A three-run rally in the ninth inning brought the Pirates a 6-5 victory over the Astros. Two pinch-hitters, Paul Popovich and Richie Hebner, drew passes from Joe Niekro to open the rally. Attempting to sacrifice, Rennie Stennett forced Popovich at third, but Willie Stargell singled to drive in Hebner. When Greg Gross fumbled the ball in left field, Stennett wound up at third and Stargell took second.

After Jim Crawford replaced Niekro, Stennett beat the throw home on a grounder by Dave Parker, tying the score. Following an infield out by Al Oliver, Manny Sanguillen was passed intentionally to load the bases. Bill Robinson then singled to drive in the winning run. [The Sporting News]



Pittsburgh Pirates 6, Houston Astros 5
Game Played on Tuesday, May       27, 1975 (Night game) at Three Rivers Stadium
Astros       0  0  2    0  0  1    1  0  1  -   5  9  1
Pirates      0  0  2    0  0  0    0  1  3  -   6 10  0


Astros               AB   R   H RBI    BB  SO    AVG      Pirates              AB   R   H RBI    BB  SO    AVG
Gross lf              5   1   1   0     0   0   .254      Taveras ss            3   0   0   0     0   0   .157
Metzger ss            4   0   1   1     1   0   .302        Zisk ph             1   0   0   0     0   1   .237
Cedeno cf             5   1   1   1     0   0   .258        Mendoza ss          0   0   0   0     0   0   .174
Watson 1b             4   1   2   1     0   0   .344        Hebner ph           0   1   0   0     1   0   .261
Rader 3b              2   1   1   0     2   0   .267      Stennett 2b           4   2   1   1     1   0   .258
Cabell rf             4   0   2   1     0   1   .299      Stargell 1b           5   1   2   2     0   1   .266
Jutze c               4   0   0   0     0   0   .115      Parker rf             5   0   0   1     0   0   .297
Andrews 2b            3   1   1   0     1   1   .210      Oliver cf             5   1   2   1     0   0   .270
Dierker p             3   0   0   0     0   2   .038      Sanguillen c          3   0   2   0     2   1   .353
  Niekro p            0   0   0   0     0   0   .500      Robinson lf           5   0   1   1     0   3   .290
  Crawford p          0   0   0   0     0   0   .400      Howe 3b               3   1   2   0     1   1   .195
  Forsch p            0   0   0   0     0   0   .333      Rooker p              1   0   0   0     0   1   .000
                                                            Kirkpatrick ph      1   0   0   0     0   0   .200
                                                            Demery p            0   0   0   0     0   0   .000
                                                            Popovich ph         0   0   0   0     1   0   .143

Totals               34   5   9   4     4   4             Totals               36   6  10   6     6   8

Time of Game: 2:43   Attendance:  7,003
Left on Base: Astros 7, Pirates 11
DP: Astros 0, Pirates 1
Errors: Gross
Doubles: Rader (7), Stennett (7)
Triples: Metzger (4)
Home Runs: Cedeno (3), Oliver (4)
Stolen Bases: Gross (1), Rader (2), Andrews (5), Oliver (2), Howe (1)
Sacrifice Hits: Niekro (1), Rooker (2)


Astros                 IP     H   R  ER  BB  SO  HR BFP    ERA
Dierker                 7.1   8   3   3   3   7   1  33   3.73
Niekro L(1-1)           1     1   3   3   2   1   0   6   5.87
Crawford                0.1   0   0   0   0   0   0   2   2.05
Forsch                  0     1   0   0   1   0   0   2   2.89
Totals                  8.2  10   6   6   6   8   1  43

Pirates                IP     H   R  ER  BB  SO  HR BFP    ERA
Rooker                  7     6   4   4   4   4   1  31   3.86
Demery W(2-0)           2     3   1   1   0   0   0   8   1.59
Totals                  9     9   5   5   4   4   1  39

Passed Balls: Jutze (2)

Umpires: HP - Jerry Dale, 1B - Shag Crawford, 2B - John Kibler, 3B - Dick Stello


ASTROS 1ST: Gross flied out to left; Metzger walked; Cedeno
flied out to right; Watson singled to left [Metzger to second];
Rader walked [Metzger to third, Watson to second]; Cabell was
called out on strikes; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 3 LOB.  Astros 0, Pirates
0.

PIRATES 1ST: Taveras grounded out (second to first); Stennett
grounded out (third to first); Stargell grounded out (second to
pitcher); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Astros 0, Pirates 0.

