The Astros' Larry Dierker and Ken Forsch, combining on a six-hitter, held the Dodgers scoreless until the ninth and prevented Los Angeles from clinching the N. L. West crown as Houston won, 4-1. Dierker drove home the Astros' first run in the fourth, singling across Doug Rader, who had doubled. Houston made it 3-0 in the fifth on Lee May's RBI single and a sacrifice fly by Milt May.

A passed ball by Joe Ferguson in the sixth allowed Dave Campbell, the pinch-runner for pinch-hitter Johnny Edwards, who had doubled, to score after Campbell had moved to third on a groundout. The Dodgers avoided being shutout when they pushed across a run in the final frame on two walks and a single by pinch-hitter Manny Mota. Dierker worked six innings before his arm stiffened and he was relieved by Forsch. [The Sporting News]

Houston Astros 4, Los Angeles Dodgers 1

Game Played on Monday, September 30, 1974 (Night game) at Astrodome

Dodgers      0  0  0    0  0  0    0  0  1  -   1  6  0
Astros       0  0  0    1  2  1    0  0  x  -   4 10  1


Dodgers              AB   R   H RBI    BB  SO    AVG      Astros               AB   R   H RBI    BB  SO    AVG
Lopes 2b              4   0   0   0     0   1   .266      Gross rf              5   0   1   0     0   0   .310
  Mota ph             1   0   1   1     0   0   .286      Metzger ss            5   0   1   0     0   1   .253
  Lacy pr             0   0   0   0     0   0   .278      Cedeno cf             2   1   0   0     2   0   .270
Buckner lf            5   0   1   0     0   0   .316      Watson lf             3   1   2   0     1   0   .298
Wynn cf               2   0   0   0     2   1   .272        Howard lf           0   0   0   0     0   0   .229
Garvey 1b             4   0   0   0     0   1   .310      L. May 1b             3   0   1   1     1   0   .269
Ferguson c            4   0   1   0     0   1   .252      M. May c              3   0   0   1     0   1   .293
Cey 3b                4   0   0   0     0   0   .263      Rader 3b              4   1   2   0     0   1   .256
Crawford rf           2   1   1   0     2   0   .295      Helms 2b              4   0   1   0     0   0   .281
Russell ss            2   0   1   0     2   0   .269        Milbourne pr,2b     0   0   0   0     0   0   .287
Rau p                 1   0   0   0     1   0   .141      Dierker p             2   0   1   1     0   1   .197
  Hough p             0   0   0   0     0   0   .000        Edwards ph          1   0   1   0     0   0   .224
  Rhoden p            0   0   0   0     0   0   .500        Campbell pr         0   1   0   0     0   0   .087
  Joshua ph           1   0   1   0     0   0   .246        Forsch p            0   0   0   0     0   0   .000
  Shanahan p          0   0   0   0     0   0   .000
  Hopkins ph          1   0   0   0     0   0   .333

Totals               31   1   6   1     7   4             Totals               32   4  10   3     4   4

Time of Game: 2:20   Attendance:  7,771
Left on Base: Dodgers 10, Astros 10
DP: Dodgers 0, Astros 0
Errors: Forsch
Doubles: Ferguson (14), Gross (20), Rader (27), Edwards (7)
Triples: Metzger (9)
Stolen Bases: Cedeno (57)
Sacrifice Hits: Forsch (1)
Sacrifice Flies: M. May (5)


Dodgers                IP     H   R  ER  BB  SO  HR BFP    ERA
Rau L(13-11)            4.1   7   3   3   3   3   0  23   3.72
Hough                   1.1   2   1   1   0   1   0   6   3.83
Rhoden                  0.1   0   0   0   0   0   0   1   2.00
Shanahan                2     1   0   0   1   0   0   8   3.86
Totals                  8    10   4   4   4   4   0  38

Astros                 IP     H   R  ER  BB  SO  HR BFP    ERA
Dierker W(11-10)        6     4   0   0   3   4   0  23   2.90
Forsch SV(10)           3     2   1   1   4   0   0  15   2.87
Totals                  9     6   1   1   7   4   0  38

Passed Balls: Ferguson 2 (9)

Umpires: HP - Andy Olsen, 1B - Bruce Froemming, 2B - Paul Runge, 3B - Ed Vargo


DODGERS 1ST: Lopes struck out; Buckner grounded out (second to
first); Wynn walked; Garvey struck out; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.
Dodgers 0, Astros 0.

ASTROS 1ST: Gross grounded out (shortstop to first); Metzger
grounded out (pitcher to first); Cedeno walked; Cedeno stole
second; Watson walked; L. May flied out to center; 0 R, 0 H, 0
E, 2 LOB.  Dodgers 0, Astros 0.

