Working out of a first-inning jam, Jon Matlack defeated the Astros, 3-1, for the Mets' seventh straight victory. The Astros had runners on second and third with none out in the opening frame, but Matlack retired Cesar Cedeno on a pop fly and struck out Bob Watson and Cliff Johnson. The Mets counted twice in their half on an error and wild pitch. [The Sporting News]



New York Mets 3, Houston Astros 1
Game Played on Friday, April     30, 1976 (Night game) at Shea Stadium
Astros       0  0  0    1  0  0    0  0  0  -   1  7  2
Mets         2  0  0    0  0  0    1  0  x  -   3  7  1


Astros               AB   R   H RBI    BB  SO    AVG      Mets                 AB   R   H RBI    BB  SO    AVG
Milbourne 2b          3   0   2   0     1   0   .295      Boisclair rf          3   1   2   0     0   0   .333
Cabell 3b             4   0   1   0     0   0   .310      Millan 2b             4   1   1   0     0   0   .346
Cedeno cf             4   1   1   0     0   0   .309      Unser cf              4   0   1   2     0   0   .260
Watson 1b             4   0   1   0     0   1   .289      Kranepool lf          4   0   0   0     0   1   .257
Johnson c             4   0   0   0     0   2   .203      Kingman 1b            4   0   0   0     0   1   .238
Roberts lf            3   0   1   0     1   1   .273      Garrett 3b            3   0   0   0     1   0   .222
Gross rf              3   0   0   0     0   0   .290      Grote c               4   0   3   0     0   0   .389
Metzger ss            3   0   1   0     0   0   .227      Harrelson ss          3   0   0   0     1   1   .236
Niekro p              2   0   0   0     0   0   .111      Matlack p             2   1   0   0     1   2   .000
  Howard ph           1   0   0   0     0   0   .154
  Barlow p            0   0   0   0     0   0   .000

Totals               31   1   7   0     2   4             Totals               31   3   7   2     3   5

Time of Game: 2:18   Attendance: 17,868
Left on Base: Astros 5, Mets 9
DP: Astros 0, Mets 3
Errors: Milbourne, Watson, Matlack
Doubles: Cabell (4)
Stolen Bases: Unser 2 (3)
Sacrifice Hits: Matlack (2), Boisclair (1)
GIDP: Gross (1), Johnson (3), Cabell (1)


Astros                 IP     H   R  ER  BB  SO  HR BFP    ERA
Niekro L(1-4)           6     5   2   1   1   3   0  26   4.20
Barlow                  2     2   1   1   2   2   0  10   4.50
Totals                  8     7   3   2   3   5   0  36

Mets                   IP     H   R  ER  BB  SO  HR BFP    ERA
Matlack W(3-0)          9     7   1   1   2   4   0  33   2.25
Totals                  9     7   1   1   2   4   0  33

Wild Pitches: Niekro (3), Matlack (2)

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


ASTROS 1ST: Milbourne singled to left; Cabell doubled to right
[Milbourne to third]; Cedeno popped to catcher in foul
territory; Watson struck out; Johnson struck out; 0 R, 2 H, 0 E,
2 LOB.  Astros 0, Mets 0.

METS 1ST: Boisclair singled to right; Millan singled to left
[Boisclair to third, Millan to second (on throw to 3b)]; Unser
reached on an error by Milbourne [Boisclair scored, Millan to
third, Unser to first]; Unser stole second; Kranepool struck
out; Niekro threw a wild pitch [Millan scored (unearned)];
Kingman popped to catcher in foul territory; Garrett flied out
to left; 2 R (1 ER), 2 H, 1 E, 1 LOB.  Astros 0, Mets 2.

ASTROS 2ND: On a bunt Roberts singled; Gross grounded into a
double play (second to shortstop to first) [Roberts out at
second]; Metzger flied out to center; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.
Astros 0, Mets 2.

METS 2ND: Grote singled to right; Harrelson walked [Grote to
second]; Matlack struck out; On a bunt Boisclair singled [Grote
to third, Harrelson to second]; Millan popped to first in foul
territory; Unser grounded out (first unassisted); 0 R, 2 H, 0 E,
3 LOB.  Astros 0, Mets 2.

ASTROS 3RD: Niekro made an out to shortstop; Milbourne made an
out to shortstop; Cabell flied out to left; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0
LOB.  Astros 0, Mets 2.

METS 3RD: Kranepool grounded out (second to first); Kingman
flied out to center; Garrett flied out to center; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E,
0 LOB.  Astros 0, Mets 2.

ASTROS 4TH: Cedeno singled to right; Watson singled to center
[Cedeno to second]; Johnson grounded into a double play (third
to second to first) [Cedeno to third, Watson out at second];
Matlack threw a wild pitch [Cedeno scored]; Roberts walked;
Gross grounded out (pitcher to first); 1 R, 2 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.
Astros 1, Mets 2.

METS 4TH: Grote singled to left; Harrelson made an out to
shortstop; Matlack out on a sacrifice bunt (third to second)
[Grote to second]; Boisclair grounded out (first unassisted); 0
R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Astros 1, Mets 2.

ASTROS 5TH: Metzger grounded out (shortstop to first); Niekro
flied out to center; Milbourne singled to left; Cabell made an
out to shortstop; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Astros 1, Mets 2.

METS 5TH: Millan grounded out (pitcher to first); Unser flied
out to center; Kranepool reached on an error by Watson
[Kranepool to first]; Kingman forced Kranepool (shortstop to
second); 0 R, 0 H, 1 E, 1 LOB.  Astros 1, Mets 2.

ASTROS 6TH: Cedeno lined to third; Watson flied out to left;
Johnson struck out; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Astros 1, Mets 2.

METS 6TH: Garrett flied out to center; Grote grounded out
(shortstop to first); Harrelson struck out; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0
LOB.  Astros 1, Mets 2.

ASTROS 7TH: Roberts grounded out (shortstop to first); Gross
grounded out (second to first); Metzger singled to center;
HOWARD BATTED FOR NIEKRO; Metzger was picked off first but was
safe on an error by Matlack [Metzger to second]; Howard flied
out to center; 0 R, 1 H, 1 E, 1 LOB.  Astros 1, Mets 2.

METS 7TH: BARLOW REPLACED HOWARD (PITCHING); Matlack walked;
Boisclair out on a sacrifice bunt (first to second) [Matlack to
second]; Millan grounded out (second to first) [Matlack to
third]; Unser singled to center [Matlack scored]; Unser stole
second; Kranepool grounded out (second to first); 1 R, 1 H, 0 E,
1 LOB.  Astros 1, Mets 3.

ASTROS 8TH: Milbourne walked; Cabell grounded into a double play
(second to shortstop to first) [Milbourne out at second]; Cedeno
flied out to right; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Astros 1, Mets 3.

METS 8TH: Kingman struck out; Garrett walked; Grote singled to
right [Garrett to third]; Harrelson flied out to left; Matlack
was called out on strikes; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 2 LOB.  Astros 1, Mets
3.

ASTROS 9TH: Watson grounded out (shortstop to first); Johnson
flied out to center; Roberts was called out on strikes; 0 R, 0
H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Astros 1, Mets 3.