros 2, Mets 0.

METS 8TH: BOSWELL BATTED FOR MATLACK; Boswell flied to center;
Gosger flied to center; Millan singled to right; Kranepool
popped to third in foul territory; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Astros
2, Mets 0.

ASTROS 9TH: MILLER REPLACED BOSWELL (PITCHING); Watson popped to
third; L. May singled to center; GALLAGHER RAN FOR L. MAY; Rader
grounded into a double play (third to second to first)
[Gallagher out at second]; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Astros 2, Mets
0.

METS 9TH: GALLAGHER STAYED IN GAME (PLAYING LF); WATSON CHANGED
POSITIONS (PLAYING 1B); Staub homered; COSGROVE REPLACED DIERKER
(PITCHING); Garrett lined to first in foul territory; Ayala
singled to center; DYER BATTED FOR HODGES; FORSCH REPLACED
COSGROVE (PITCHING); Dyer singled to right [Ayala to third];
Martinez hit a sacrifice fly to right [Ayala scored]; THEODORE
BATTED FOR MILLER; Theodore walked [Dyer to second]; DE LOS
SANTOS REPLACED FORSCH (PITCHING); HARRELSON BATTED FOR GOSGER;
Harrelson flied to center; 2 R, 3 H, 0 E, 2 LOB.  Astros 2, Mets
2.

ASTROS 10TH: HARRELSON STAYED IN GAME (PLAYING SS); DYER STAYED
IN GAME (PLAYING C ); MARTINEZ CHANGED POSITIONS (PLAYING CF);
CRAM REPLACED THEODORE (PITCHING); M. May popped to third;
Milbourne grounded out (third to first); C. JOHNSON BATTED FOR
DE LOS SANTOS; C. Johnson homered; Gross doubled to left;
Metzger flied to center; 1 R, 2 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Astros 3, Mets 2.

METS 10TH: SCHERMAN REPLACED C. JOHNSON (PITCHING); Millan
singled to shortstop [Millan out at second (shortstop to
second)]; Kranepool flied to center; Staub singled to center;
Garrett singled to left [Staub to second]; YORK REPLACED
SCHERMAN (PITCHING); Ayala walked [Staub to third, Garrett to
second]; Dyer struck out; 0 R, 3 H, 0 E, 3 LOB.  Astros 3, Mets
2.