Jose Cruz cracked a two-run homer and Denny Walling added a two-run single to spark the Astros to a 6-2 verdict over the Mets. Houston took a 1-0 lead in the second inning when Art Howe singled and Walling walked. Howe scored when Frank Taveras threw wildly trying to complete a double play on a ball hit by Alan Ashby.

The Astros made it 3-0 in the third on Cruz' blast following a double by Cesar Cedeno. A bases-loaded walk produced the first run of a three-run fourth, and Walling climaxed the outburst with a single that plated two mates. [The Sporting News]

Houston Astros 6, New York Mets 2

Game Played on Saturday, June 6, 1981 (Night game) at Astrodome

Mets 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 - 2 7 2 Astros 0 1 2 3 0 0 0 0 x - 6 12 1 Mets AB R H RBI BB SO AVG Astros AB R H RBI BB SO AVG Wilson cf 4 0 3 0 0 0 .282 Puhl cf 4 0 2 0 1 0 .263 Taveras ss 4 0 0 0 0 1 .241 Reynolds ss 4 1 0 0 0 0 .257 Youngblood rf 2 1 1 0 0 0 .359 Cedeno 1b 5 2 2 0 0 0 .296 Jorgensen ph,rf 2 0 0 0 0 2 .232 Cruz lf 4 2 3 2 0 0 .282 Kingman 1b 4 0 0 0 0 2 .215 Howe 3b 3 1 1 1 1 1 .354 Cubbage 3b 3 0 0 1 1 0 .214 Walling rf 3 0 1 2 1 0 .222 Stearns c 3 0 0 0 1 0 .272 Ashby c 4 0 1 0 0 0 .260 Mazzilli lf 3 1 1 0 1 0 .217 Pittman 2b 3 0 1 0 1 0 .302 Flynn 2b 3 0 1 0 0 0 .253 Ruhle p 1 0 1 0 0 0 .500 Zachry p 1 0 0 0 0 0 .238 Landestoy ph 1 0 0 0 0 0 .149 Miller p 0 0 0 0 0 0 .333 D. Smith p 1 0 0 0 0 0 .000 Hodges ph 1 0 1 0 0 0 .438 Swan p 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000 Backman ph 0 0 0 0 0 0 .278 Hausman p 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000 Totals 30 2 7 1 3 5 Totals 33 6 12 5 4 1 Time of Game: 2:17 Attendance: 42,478 Left on Base: Mets 5, Astros 9 DP: Mets 1, Astros 2 Errors: Taveras 2, Ashby Doubles: Youngblood (9), Cedeno (9) Home Runs: Cruz (9) Caught Stealing: Wilson (4) Sacrifice Hits: Backman (2), Reynolds (13), Ruhle (1) GIDP: Flynn (9), Stearns (4), Ashby (2) Mets IP H R ER BB SO HR BFP ERA Zachry L(5-6) 3.1 10 6 6 4 0 1 23 4.32 Miller 0.2 1 0 0 0 0 0 2 3.07 Swan 2 1 0 0 0 1 0 7 2.89 Hausman 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 7 2.25 Totals 8 12 6 6 4 1 1 39 Astros IP H R ER BB SO HR BFP ERA Ruhle W(1-1) 5 6 2 1 2 2 0 21 2.80 D. Smith SV(3) 4 1 0 0 1 3 0 13 4.66 Totals 9 7 2 1 3 5 0 34 Balks: Zachry (1) Umpires: HP - Bruce Froemming, 1B - John Kibler, 2B - Joe West, 3B - Steve Fields METS 1ST: Wilson singled to center; Taveras grounded out (third to first) [Wilson to second]; Youngblood grounded out (first unassisted) [Wilson to third]; Kingman flied out to center; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB. Mets 0, Astros 0. ASTROS 1ST: Puhl singled to right; Reynolds out on a sacrifice bunt (third to first) [Puhl to second]; Cedeno made an out to third; Cruz flied out to right; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB. Mets 0, Astros 0. METS 2ND: Cubbage grounded out (second to first); Stearns walked; Mazzilli singled to left [Stearns to second]; Flynn grounded into a double play (shortstop to second to first) [Mazzilli out at second]; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB. Mets 0, Astros 0. ASTROS 2ND: Howe singled to center; Walling walked [Howe to second]; Ashby forced Walling (first to shortstop) [Howe scored (error by Taveras)]; Pittman singled to pitcher [Ashby to second]; Ruhle out on a sacrifice bunt (catcher to second) [Ashby to third, Pittman to second]; Puhl walked; Reynolds made an out to third; 1 R, 2 H, 1 E, 3 LOB. Mets 0, Astros 