ASTROS 2ND: Jutze lined to second; Andrews flied out to left;
Dierker was called out on strikes; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Astros
0, Pirates 0.

PIRATES 2ND: Parker flied out to left; Oliver grounded out
(second to first); Sanguillen singled to center; Robinson struck
out; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Astros 0, Pirates 0.

ASTROS 3RD: Gross singled to left; Gross stole second; Metzger
flied out to right; Cedeno lined to pitcher; Watson singled to
center [Gross scored]; Rader walked [Watson to second]; Cabell
singled to center [Watson scored, Rader to third]; Jutze flied
out to right; 2 R, 3 H, 0 E, 2 LOB.  Astros 2, Pirates 0.

PIRATES 3RD: Howe walked; Rooker out on a sacrifice bunt
(pitcher unassisted) [Howe to second]; Taveras grounded out
(second to first) [Howe to third]; Stennett doubled to right
[Howe scored]; Stargell singled to right [Stennett scored];
Parker lined to center; 2 R, 2 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Astros 2, Pirates
2.

ASTROS 4TH: Andrews struck out; Dierker struck out; Gross made
an out to shortstop; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Astros 2, Pirates 2.

PIRATES 4TH: Oliver singled to center; Sanguillen struck out
while Oliver stole second; Robinson struck out; Howe singled to
third [Oliver to third]; Howe stole second; Rooker struck out; 0
R, 2 H, 0 E, 2 LOB.  Astros 2, Pirates 2.

ASTROS 5TH: Metzger grounded out (third to first); Cedeno flied
out to center; Watson grounded out (shortstop to first); 0 R, 0
H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Astros 2, Pirates 2.

PIRATES 5TH: Taveras flied out to right; Stennett grounded out
(third to first); Stargell struck out; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.
Astros 2, Pirates 2.

ASTROS 6TH: Rader doubled to center; Cabell grounded out (second
to first) [Rader to third]; Jutze lined to second; Andrews was
walked intentionally; Rader stole home and Andrews stole second;
Dierker flied out to left; 1 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Astros 3,
Pirates 2.

PIRATES 6TH: Parker grounded out (pitcher to first); Oliver
lined to center; Sanguillen singled to left; Robinson struck
out; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Astros 3, Pirates 2.

ASTROS 7TH: Gross grounded out (catcher to first); Metzger flied
out to left; Cedeno homered; Watson made an out to shortstop; 1
R, 1 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Astros 4, Pirates 2.

PIRATES 7TH: Howe singled to center; KIRKPATRICK BATTED FOR
ROOKER; Kirkpatrick flied out to center; ZISK BATTED FOR
TAVERAS; Zisk struck out; Stennett walked [Howe to second];
Stargell popped to catcher in foul territory; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 2
LOB.  Astros 4, Pirates 2.

ASTROS 8TH: MENDOZA REPLACED ZISK (PLAYING SS); DEMERY REPLACED
KIRKPATRICK (PITCHING); Rader grounded out (third to first);
Cabell singled to center; Jutze lined into a double play (second
to first) [Cabell out at first]; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Astros
4, Pirates 2.

PIRATES 8TH: Parker made an out to shortstop; Oliver homered;
Sanguillen walked; NIEKRO REPLACED DIERKER (PITCHING); Jutze
allowed a passed ball [Sanguillen to second]; Robinson flied out
to right; Howe was called out on strikes; 1 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.
Astros 4, Pirates 3.

ASTROS 9TH: Andrews singled to shortstop; Niekro out on a
sacrifice bunt (first to second) [Andrews to second]; Gross
grounded out (shortstop to first); Metzger tripled to left
[Andrews scored]; Cedeno popped to third in foul territory; 1 R,
2 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Astros 5, Pirates 3.

PIRATES 9TH: POPOVICH BATTED FOR DEMERY; Popovich walked; HEBNER
BATTED FOR MENDOZA; Hebner walked [Popovich to second]; Stennett
forced Popovich (pitcher to third) [Hebner to second]; Stargell
singled to left [Hebner scored, Stennett to third, Stargell to
second (error by Gross)]; CRAWFORD REPLACED NIEKRO (PITCHING);
Parker reached on a fielder's choice [Stennett scored, Stargell
stayed at second]; Oliver grounded out (first unassisted)
[Stargell to third, Parker to second]; FORSCH REPLACED CRAWFORD
(PITCHING); Sanguillen was walked intentionally; Robinson
singled to left [Stargell scored, Parker to third, Sanguillen to
second]; 3 R, 2 H, 1 E, 3 LOB.  Astros 5, Pirates 6.