The Reds picked up a game on the Dodgers but still were four lengths behind in the West Division race after defeating the Astros, 4-1. Clay Kirby blanked the Astros on five hits through the first seven innings before giving up a run in the eighth on a single by Wilbur Howard, walk to Roger Metzger and single by Greg Gross. Rawly Eastwick relieved and received credit for his first major league save.

The Reds started their scoring with a run off Larry Dierker in the first on a double by Pete Rose and single by Tony Perez. Singles by Cesar Geronimo, Dave Concepcion and Ken Griffey and a sacrifice fly by Rose added a pair in the second. Griffey tripled in the fourth and came home on a wild pitch with the Reds' final run. [The Sporting News]

Cincinnati Reds 4, Houston Astros 1

Game Played on Wednesday, September 25, 1974 (Night game) at Riverfront Stadium

Astros       0  0  0    0  0  0    0  1  0  -   1  8  0
Reds         1  2  0    1  0  0    0  0  x  -   4 10  0


Astros               AB   R   H RBI    BB  SO    AVG      Reds                 AB   R   H RBI    BB  SO    AVG
Howard cf             4   1   1   0     0   1   .253      Rose lf               2   1   1   1     1   0   .282
  C. Johnson ph       1   0   0   0     0   0   .210      Morgan 2b             4   0   1   0     0   0   .295
Metzger ss            3   0   1   0     1   1   .256        Chaney 2b           0   0   0   0     0   0   .203
Gross rf              4   0   1   1     0   0   .311      Bench c               4   0   0   0     0   1   .277
Watson lf             4   0   1   0     0   0   .298      Perez 1b              4   0   2   1     0   0   .267
M. May c              4   0   0   0     0   2   .293      Driessen 3b           3   0   1   0     1   2   .283
L. May 1b             4   0   2   0     0   1   .269        Knight 3b           0   0   0   0     0   0   .000
  Campbell pr         0   0   0   0     0   0   .087      Geronimo cf           4   1   1   0     0   2   .289
Helms 2b              3   0   1   0     0   0   .282      Concepcion ss         4   1   1   0     0   0   .274
  Milbourne pr,2b     1   0   0   0     0   0   .294      Griffey rf            4   1   2   1     0   0   .239
Busse 3b              3   0   0   0     1   0   .185      Kirby p               2   0   1   0     0   0   .099
Dierker p             1   0   1   0     0   0   .188        Eastwick p          0   0   0   0     0   0   .000
  Roberts p           1   0   0   0     0   0   .211
  Gallagher ph        1   0   0   0     0   1   .183
  de los Santos p     0   0   0   0     0   0   .000
  Cedeno ph           0   0   0   0     1   0   .271

Totals               34   1   8   1     3   6             Totals               31   4  10   3     2   5

Time of Game: 2:16   Attendance: 10,186
Left on Base: Astros 9, Reds 7
DP: Astros 1, Reds 1
Doubles: Rose (43), Perez (27)
Triples: Griffey (5)
Sacrifice Hits: Kirby (8)
Sacrifice Flies: Rose (5)
GIDP: Gross (13), Geronimo (8)


Astros                 IP     H   R  ER  BB  SO  HR BFP    ERA
Dierker L(10-10)        3.2   6   4   4   2   3   0  19   2.98
Roberts                 3.1   4   0   0   0   1   0  13   3.43
de los Santos           1     0   0   0   0   1   0   3   1.59
Totals                  8    10   4   4   2   5   0  35

Reds                   IP     H   R  ER  BB  SO  HR BFP    ERA
Kirby W(11-9)           7.1   7   1   1   2   5   0  30   3.31
Eastwick SV(1)          1.2   1   0   0   1   1   0   7   1.04
Totals                  9     8   1   1   3   6   0  37

Wild Pitches: Dierker (8)

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


ASTROS 1ST: Howard grounded out (first unassisted); Metzger
singled to center; Gross grounded into a double play (second to
shortstop to first) [Metzger out at second]; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 0
LOB.  Astros 0, Reds 0.

REDS 1ST: Rose doubled; Morgan flied out to left [Rose to
third]; Bench popped to first in foul territory; Perez singled
to center [Rose scored]; Driessen struck out; 1 R, 2 H, 0 E, 1
LOB.  Astros 0, Reds 1.