DODGERS 2ND: Ferguson flied out to right; Cey popped to first;
Crawford singled to right; Russell popped to second; 0 R, 1 H, 0
E, 1 LOB.  Dodgers 0, Astros 0.

ASTROS 2ND: M. May struck out; Rader singled to center; Helms
flied out to center; Dierker struck out; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.
Dodgers 0, Astros 0.

DODGERS 3RD: Rau walked; Lopes flied out to center; Buckner
singled to right [Rau to third, Buckner out at second (right to
shortstop)]; Wynn was called out on strikes; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1
LOB.  Dodgers 0, Astros 0.

ASTROS 3RD: Gross doubled to right; Metzger struck out; Cedeno
flied out to right; Watson singled to shortstop [Gross stayed at
second]; L. May flied out to center; 0 R, 2 H, 0 E, 2 LOB.
Dodgers 0, Astros 0.

DODGERS 4TH: Garvey lined to center; Ferguson doubled to left;
Cey lined to left; Crawford was walked intentionally; Russell
singled to center [Ferguson out at home (center to catcher),
Crawford to second]; 0 R, 2 H, 0 E, 2 LOB.  Dodgers 0, Astros 0.

ASTROS 4TH: M. May flied out to right; Rader doubled to right;
Helms grounded out (shortstop to first); Dierker singled to
center [Rader scored]; Gross flied out to center; 1 R, 2 H, 0 E,
1 LOB.  Dodgers 0, Astros 1.

DODGERS 5TH: Rau flied out to center; Lopes grounded out (third
to first); Buckner grounded out (shortstop to first); 0 R, 0 H,
0 E, 0 LOB.  Dodgers 0, Astros 1.

ASTROS 5TH: Metzger grounded out (pitcher to second to first);
Cedeno walked; Watson singled to center [Cedeno to third]; L.
May singled to center [Cedeno scored, Watson to third]; HOUGH
REPLACED RAU (PITCHING); Ferguson allowed a passed ball [L. May
to second]; M. May lined out on a sacrifice fly to right [Watson
scored]; Rader was called out on strikes; 2 R, 2 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.
Dodgers 0, Astros 3.

DODGERS 6TH: Wynn flied out to left; Garvey popped to first in
foul territory; Ferguson struck out; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.
Dodgers 0, Astros 3.

ASTROS 6TH: Helms grounded out (third to first); EDWARDS BATTED
FOR DIERKER; Edwards doubled to right; CAMPBELL RAN FOR EDWARDS;
Gross grounded out (second to first) [Campbell to third];
Ferguson allowed a passed ball [Campbell scored]; Metzger
tripled to right; RHODEN REPLACED HOUGH (PITCHING); Cedeno
grounded out (shortstop to first); 1 R, 2 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.
Dodgers 0, Astros 4.

DODGERS 7TH: FORSCH REPLACED CAMPBELL (PITCHING); Cey flied out
to right; Crawford grounded out (pitcher to first); Russell
walked; JOSHUA BATTED FOR RHODEN; Joshua singled to pitcher
[Russell to third (error by Forsch)]; Lopes lined to pitcher; 0
R, 1 H, 1 E, 2 LOB.  Dodgers 0, Astros 4.

ASTROS 7TH: SHANAHAN REPLACED JOSHUA (PITCHING); Watson grounded
out (shortstop to first); L. May walked; M. May flied out to
right; Rader flied out to right; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Dodgers
0, Astros 4.

DODGERS 8TH: HOWARD REPLACED WATSON (PLAYING LF); Buckner popped
to second; Wynn walked; Garvey lined to right; Ferguson forced
Wynn (shortstop to second); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Dodgers 0,
Astros 4.

ASTROS 8TH: Helms singled to shortstop; MILBOURNE RAN FOR HELMS;
Forsch out on a sacrifice bunt (pitcher to first) [Milbourne to
second]; Gross grounded out (shortstop to first); Metzger
grounded out (second to first); 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Dodgers
0, Astros 4.

DODGERS 9TH: MILBOURNE STAYED IN GAME (PLAYING 2B); Cey flied
out to center; Crawford walked; Russell walked [Crawford to
second]; HOPKINS BATTED FOR SHANAHAN; Hopkins grounded out
(second to first) [Crawford to third, Russell to second]; MOTA
BATTED FOR LOPES; Mota singled to center [Crawford scored,
Russell to third]; LACY RAN FOR MOTA; Buckner popped to second;
1 R, 1 H, 0 E, 2 LOB.  Dodgers 1, Astros 4.

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