A run that scored on a wild pitch in the eighth inning sent the Mets en route to a 4-2 victory over the Astros. With the score tied, Ed Kranepool singled and Dave Kingman beat out a surprise bunt. Following an infield out, the Astros' Joe Niekro unleashed a wild pitch, allowing Kranepool to score the tie-breaking tally. Ron Hodges followed with a single for an insurance run. [The Sporting News]



New York Mets 4, Houston Astros 2
Game Played on Sunday, April     25, 1976 (Day game) at Astrodome
Mets         0  0  1    0  0  0    1  2  0  -   4  9  0
Astros       0  0  0    2  0  0    0  0  0  -   2  4  1


Mets                 AB   R   H RBI    BB  SO    AVG      Astros               AB   R   H RBI    BB  SO    AVG
Unser cf              5   0   1   1     0   0   .291      Milbourne 2b          4   1   1   0     0   2   .281
Millan 2b             5   0   2   1     0   0   .349      Cabell 3b             4   0   0   0     0   0   .324
Milner lf             3   0   1   0     1   0   .476      Cedeno cf             4   1   1   2     0   0   .313
  Boisclair lf        0   0   0   0     0   0   .412      Watson 1b             3   0   1   0     1   1   .305
Kranepool 1b          4   1   1   0     0   0   .231      Roberts lf            2   0   0   0     1   1   .240
Kingman rf            4   1   1   0     0   0   .234        Gross ph            1   0   0   0     0   0   .294
Garrett 3b            4   0   1   0     0   0   .232      Jutze c               3   0   0   0     0   2   .059
Hodges c              4   1   2   1     0   0   .545        Boswell ph          1   0   0   0     0   0   .250
Harrelson ss          1   1   0   0     2   0   .250      Howard rf             4   0   0   0     0   0   .111
Matlack p             1   0   0   0     0   0   .000      Metzger ss            3   0   0   0     0   0   .192
  Torre ph            1   0   0   0     0   0   .292      Niekro p              2   0   1   0     1   1   .143
  Sanders p           1   0   0   0     0   0   .000        Forsch p            0   0   0   0     0   0   .000

Totals               33   4   9   3     3   0             Totals               31   2   4   2     3   7

Time of Game: 2:27   Attendance: 10,246
Left on Base: Mets 7, Astros 5
DP: Mets 0, Astros 1
Errors: Watson
Doubles: Niekro (1)
Home Runs: Cedeno (6)
Caught Stealing: Garrett (2)
Sacrifice Hits: Matlack (1), Harrelson (2)
GIDP: Kingman (2)


Mets                   IP     H   R  ER  BB  SO  HR BFP    ERA
Matlack                 6     3   2   2   3   5   1  24   2.67
Sanders W(1-0)          3     1   0   0   0   2   0  10   0.00
Totals                  9     4   2   2   3   7   1  34

Astros                 IP     H   R  ER  BB  SO  HR BFP    ERA
Niekro L(1-3)           7.2   9   4   3   3   0   0  34   4.88
Forsch                  1.1   0   0   0   0   0   0   4   0.55
Totals                  9     9   4   3   3   0   0  38

Passed Balls: Jutze (1)
Wild Pitches: Matlack (1), Niekro 2 (2)
Balks: Matlack (1)

Umpires: HP - Jim Quick, 1B - Bill Williams, 3B - Dick Stello


METS 1ST: Unser grounded out (second to first); Millan popped to
first; Milner walked; Kranepool forced Milner (second to
shortstop); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Mets 0, Astros 0.

ASTROS 1ST: Milbourne was called out on strikes; Cabell grounded
out (shortstop to first); Cedeno grounded out (third to first);
0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Mets 0, Astros 0.

METS 2ND: Kingman grounded out (third to first); Garrett popped
to shortstop; Hodges grounded out (second to first); 0 R, 0 H, 0
E, 0 LOB.  Mets 0, Astros 0.