ASTROS 2ND: Watson grounded out (shortstop to first); M. May
flied out to right; L. May grounded out (shortstop to first); 0
R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Astros 0, Reds 1.

REDS 2ND: Geronimo singled to left; Concepcion singled to left
[Geronimo to third]; Griffey singled to shortstop [Geronimo
scored, Concepcion to second]; Kirby out on a sacrifice bunt
(catcher to second) [Concepcion to third, Griffey to second];
Rose hit a sacrifice fly to left [Concepcion scored, Griffey to
third]; Morgan popped to second; 2 R, 3 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Astros
0, Reds 3.

ASTROS 3RD: Helms flied out to left; Busse walked; Dierker
singled to left [Busse to second]; Howard struck out; Metzger
struck out; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 2 LOB.  Astros 0, Reds 3.

REDS 3RD: Bench struck out; Perez lined to shortstop; Driessen
walked; Geronimo struck out; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Astros 0,
Reds 3.

ASTROS 4TH: Gross lined to second; Watson singled to left; M.
May grounded out (first unassisted) [Watson to second]; L. May
struck out; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Astros 0, Reds 3.

REDS 4TH: Concepcion popped to second; Griffey tripled; Dierker
threw a wild pitch [Griffey scored]; Kirby grounded out (third
to first); Rose walked; ROBERTS REPLACED DIERKER (PITCHING);
Morgan singled to left [Rose to second]; Bench popped to catcher
in foul territory; 1 R, 2 H, 0 E, 2 LOB.  Astros 0, Reds 4.

ASTROS 5TH: Helms flied out to right; Busse grounded out (second
to first); Roberts grounded out (pitcher to first); 0 R, 0 H, 0
E, 0 LOB.  Astros 0, Reds 4.

REDS 5TH: Perez popped to second; Driessen singled to center;
Geronimo grounded into a double play (first to shortstop to
first) [Driessen out at second]; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Astros
0, Reds 4.

ASTROS 6TH: On a bunt Howard grounded out (catcher to first);
Metzger grounded out (second to first); Gross grounded out
(second to first); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Astros 0, Reds 4.

REDS 6TH: Concepcion flied out to left; Griffey flied out to
left; Kirby singled to left; Rose forced Kirby (third to
second); 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Astros 0, Reds 4.

ASTROS 7TH: Watson grounded out (first unassisted); M. May
struck out; L. May singled to left; Helms singled to left [L.
May to second]; MILBOURNE RAN FOR HELMS; Busse flied out to
center; 0 R, 2 H, 0 E, 2 LOB.  Astros 0, Reds 4.

REDS 7TH: MILBOURNE STAYED IN GAME (PLAYING 2B); Morgan grounded
out (third to first); Bench popped to third in foul territory;
Perez doubled to left; Driessen struck out; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1
LOB.  Astros 0, Reds 4.

ASTROS 8TH: CHANEY REPLACED MORGAN (PLAYING 2B); KNIGHT REPLACED
DRIESSEN (PLAYING 3B); GALLAGHER BATTED FOR ROBERTS; Gallagher
struck out; Howard singled to shortstop; Metzger walked [Howard
to second]; Gross singled to center [Howard scored, Metzger to
second]; EASTWICK REPLACED KIRBY (PITCHING); Watson flied out to
center; M. May struck out; 1 R, 2 H, 0 E, 2 LOB.  Astros 1, Reds
4.

REDS 8TH: DE LOS SANTOS REPLACED GALLAGHER (PITCHING); Geronimo
struck out; Concepcion grounded out (third to first); Griffey
grounded out (second to first); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Astros 1,
Reds 4.

ASTROS 9TH: L. May singled to left; CAMPBELL RAN FOR L. MAY;
Milbourne grounded out (catcher to first) [Campbell to second];
Busse grounded out (first unassisted) [Campbell to third];
CEDENO BATTED FOR DE LOS SANTOS; Cedeno walked; C. JOHNSON
BATTED FOR HOWARD; C. Johnson flied out to center; 0 R, 1 H, 0
E, 2 LOB.  Astros 1, Reds 4.

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