1. METS 3RD: Zachry lined to shortstop; Wilson singled to second; Wilson was caught stealing second (catcher to shortstop); Taveras struck out; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 0 LOB. Mets 0, Astros 1. ASTROS 3RD: Cedeno doubled to left; Cruz homered [Cedeno scored]; Howe made an out to shortstop; Walling grounded out (first to pitcher); Ashby singled to right; Zachry balked [Ashby to second]; Pittman was walked intentionally; Ruhle singled to right [Ashby out at home (right to catcher), Pittman to second]; 2 R, 4 H, 0 E, 2 LOB. Mets 0, Astros 3. METS 4TH: Youngblood doubled to left; Kingman flied out to left [Youngblood to third]; Cubbage grounded out (second to first) [Youngblood scored]; Stearns flied out to center; 1 R, 1 H, 0 E, 0 LOB. Mets 1, Astros 3. ASTROS 4TH: Puhl singled to center; Reynolds forced Puhl (second to shortstop); Cedeno singled to left [Reynolds to second]; Cruz singled to pitcher [Reynolds to third, Cedeno to second]; Howe walked [Reynolds scored, Cedeno to third, Cruz to second]; MILLER REPLACED ZACHRY (PITCHING); Walling singled to right [Cedeno scored, Cruz scored, Howe to third]; Ashby grounded into a double play (second to first) [Walling out at second]; 3 R, 4 H, 0 E, 1 LOB. Mets 1, Astros 6. METS 5TH: Mazzilli walked; Flynn made an out to second; HODGES BATTED FOR MILLER; Hodges singled to left [Mazzilli to second]; Wilson singled to catcher [Mazzilli scored (error by Ashby) (unearned) (no RBI), Hodges to third, Wilson to second]; Taveras made an out to catcher; JORGENSEN BATTED FOR YOUNGBLOOD; Jorgensen struck out; 1 R (0 ER), 2 H, 1 E, 2 LOB. Mets 2, Astros 6. ASTROS 5TH: JORGENSEN STAYED IN GAME (PLAYING RF); SWAN REPLACED HODGES (PITCHING); Pittman flied out to center; LANDESTOY BATTED FOR RUHLE; Landestoy grounded out (shortstop to first); Puhl flied out to center; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB. Mets 2, Astros 6. METS 6TH: D. SMITH REPLACED LANDESTOY (PITCHING); Kingman struck out; Cubbage flied out to center; Stearns grounded out (third to first); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB. Mets 2, Astros 6. ASTROS 6TH: Reynolds flied out to center; Cedeno flied out to center; Cruz singled to center; Howe was called out on strikes; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB. Mets 2, Astros 6. METS 7TH: Mazzilli grounded out (first unassisted); Flynn singled to center; BACKMAN BATTED FOR SWAN; Backman out on a sacrifice bunt (catcher to first) [Flynn to second]; Wilson grounded out (second to first); 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB. Mets 2, Astros 6. ASTROS 7TH: HAUSMAN REPLACED BACKMAN (PITCHING); Walling grounded out (pitcher to first); Ashby reached on an error by Taveras; Pittman grounded out (pitcher to first) [Ashby to second]; D. Smith grounded out (second to first); 0 R, 0 H, 1 E, 1 LOB. Mets 2, Astros 6. METS 8TH: Taveras grounded out (third to first); Jorgensen struck out; Kingman struck out; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB. Mets 2, Astros 6. ASTROS 8TH: Puhl grounded out (second to first); Reynolds grounded out (first unassisted); Cedeno flied out to right; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB. Mets 2, Astros 6. METS 9TH: Cubbage walked; Stearns grounded into a double play (shortstop to second to first) [Cubbage out at second]; Mazzilli flied out to left; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB. Mets 2, Astros 6.

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