ASTROS 2ND: Watson grounded out (pitcher to first); Roberts
struck out; Jutze was called out on strikes; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0
LOB.  Mets 0, Astros 0.

METS 3RD: Harrelson walked; Matlack out on a sacrifice bunt
(pitcher to second) [Harrelson to second]; Unser popped to
shortstop; Millan singled to center [Harrelson scored]; Milner
grounded out (first unassisted); 1 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Mets 1,
Astros 0.

ASTROS 3RD: Howard grounded out (shortstop to first); Metzger
grounded out (shortstop to first); Niekro struck out; 0 R, 0 H,
0 E, 0 LOB.  Mets 1, Astros 0.

METS 4TH: Kranepool grounded out (second to first); Kingman
grounded out (shortstop to first); Garrett singled to right;
Garrett was caught stealing second (catcher to shortstop); 0 R,
1 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Mets 1, Astros 0.

ASTROS 4TH: Milbourne singled to center; Matlack balked
[Milbourne to second]; Cabell grounded out (third to first);
Cedeno homered [Milbourne scored]; Watson singled to right;
Roberts forced Watson (second to shortstop); Jutze popped to
second; 2 R, 3 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Mets 1, Astros 2.

METS 5TH: Hodges flied out to center; Harrelson walked; Matlack
forced Harrelson (catcher to shortstop); Niekro threw a wild
pitch [Matlack to second]; Unser flied out to center; 0 R, 0 H,
0 E, 1 LOB.  Mets 1, Astros 2.

ASTROS 5TH: Howard flied out to left; Metzger grounded out
(pitcher to first); Niekro walked; Milbourne lined to third; 0
R, 0 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Mets 1, Astros 2.

METS 6TH: Millan singled to left; Milner singled to right
[Millan to second]; Kranepool reached on an error by Watson
[Milner to second, Millan to third]; Kingman grounded into a
double play (third to third to catcher) [Kranepool to second,
Millan out at home, Milner out at third]; Garrett flied out to
center; 0 R, 2 H, 1 E, 2 LOB.  Mets 1, Astros 2.

ASTROS 6TH: Cabell popped to second; Cedeno flied out to center;
Watson walked; Matlack threw a wild pitch [Watson to second];
Roberts walked; Jutze struck out; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 2 LOB.  Mets 1,
Astros 2.

METS 7TH: Hodges singled to left; Harrelson out on a sacrifice
bunt (third to second) [Hodges to second]; TORRE BATTED FOR
MATLACK; Jutze allowed a passed ball [Hodges to third]; Torre
flied out to right; Unser singled to first [Hodges scored
(unearned)]; Millan grounded out (first unassisted); 1 R (0 ER),
2 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Mets 2, Astros 2.

ASTROS 7TH: SANDERS REPLACED TORRE (PITCHING); Howard grounded
out (first to pitcher); Metzger flied out to center; Niekro
doubled to left; Milbourne struck out; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.
Mets 2, Astros 2.

METS 8TH: Milner popped to shortstop; Kranepool singled to
right; Kingman singled to left [Kranepool to second]; Garrett
grounded out (second to first) [Kranepool to third, Kingman to
second]; Niekro threw a wild pitch [Kingman to third, Kranepool
scored]; Hodges singled to right [Kingman scored]; FORSCH
REPLACED NIEKRO (PITCHING); Harrelson flied out to left; 2 R, 3
H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Mets 4, Astros 2.

ASTROS 8TH: BOISCLAIR REPLACED MILNER (PLAYING LF); Cabell
grounded out (shortstop to first); Cedeno flied out to right;
Watson struck out; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Mets 4, Astros 2.

METS 9TH: Sanders grounded out (second to first); Unser grounded
out (pitcher to first); Millan grounded out (third to first); 0
R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Mets 4, Astros 2.

ASTROS 9TH: GROSS BATTED FOR ROBERTS; Gross grounded out (first
unassisted); BOSWELL BATTED FOR JUTZE; Boswell grounded out
(second to first); Howard grounded out (shortstop to first); 0
R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Mets 4, Astros 2.