League President Chub Feeney upheld a ninth-inning protest by the Astros, making the Mets wait until the following afternoon for their 5-0 victory. Pete Falcone had tossed a four-hitter before the final-out protest by the Astros.

A confusing incident caused the Astros' Jeff Leonard to bat three times. Leonard flied out for what appeared to be the final out of the game, but third base umpire Doug Harvey ruled that time had been called before the pitch and Leonard came to bat again. He singled on the next pitch, but Met first baseman Ed Kranepool, who had run into the locker room, had not returned to the field before Leonard's swing and plate umpire Frank Pulli nullified the hit since major league rules forbid a team from playing with less than nine men on the field.

After Leonard batted for the third time and flied to left, the Astros filed the protest which was upheld the following morning. Falcone was deprived of a shutout and complete game when the Mets called on Kevin Kobel to get Jose Cruz for the final out with Leonard aboard with his single. [The Sporting News]



New York Mets 5, Houston Astros 0
Game Played on Tuesday, August    21, 1979 (Night game) at Shea Stadium
Astros       0  0  0    0  0  0    0  0  0  -   0  5  3
Mets         0  1  0    2  2  0    0  0  x  -   5  8  1


Astros               AB   R   H RBI    BB  SO    AVG      Mets                 AB   R   H RBI    BB  SO    AVG
BATTINGTotals               31   0   5   0     3   6             Totals               31   5   8   5     3   4

Time of Game: 2:12   Attendance:  9,337
Left on Base: Astros 7, Mets 7
DP: Astros 1, Mets 1
Errors: Cabell, Cruz, Bochy, Ferrer
Doubles: Puhl (17), Youngblood 2 (31), Flynn (17), Taveras (25)
Stolen Bases: Reynolds (11), Mazzilli (25)
Sacrifice Hits: Falcone (4)
GIDP: Bochy (5), Falcone (2)
Hit by Pitch: Norman (1,by Ladd)


Astros                 IP     H   R  ER  BB  SO  HR BFP    ERA
LaCorte L(1-2)          4     4   3   2   2   3   0  19   6.33
Throop                  2     3   2   2   1   0   0  10   4.32
Ladd                    2     1   0   0   0   1   0   7   0.00
Totals                  8     8   5   4   3   4   0  36

Mets                   IP     H   R  ER  BB  SO  HR BFP    ERA
Falcone W(5-9)          8.2   5   0   0   3   6   0  33   4.26
Kobel                   0.1   0   0   0   0   0   0   1   3.37
Totals                  9     5   0   0   3   6   0  34

Hit by Pitch: Ladd (1)

Umpires: HP - Frank Pulli, 1B - Andy Olsen, 3B - Doug Harvey


ASTROS 1ST: Landestoy struck out; Reynolds walked; Reynolds
stole second; Puhl flied out to right; Cedeno was called out on
strikes; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Astros 0, Mets 0.

METS 1ST: Taveras popped to first; Trevino grounded out
(shortstop to first); Mazzilli walked; Stearns reached on an
error by Cabell [Mazzilli to third, Stearns to first]; Kranepool
grounded out (pitcher to first); 0 R, 0 H, 1 E, 2 LOB.  Astros
0, Mets 0.

ASTROS 2ND: Cabell flied out to right; Leonard flied out to
center; Cruz was called out on strikes; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.
Astros 0, Mets 0.

METS 2ND: Youngblood doubled to left; Norman grounded out (third
to first); Flynn singled to center [Youngblood scored]; Falcone
out on a sacrifice bunt (pitcher to second) [Flynn to second];
Taveras was called out on strikes; 1 R, 2 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Astros
0, Mets 1.

ASTROS 3RD: Bochy popped to first; LaCorte was called out on
strikes; Landestoy struck out; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Astros 0,
Mets 1.

METS 3RD: Trevino flied out to center; Mazzilli flied out to
center; Stearns grounded out (shortstop to first); 0 R, 0 H, 0
E, 0 LOB.  Astros 0, Mets 1.

