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Lee May and Cesar Cedeno drive in five runs apiece as Houston storms back to win a 15-11 slugfest over the Dodgers

ByThis Day in Baseball

1972 – Lee May and Cesar Cedeno drive in five runs apiece as Houston storms back to win a 15-11 slugfest over the Dodgers. A four-run seventh overcomes a 10-8 Los Angeles lead then May ices it with a three-run double. Fred Gladding calms the chaos for his 17th save. 

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1972 – Don Wilson ties a club record by tossing 13 innings in a complete-game 5-1 victory in San Francisco. Bob Watson and Roger Metzger end it with home runs in the decisive frame. Metzger finishes with four hits and four RBIs. Imagine how scribes would howl at Leo Durocher these days for keeping Wilson out there for 193 pitches. 

ByTom

1972 – Don Wilson ties a club record by tossing 13 innings in a complete-game 5-1 victory in San Francisco. Bob Watson and Roger Metzger end it with home runs in the decisive frame. Metzger finishes with four hits and four RBIs. Imagine how scribes would howl at Leo Durocher these days for keeping Wilson out there for 193 pitches. 

Roberto Clemente breaks Honus Wagner’s record for the most hits in the history of the franchise and Bob Veale is sold
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Roberto Clemente breaks Honus Wagner’s record for the most hits in the history of the franchise and Bob Veale is sold

ByThis Day in Baseball

Roberto Clemente, with his 2,971st hit in a Pirates uniform, breaks Honus Wagner’s record for the most hits in the history of the franchise. The historic blow is a three-run homer off San Francisco hurler Sam McDowell in the bottom of the fourth inning in an eventual 6-3 victory for the Bucs at Three Rivers Stadium.

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1972 – In second place and desperate to catch up with the blazing Cincinnati Reds, the Astros fire manager Harry Walker, naming 67-year-old Leo “The Lip” Durocher as his replacement. Walker has a 355-353 record in Houston. In his final game with the Astros, Houston drops a 4-3 decision to the Montreal, featuring the 200th homer of Jim Wynn’s career  . Coach Salty Parker is interim manager for one game before Leo takes the reigns. Durocher, who had earlier left the Cubs in mid-season, skippers a 16-15 finish to the season.

ByThis Day in Baseball

1972 – In second place and desperate to catch up with the blazing Cincinnati Reds, the Astros fire manager Harry Walker, naming 67-year-old Leo “The Lip” Durocher as his replacement. Walker has a 355-353 record in Houston. In his final game with the Astros, Houston drops a 4-3 decision to the Montreal, featuring the 200th homer of Jim Wynn’s career  . Coach Salty Parker is interim manager for one game before Leo takes the reigns. Durocher, who had earlier left the Cubs in mid-season, skippers a 16-15 finish to the season.

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1972 – Lee May belts four hits, a three-run blast among them, and drives in five to lead a 17-5 slaughter in Montreal. Cesar Cedeno homers and drives in four. The Expos take such a beating that Gene Mauch sends in former Astro shortstop Hector Torres to pitch the ninth. It is Torres’ first pitching performance since the Mexican Little Leagues. He surrenders six straight hits before getting the last two outs. 

ByTom

1972 – Lee May belts four hits, a three-run blast among them, and drives in five to lead a 17-5 slaughter in Montreal. Cesar Cedeno homers and drives in four. The Expos take such a beating that Gene Mauch sends in former Astro shortstop Hector Torres to pitch the ninth. It is Torres’ first pitching performance since the Mexican Little Leagues. He surrenders six straight hits before getting the last two outs. 

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1972 – Lee May tags Juan Marichal for two solo homers while Johnny Edwards adds another during a 6-1 triumph at San Francisco. Jerry Reuss and Fred Gladding share shutout honors with Gladding contributing a sacrifice fly for the game’s final run as well as earning the save. 

ByThis Day in Baseball

1972 – Lee May tags Juan Marichal for two solo homers while Johnny Edwards adds another during a 6-1 triumph at San Francisco. Jerry Reuss and Fred Gladding share shutout honors with Gladding contributing a sacrifice fly for the game’s final run as well as earning the save. 

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1972 – Cesar Cedeno becomes the first Astro to hit for the cycle during a 10-1 whipping of the Reds . Cesar doubles in the first then smacks a two-run shot off Gary Nolan into the seats. Cedeno adds a run-scoring single in the fifth then triples off Pedro Borbon in the eighth to cap a four-RBI night. His average jumps to a league-leading .353 and Houston trails the Reds by six for the division lead. 

ByTom

1972 – Cesar Cedeno becomes the first Astro to hit for the cycle during a 10-1 whipping of the Reds . Cesar doubles in the first then smacks a two-run shot off Gary Nolan into the seats. Cedeno adds a run-scoring single in the fifth then triples off Pedro Borbon in the eighth to cap a four-RBI night. His average jumps to a league-leading .353 and Houston trails the Reds by six for the division lead. 

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1972 – Houston edges San Diego, 3-2, on a gift run in the bottom of the ninth inning. It starts when Cesar Cedeno swings at a Steve Arlin pitch in the dirt for strike three. The catcher can’t hang on and Cedeno is safe at first. Next, Cesar steals second and moves to third when the throw sails into center field. Two outs and two intentional walks later, Johnny Edwards takes ball four to bring Cedeno home. 

ByTom

1972 – Houston edges San Diego, 3-2, on a gift run in the bottom of the ninth inning. It starts when Cesar Cedeno swings at a Steve Arlin pitch in the dirt for strike three. The catcher can’t hang on and Cedeno is safe at first. Next, Cesar steals second and moves to third when the throw sails into center field. Two outs and two intentional walks later, Johnny Edwards takes ball four to bring Cedeno home.