The Astros quickly overcome a 2-0 deficit with three runs in the fourth inning and defeated the Phillies, 3-2. Willie Montanez singled and Bill Robinson homered for the Phillies' markers in the top half of the fourth before the Astros struck back with a pass to Roger Metzger, double by Lee May and homer by Bob Watson. Dave Roberts, who started for the Astros, left the game with an upset stomach after striking out leadoff batter Casar Tovar. Jim Ray relieved and was the winner with the save going to Ken Forsch. [The Sporting News]



Houston Astros 3, Philadelphia Phillies 2
Game Played on Saturday, August    18, 1973 (Night game) at Astrodome
Phillies     0  0  0    2  0  0    0  0  0  -   2  7  0
Astros       0  0  0    3  0  0    0  0  x  -   3  5  1


Phillies             AB   R   H RBI    BB  SO    AVG      Astros               AB   R   H RBI    BB  SO    AVG
Tovar rf              4   0   0   0     0   1   .275      Gallagher cf          4   0   0   0     0   1   .218
  Doyle 2b            0   0   0   0     0   0   .244      Metzger ss            3   1   1   0     1   1   .261
Grabarkewitz 2b       3   0   0   0     0   1   .159      Wynn rf               4   0   0   0     0   2   .210
  Unser ph,cf         1   0   0   0     0   0   .312      Watson lf             3   1   1   1     0   1   .318
Montanez 1b           4   1   1   0     0   1   .268      May 1b                3   1   2   2     0   1   .270
Luzinski lf           4   0   1   0     0   2   .284      Edwards c             2   0   0   0     0   0   .235
B. Robinson cf,rf     4   1   2   2     0   0   .296      Stewart 3b            2   0   0   0     1   0   .184
Boone c               4   0   1   0     0   0   .259      Helms 2b              3   0   1   0     0   0   .282
Schmidt 3b            2   0   0   0     1   1   .216      Roberts p             0   0   0   0     0   0   .113
C. Robinson ss        2   0   2   0     0   0   .266        Ray p               1   0   0   0     0   0   .182
  Hutton ph           1   0   0   0     0   1   .272        Busse ph            1   0   0   0     0   1   .130
  Harmon ss           0   0   0   0     0   0   .231        Forsch p            1   0   0   0     0   0   .066
Lonborg p             1   0   0   0     0   0   .143
  Rogodzinski ph      1   0   0   0     0   1   .237
  Scarce p            0   0   0   0     0   0   .000
  Diorio p            0   0   0   0     0   0   .000

Totals               31   2   7   2     1   8             Totals               27   3   5   3     2   7

Time of Game: 2:08   Attendance: 23,047
Left on Base: Phillies 4, Astros 3
DP: Phillies 1, Astros 0
Errors: Helms
Doubles: Luzinski (18), Watson (20)
Home Runs: B. Robinson (17), May (19)
Sacrifice Hits: Lonborg (4), Edwards (3)
GIDP: Wynn (9)


Phillies               IP     H   R  ER  BB  SO  HR BFP    ERA
Lonborg L(10-10)        6     4   3   3   1   5   1  22   5.16
Scarce                  0.1   1   0   0   1   0   0   3   2.40
Diorio                  1.2   0   0   0   0   2   0   5   0.00
Totals                  8     5   3   3   2   7   1  30

Astros                 IP     H   R  ER  BB  SO  HR BFP    ERA
Roberts                 0.1   0   0   0   0   1   0   1   2.88
Ray W(6-1)              4.2   5   2   2   1   2   1  19   4.31
Forsch SV(3)            4     2   0   0   0   5   0  13   3.93
Totals                  9     7   2   2   1   8   1  33

Umpires: HP - Bob Engel, 1B - Harry Wendelstedt, 2B - Satch Davidson, 3B - Augie Donatelli


PHILLIES 1ST: Tovar struck out; RAY REPLACED ROBERTS (PITCHING);
Grabarkewitz struck out; Montanez grounded out (pitcher to
first); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Phillies 0, Astros 0.

