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.