Six consecutive hits, followed later by a sacrifice fly, produced six runs in the fourth inning and gave the Astros a 7-3 victory over the Mets. Mets' starter Bob Apodaca failed to retire a batter in the Astros' outburst. Cesar Cedeno singled and Bob Watson homered for the first two runs.

Singles by Jose Cruz and Cliff Johnson and a double by Ed Herrmann added another tally. Roger Metzger followed with a triple, driving in two runs and knocking out Apodaca. Bob Myrick relieved and retired Joe Niekro on a tap to the mound, but Enos Cabell hit a sacrifice fly, scoring Metzger. [The Sporting News]

Houston Astros 7, New York Mets 3

Game Played on Monday, July 5, 1976 (Night game) at Astrodome

Mets         0  0  0    0  1  0    2  0  0  -   3 10  0
Astros       0  0  0    6  1  0    0  0  x  -   7  9  1


Mets                 AB   R   H RBI    BB  SO    AVG      Astros               AB   R   H RBI    BB  SO    AVG
Boisclair cf          4   1   1   0     1   1   .308      Cabell 3b             3   0   1   1     0   1   .300
Millan 2b             5   2   2   0     0   0   .255      Andrews 2b            4   0   0   0     0   0   .303
Milner lf             4   0   1   0     1   1   .288      Cedeno cf             3   2   2   0     1   0   .295
Kingman rf            4   0   2   2     0   1   .234      Watson 1b             4   1   2   2     0   0   .271
Kranepool 1b          4   0   1   1     1   0   .291      Cruz rf               4   1   1   1     0   0   .287
Grote c               3   0   1   0     1   0   .252      Johnson lf            3   1   1   0     0   0   .228
Staiger 3b            4   0   1   0     0   0   .196        Howard lf           1   0   0   0     0   1   .215
Harrelson ss          4   0   1   0     0   0   .213      Herrmann c            4   1   1   1     0   1   .182
Apodaca p             2   0   0   0     0   1   .200      Metzger ss            3   1   1   2     0   0   .234
  Myrick p            0   0   0   0     0   0   .000      Niekro p              3   0   0   0     0   0   .182
  Vail ph             1   0   0   0     0   0   .286        Forsch p            0   0   0   0     0   0   .167
  Sanders p           0   0   0   0     0   0   .000
  Torre ph            1   0   0   0     0   0   .302
  Lockwood p          0   0   0   0     0   0   .444

Totals               36   3  10   3     4   4             Totals               32   7   9   7     1   3

Time of Game: 2:32   Attendance: 14,037
Left on Base: Mets 11, Astros 3
DP: Mets 0, Astros 1
Errors: Cabell
Doubles: Boisclair (6), Staiger (4), Herrmann (5)
Triples: Metzger (5)
Home Runs: Watson (9)
Stolen Bases: Cruz (11)
Sacrifice Flies: Kingman (1), Cabell (2)
GIDP: Torre (11)


Mets                   IP     H   R  ER  BB  SO  HR BFP    ERA
Apodaca L(1-4)          3     7   6   6   1   0   1  17   2.70
Myrick                  2     2   1   1   0   1   0   8   2.89
Sanders                 2     0   0   0   0   1   0   6   1.80
Lockwood                1     0   0   0   0   1   0   3   2.27
Totals                  8     9   7   7   1   3   1  34

Astros                 IP     H   R  ER  BB  SO  HR BFP    ERA
Niekro W(4-7)           6.2   7   3   1   4   4   0  32   3.65
Forsch                  2.1   3   0   0   0   0   0   9   1.93
Totals                  9    10   3   1   4   4   0  41

Passed Balls: Herrmann (2)

Umpires: HP - Art Williams, 1B - Tom Gorman, 2B - Paul Pryor, 3B - John McSherry


METS 1ST: Boisclair struck out; Millan made an out to first;
Milner singled; Herrmann allowed a passed ball [Milner to
second]; Kingman struck out; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Mets 0,
Astros 0.

