Capitalizing on the wildness of loser Randy Tate and three New York errors, the Astros made two hits go a long way as they defeated the Mets, 4-0, behind the six-hit hurling of J.R. Richard. Tate walked the first three Houston batters, and the Astros scored a run as Cliff Johnson grounded out.

In the fourth, Joe Torre dropped a throw at first base, putting Enos Cabell aboard. Jerry DaVanon followed with a double, Richard singled and the Astros had a 3-0 lead. Richard reached first on Mike Phillips' error in the seventh, moved to third when Met reliever Bob Apodaca threw Wilbur Howard's sacrifice bunt attempt into center field, and scored on Greg Gross' sacrifice fly. [The Sporting News]



Houston Astros 4, New York Mets 0
Game Played on Monday, August    18, 1975 (Night game) at Astrodome
Mets         0  0  0    0  0  0    0  0  0  -   0  6  3
Astros       1  0  0    2  0  0    1  0  x  -   4  2  0


Mets                 AB   R   H RBI    BB  SO    AVG      Astros               AB   R   H RBI    BB  SO    AVG
Unser cf              4   0   1   0     1   1   .285      Howard cf             2   1   0   0     1   0   .290
Millan 2b             4   0   0   0     0   0   .297      Gross rf              2   0   0   1     1   0   .308
Kranepool lf          3   0   2   0     1   0   .348      Cruz lf               2   0   0   0     2   1   .256
Staub rf              4   0   0   0     0   2   .280      Johnson 1b            3   0   0   1     0   2   .282
Torre 1b              3   0   0   0     1   1   .264      May c                 4   0   0   0     0   0   .249
Garrett 3b            4   0   1   0     0   2   .264      Cabell 3b             4   1   0   0     0   2   .260
Grote c               4   0   1   0     0   0   .292      Helms 2b              4   0   0   0     0   1   .167
Phillips ss           4   0   0   0     0   2   .253      DaVanon ss            3   1   1   1     0   1   .317
Tate p                1   0   0   0     0   1   .000      Richard p             3   1   1   1     0   0   .211
  Vail ph             1   0   1   0     0   0  1.000
  Lockwood p          0   0   0   0     0   0   .000
  Milner ph           0   0   0   0     1   0   .204
  Apodaca p           0   0   0   0     0   0   .429
  Alou ph             0   0   0   0     0   0   .264

Totals               32   0   6   0     4   9             Totals               27   4   2   4     4   7

Time of Game: 2:15   Attendance:  7,351
Left on Base: Mets 10, Astros 6
DP: Mets 0, Astros 1
Errors: Torre, Phillips, Apodaca
Doubles: Garrett (8), Kranepool (16), DaVanon (2)
Stolen Bases: Cabell (7), Howard (17)
Sacrifice Hits: Howard (2)
Sacrifice Flies: Gross (1)
GIDP: Staub (16)
Hit by Pitch: Alou (1,by Richard), Johnson (3,by Tate)


Mets                   IP     H   R  ER  BB  SO  HR BFP    ERA
Tate L(4-12)            4     2   3   2   4   2   0  20   4.64
Lockwood                2     0   0   0   0   4   0   6   0.59
Apodaca                 2     0   1   0   0   1   0   8   1.60
Totals                  8     2   4   2   4   7   0  34

Astros                 IP     H   R  ER  BB  SO  HR BFP    ERA
Richard W(9-8)          9     6   0   0   4   9   0  37   4.33
Totals                  9     6   0   0   4   9   0  37

Hit by Pitch: Tate (5), Richard (4)
Wild Pitches: Richard (15)

Umpires: HP - John McSherry, 1B - Chris Pelekoudas, 2B - Paul Pryor, 3B - Nick Colosi


METS 1ST: Unser singled to center; Millan flied to center;
Kranepool singled to left [Unser to second]; Staub grounded into
a double play (second to first) [Kranepool out at second]; 0 R,
2 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Mets 0, Astros 0.

ASTROS 1ST: Howard walked; Gross walked [Howard to second]; Cruz
walked [Howard to third, Gross to second]; Johnson forced Cruz
(shortstop to second) [Gross to third, Howard scored]; May
popped to second; Cabell struck out; 1 R, 0 H, 0 E, 2 LOB.  Mets
0, Astros 1.

METS 2ND: Torre struck out; Garrett doubled to right; Grote
grounded out (third to first); Phillips grounded out (second to
first); 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Mets 0, Astros 1.

ASTROS 2ND: Helms lined to third; DaVanon grounded out
(shortstop to first); Richard grounded out (shortstop to first);
0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Mets 0, Astros 1.

METS 3RD: Tate struck out; Unser walked; Millan forced Unser
(second to shortstop); Kranepool forced Millan (second to
shortstop); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Mets 0, Astros 1.

ASTROS 3RD: Howard flied to left; Gross flied to center; Cruz
walked; Johnson was hit by a pitch [Cruz to second]; May flied
to right; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 2 LOB.  Mets 0, Astros 1.

METS 4TH: Staub struck out; Torre grounded out (pitcher to
first); Garrett struck out; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Mets 0,
Astros 1.

ASTROS 4TH: Cabell reached on an error by Torre; Cabell stole
second; Helms struck out; DaVanon doubled to left [Cabell scored
(unearned)]; Richard singled to left [DaVanon scored]; Howard
lined to center; Gross flied to left; 2 R (1 ER), 2 H, 1 E, 1
LOB.  Mets 0, Astros 3.

METS 5TH: Grote popped to first; Phillips struck out; VAIL
BATTED FOR TATE; Vail singled to left; Debut game for Mike
Vail; Unser struck out; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Mets 0,
Astros 3.

ASTROS 5TH: LOCKWOOD REPLACED VAIL (PITCHING); Cruz struck out;
Johnson struck out; May popped to catcher in foul territory; 0
R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Mets 0, Astros 3.

METS 6TH: Millan flied to center; Kranepool walked; Richard
threw a wild pitch [Kranepool to second]; Staub struck out;
Torre walked; Garrett struck out; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 2 LOB.  Mets 0,
Astros 3.

ASTROS 6TH: Cabell struck out; Helms flied to right; DaVanon
struck out; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Mets 0, Astros 3.

METS 7TH: Grote singled to right; Phillips struck out; MILNER
BATTED FOR LOCKWOOD; Milner walked [Grote to second]; Unser
flied to right; Millan flied to left; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 2 LOB.
Mets 0, Astros 3.

ASTROS 7TH: APODACA REPLACED MILNER (PITCHING); Richard reached
on an error by Phillips; Howard reached on an error by Apodaca
on a sacrifice bunt [Richard to third]; Howard stole second;
Gross hit a sacrifice fly to center [Richard scored (unearned)];
Cruz grounded out (pitcher to shortstop to first) [Howard to
third]; Johnson struck out; 1 R (0 ER), 0 H, 2 E, 1 LOB.  Mets
0, Astros 4.

METS 8TH: Kranepool doubled to right; Staub popped to second;
Torre grounded out (shortstop to first); Garrett grounded out
(first unassisted); 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Mets 0, Astros 4.

ASTROS 8TH: May grounded out (second to first); Cabell grounded
out (pitcher to first); Helms grounded out (second to first); 0
R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Mets 0, Astros 4.

METS 9TH: Grote grounded out (second to first); Phillips popped
to third in foul territory; ALOU BATTED FOR APODACA; Alou was
hit by a pitch; Unser lined to pitcher; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.
Mets 0, Astros 4.