ASTROS 1ST: Gallagher struck out; Metzger popped to shortstop;
Wynn was called out on strikes; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Phillies
0, Astros 0.

PHILLIES 2ND: Luzinski doubled; B. Robinson grounded out
(shortstop to first); Boone grounded out (third to first);
Schmidt walked; C. Robinson singled to left [Schmidt to second,
Luzinski out at home (left to third to shortstop)]; 0 R, 2 H, 0
E, 2 LOB.  Phillies 0, Astros 0.

ASTROS 2ND: Watson struck out; May struck out; Edwards flied out
to center; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Phillies 0, Astros 0.

PHILLIES 3RD: Lonborg flied out to right; Tovar lined to center;
Grabarkewitz lined to left; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Phillies 0,
Astros 0.

ASTROS 3RD: Stewart flied out to left; Helms grounded out (third
to first); Ray flied out to center; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.
Phillies 0, Astros 0.

PHILLIES 4TH: Montanez singled; Luzinski struck out; B. Robinson
homered [Montanez scored]; Boone grounded out (third to first);
Schmidt flied out to left; 2 R, 2 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Phillies 2,
Astros 0.

ASTROS 4TH: Gallagher flied out to left; Metzger walked; Wynn
flied out to right; Watson doubled [Metzger scored]; May homered
[Watson scored]; Edwards grounded out (shortstop to first); 3 R,
2 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Phillies 2, Astros 3.

PHILLIES 5TH: C. Robinson singled; Lonborg out on a sacrifice
bunt (third to second) [C. Robinson to third (error by Helms)];
Tovar grounded out (third to first); Grabarkewitz grounded out
(third to first); 0 R, 1 H, 1 E, 1 LOB.  Phillies 2, Astros 3.

ASTROS 5TH: Stewart grounded out (second to first); Helms
singled; BUSSE BATTED FOR RAY; Busse struck out; Gallagher
grounded out (second to first); 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Phillies
2, Astros 3.

PHILLIES 6TH: FORSCH REPLACED BUSSE (PITCHING); Montanez struck
out; Luzinski struck out; B. Robinson singled to left [B.
Robinson out at second (left to second)]; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.
Phillies 2, Astros 3.

ASTROS 6TH: Metzger singled; Wynn grounded into a double play
(shortstop to second to first) [Metzger out at second]; Watson
lined to center; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Phillies 2, Astros 3.

PHILLIES 7TH: Boone singled; Schmidt struck out; HUTTON BATTED
FOR C. ROBINSON; Hutton struck out; ROGODZINSKI BATTED FOR
LONBORG; Rogodzinski struck out; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Phillies
2, Astros 3.

ASTROS 7TH: HARMON REPLACED HUTTON (PLAYING SS); SCARCE REPLACED
ROGODZINSKI (PITCHING); May singled; Edwards out on a sacrifice
bunt (third to second) [May to second]; Stewart was walked
intentionally; DIORIO REPLACED SCARCE (PITCHING); Helms flied
out to right; Forsch forced Stewart (shortstop to second); 0 R,
1 H, 0 E, 2 LOB.  Phillies 2, Astros 3.

PHILLIES 8TH: Tovar grounded out (second to first); UNSER BATTED
FOR GRABARKEWITZ; Unser flied out to center; Montanez made an
out to shortstop; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Phillies 2, Astros 3.

ASTROS 8TH: DOYLE REPLACED TOVAR (PLAYING 2B); UNSER STAYED IN
GAME (PLAYING CF); B. ROBINSON CHANGED POSITIONS (PLAYING RF);
Gallagher grounded out (first unassisted); Metzger struck out;
Wynn struck out; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Phillies 2, Astros 3.

PHILLIES 9TH: Luzinski flied out to right; B. Robinson lined to
center; Boone grounded out (shortstop to first); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E,
0 LOB.  Phillies 2, Astros 3.