ASTROS 4TH: Reynolds singled to center; Puhl forced Reynolds
(shortstop to second); Cedeno popped to second; Cabell flied out
to center; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Astros 0, Mets 1.

METS 4TH: Kranepool walked; Youngblood struck out; Norman
singled to left [Kranepool to third, Norman to second (error by
Cruz)]; Flynn doubled to left [Kranepool scored, Norman scored
(unearned)]; Falcone struck out; Taveras flied out to right; 2 R
(1 ER), 2 H, 1 E, 1 LOB.  Astros 0, Mets 3.

ASTROS 5TH: Leonard grounded out (shortstop to first); Cruz
grounded out (second to first); Bochy singled to left; KNICELY
BATTED FOR LACORTE; Knicely walked [Bochy to second]; Landestoy
flied out to right; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 2 LOB.  Astros 0, Mets 3.

METS 5TH: THROOP REPLACED KNICELY (PITCHING); Trevino flied out
to right; Mazzilli walked; Mazzilli stole second [Mazzilli to
third (error by Bochy)]; Stearns singled to left [Mazzilli
scored]; Kranepool grounded out (second to first) [Stearns to
second]; Youngblood doubled to right [Stearns scored]; Norman
grounded out (second to first); 2 R, 2 H, 1 E, 1 LOB.  Astros 0,
Mets 5.

ASTROS 6TH: Reynolds was called out on strikes; Puhl doubled to
center; Cedeno flied out to center; Cabell walked; Leonard flied
out to center; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 2 LOB.  Astros 0, Mets 5.

METS 6TH: Flynn grounded out (second to first); Falcone flied
out to left; Taveras doubled to left; Trevino flied out to
center; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Astros 0, Mets 5.

ASTROS 7TH: Cruz singled to left; Bochy grounded into a double
play (shortstop to second to first) [Cruz out at second]; HOWE
BATTED FOR THROOP; Howe popped to second; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.
Astros 0, Mets 5.

METS 7TH: LADD REPLACED HOWE (PITCHING); Mazzilli flied out to
center; Stearns was called out on strikes; Kranepool flied out
to left; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Astros 0, Mets 5.

ASTROS 8TH: FERRER REPLACED STEARNS (PLAYING 3B); Landestoy
lined to second; Ferrer dropped a foul fly hit by Reynolds for
an error; Reynolds popped to third; Puhl grounded out (second to
first); 0 R, 0 H, 1 E, 0 LOB.  Astros 0, Mets 5.

METS 8TH: Youngblood grounded out (third to first); Norman was
hit by a pitch; Flynn singled to center [Norman to third];
Falcone grounded into a double play (second to shortstop to
first) [Flynn out at second]; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Astros 0,
Mets 5.

ASTROS 9TH: Cedeno flied out to left; Cabell grounded out (third
to first); Leonard singled to center; this game actually
ended 3 times; Jeffrey Leonard flied out to CF to end game and
Mets left field; however, SS Frank Taveras had asked for time
before the pitch to Leonard and it was granted by 3B umpire Doug
Harvey; the Mets were called back on the field and Leonard
singled to CF; however, manager Mets manager Joe Torre noted
that first baseman Ed Kranepool was not on the field and argued
that the game could not properly resume without 9 defenders; the
umpires agreed and brought Leonard back to HP; Houston manager
Bill Virdon argued that the count on Leonard should revert to
0-0 and erase the pitches thrown while Kranepool was absent; the
umpires ruled that the pitches would count; Virdon formally
protested the game; Leonard then flied out to LF to apparently
end the game a second time; NL President Chub Feeney was at the
game and one hour later upheld the Houston protest, saying that
Leonard's single was legal; the game was resumed the next
evening with Leonard on first with his single and a new pitcher
for the Mets, who faced one batter and the game was finally
ended; KOBEL REPLACED FALCONE (PITCHING); Cruz grounded out
(second to first); 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Astros 0, Mets 5.