ASTROS 1ST: Cabell singled; Andrews grounded out (second to
first) [Cabell to second]; Cedeno was walked intentionally;
Watson grounded out (pitcher to second to first) [Cabell to
third, Cedeno to second]; Cruz grounded out (first to pitcher);
0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 2 LOB.  Mets 0, Astros 0.

METS 2ND: Kranepool flied out to center; Grote walked; Staiger
flied out to left; Harrelson flied out to left; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 1
LOB.  Mets 0, Astros 0.

ASTROS 2ND: Johnson flied out to right; Herrmann flied out to
left; Metzger flied out to center; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Mets
0, Astros 0.

METS 3RD: Apodaca made an out to first; Boisclair doubled;
Millan made an out to second; Milner walked; Kingman flied out
to left; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 2 LOB.  Mets 0, Astros 0.

ASTROS 3RD: Niekro flied out to right; Cabell grounded out
(shortstop to first); Andrews flied out to center; 0 R, 0 H, 0
E, 0 LOB.  Mets 0, Astros 0.

METS 4TH: Kranepool walked; Grote forced Kranepool (pitcher to
shortstop); Staiger doubled [Grote to third]; Harrelson made an
out to catcher; Apodaca struck out; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 2 LOB.  Mets
0, Astros 0.

ASTROS 4TH: Cedeno singled; Watson homered [Cedeno scored]; Cruz
singled; Johnson singled [Cruz to second]; Herrmann doubled
[Cruz scored, Johnson to third]; Metzger tripled [Johnson
scored, Herrmann scored]; MYRICK REPLACED APODACA (PITCHING);
Niekro grounded out (pitcher to first); Cabell hit a sacrifice
fly to left [Metzger scored]; Andrews made an out to second; 6
R, 6 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Mets 0, Astros 6.

METS 5TH: Boisclair grounded out (pitcher to first); Millan
singled; Milner grounded out (second to pitcher) [Millan to
second]; Kingman singled [Millan scored]; Kranepool flied out to
center; 1 R, 2 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Mets 1, Astros 6.

ASTROS 5TH: Cedeno singled; Watson singled [Cedeno to third];
Cruz forced Watson (second to shortstop) [Cedeno scored]; Cruz
stole second; Johnson grounded out (second to first) [Cruz to
third]; Herrmann struck out; 1 R, 2 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Mets 1,
Astros 7.

METS 6TH: Grote singled; Staiger made an out to second;
Harrelson flied out to left; VAIL BATTED FOR MYRICK; Vail
grounded out (third to first); 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Mets 1,
Astros 7.

ASTROS 6TH: SANDERS REPLACED VAIL (PITCHING); Metzger grounded
out (pitcher to first); Niekro grounded out (third to first);
Cabell struck out; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Mets 1, Astros 7.

METS 7TH: Boisclair walked; Millan reached on an error by Cabell
[Boisclair to third]; Milner struck out; Kingman hit a sacrifice
fly to center [Boisclair scored (unearned)]; Kranepool singled
[Millan scored (unearned)]; FORSCH REPLACED NIEKRO (PITCHING);
Grote made an out to third; 2 R (0 ER), 1 H, 1 E, 1 LOB.  Mets
3, Astros 7.

ASTROS 7TH: Andrews grounded out (second to first); Cedeno flied
out to left; Watson grounded out (shortstop to first); 0 R, 0 H,
0 E, 0 LOB.  Mets 3, Astros 7.

METS 8TH: HOWARD REPLACED JOHNSON (PLAYING LF); Staiger grounded
out (pitcher to first); Harrelson singled; TORRE BATTED FOR
SANDERS; Torre grounded into a double play (second to shortstop
to first) [Harrelson out at second]; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Mets
3, Astros 7.

ASTROS 8TH: LOCKWOOD REPLACED TORRE (PITCHING); Cruz grounded
out (shortstop to first); Howard was called out on strikes;
Herrmann flied out to center; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Mets 3,
Astros 7.

METS 9TH: Boisclair grounded out (pitcher to first); Millan
singled; Milner flied out to center; Kingman singled [Millan to
second]; Kranepool made an out to shortstop; 0 R, 2 H, 0 E, 2
LOB.  Mets 3, Astros 7.

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