Scattering nine hits in a route-going performance, Don Sutton pitched the Astros to a 6-1 decision over the Mets. Houston scored three runs in the first inning on an RBI double by Jose Cruz and errors by New York first baseman Dave Kingman on two consecutive plays. An error by second baseman Doug Flynn gave the Astros another run in the fifth frame. [The Sporting News]

Houston Astros 6, New York Mets 1

Game Played on Monday, August 31, 1981 (Night game) at Astrodome

Mets 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 - 1 9 3 Astros 3 0 0 0 1 0 0 2 x - 6 8 0 Mets AB R H RBI BB SO AVG Astros AB R H RBI BB SO AVG Mazzilli cf 3 1 1 1 1 1 .221 Scott cf 5 2 3 1 0 0 .255 Taveras ss 4 0 1 0 0 1 .241 Reynolds ss 3 0 1 0 0 0 .246 Brooks 3b 4 0 2 0 0 1 .304 Walling rf 4 0 0 0 0 0 .250 Kingman 1b 4 0 2 0 0 1 .222 Cruz lf 4 1 1 1 0 0 .280 Jorgensen lf 4 0 1 0 0 1 .244 Spilman 1b 4 1 0 0 0 1 .231 Valentine rf 4 0 0 0 0 3 .197 Howe 3b 4 1 1 0 0 0 .313 Stearns c 4 0 1 0 0 0 .262 Ashby c 4 1 2 0 0 1 .258 Flynn 2b 2 0 1 0 0 0 .220 Pittman 2b 2 0 0 0 2 1 .278 Wilson ph 1 0 0 0 0 0 .291 Sutton p 3 0 0 1 1 1 .108 Zachry p 2 0 0 0 0 0 .194 Cubbage ph 1 0 0 0 0 0 .224 Searage p 0 0 0 0 0 0 1.000 Totals 33 1 9 1 1 8 Totals 33 6 8 3 3 4 Time of Game: 2:27 Attendance: 10,669 Left on Base: Mets 7, Astros 8 DP: Mets 0, Astros 1 Errors: Kingman 2, Flynn Doubles: Brooks (15), Kingman (8), Cruz (14), Reynolds (9), Ashby (10) Home Runs: Mazzilli (4) Sacrifice Hits: Flynn (5), Reynolds 2 (18) GIDP: Zachry (1) Mets IP H R ER BB SO HR BFP ERA Zachry L(6-10) 6 5 4 1 1 3 0 27 3.79 Searage 2 3 2 2 2 1 0 11 5.52 Totals 8 8 6 3 3 4 0 38 Astros IP H R ER BB SO HR BFP ERA Sutton W(7-7) 9 9 1 1 1 8 1 35 3.11 Totals 9 9 1 1 1 8 1 35 Umpires: HP - Fred Brocklander, 1B - Charlie Williams, 2B - Paul Pryor, 3B - Dave Pallone METS 1ST: Mazzilli made an out to shortstop; Taveras singled to first; Taveras was picked off first (pitcher to first); Brooks struck out; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 0 LOB. Mets 0, Astros 0. ASTROS 1ST: Scott singled to center; Reynolds out on a sacrifice bunt (third to first) [Scott to second]; Walling grounded out (first unassisted) [Scott to third]; Cruz doubled to center [Scott scored]; Spilman reached on an error by Kingman [Cruz scored (unearned), Spilman to second]; Howe reached on an error by Kingman [Spilman scored (unearned)]; Ashby struck out; 3 R (1 ER), 2 H, 2 E, 1 LOB. Mets 0, Astros 3. METS 2ND: Kingman singled to third; Jorgensen flied out to center; Valentine struck out; Stearns grounded out (catcher to first); 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB. Mets 0, Astros 3. ASTROS 2ND: Pittman struck out; Sutton struck out; Scott grounded out (second to first); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB. Mets 0, Astros 3. METS 3RD: Flynn singled to right; On a bunt Zachry grounded into a double play (pitcher to shortstop to second) [Flynn out at second]; Mazzilli homered; Taveras struck out; 1 R, 2 H, 0 E, 0 LOB. Mets 1, Astros 3. ASTROS 3RD: Reynolds doubled to right; Walling grounded out (first unassisted) [Reynolds to third]; Cruz flied out to left; Spilman flied out to right; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB. Mets 1, Astros 3. METS 4TH: Brooks singled to center; Kingman struck out; Jorgensen singled to center [Brooks to third]; Valentine struck out; Stearns flied out to right; 0 R, 2 H, 0 E, 2 LOB. Mets 1, Astros 3. ASTROS 4TH: Howe grounded out (pitcher to first); Ashby singled to left; Pittman flied out to left; Sutton grounded out (pitcher to first); 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB. Mets 1, Astros 3. METS 5TH: Flynn grounded out (shortstop to first); Zachry grounded out (third to first); Mazzilli walked; Taveras made an out to shortstop; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 1 LOB. Mets 1, Astros 3. ASTROS 5TH: Scott singled to left; Reynolds out on a sacrifice bunt (third to first) [Scott to second]; Walling popped to shortstop in foul territory; Cruz reached on an error by Flynn [Scott scored (unearned) (no RBI)]; Spilman flied out to center; 1 R (0 ER), 1 H, 1 E, 1 LOB. Mets 1, Astros 4. METS 6TH: Brooks doubled to center; Kingman flied out to left [Brooks to third]; Jorgensen grounded out (second to first); Valentine struck out; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB. Mets 1, Astros 4. ASTROS 6TH: Howe flied out to right; Ashby grounded out (shortstop to first); Pittman walked; Sutton flied out to right; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 1 LOB. Mets 1, Astros 4. METS 7TH: Stearns singled to left; Flynn out on a sacrifice bunt (pitcher to first) [Stearns to second]; CUBBAGE BATTED FOR ZACHRY; Cubbage grounded out (first unassisted) [Stearns to third]; Mazzilli was called out on strikes; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB. Mets 1, Astros 4. ASTROS 7TH: SEARAGE REPLACED CUBBAGE (PITCHING); Scott flied out to right; Reynolds flied out to right; Walling grounded out (second to first); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB. Mets 1, Astros 4. METS 8TH: Taveras flied out to center; Brooks grounded out (second to first); Kingman doubled to left; Jorgensen struck out; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB. Mets 1, Astros 4. ASTROS 8TH: Cruz grounded out (second to first); Spilman was called out on strikes; Howe singled to center; Ashby doubled to left [Howe to third]; Pittman was walked intentionally; Sutton walked [Howe scored, Ashby to third, Pittman to second]; Scott singled to shortstop [Ashby scored, Pittman to third, Sutton to second]; Reynolds forced Scott (shortstop to second); 2 R, 3 H, 0 E, 3 LOB. Mets 1, Astros 6. METS 9TH: Valentine grounded out (pitcher to first); Stearns grounded out (third to first); WILSON BATTED FOR FLYNN; Wilson flied out to right; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB. Mets 1, Astros 6.

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