1974 – Cesar Cedeno drills two homers and drives in five to pace Houston past Atlanta, 7-0 . Claude Osteen, who was dealt by the Dodgers over the winter, scatters seven hits.
1974 – Bob Abreu is born in Aragua, Venezuela. A product of the Astros’ baseball camp in his homeland, Abreu would play just 74 games for Houston before being lost in the 1997 expansion draft.
1973 – Chris Truby is born in Palm Springs, CA. The third baseman bats .241 with 19 homers in two seasons (2000-2001) before being traded to Montreal.
1973 – Slugger Jim Wynn is traded to the Dodgers for pitchers Claude Osteen and Dave Culpepper. A holder of many team records, Wynn rebounds to help the Dodgers to the National League title in 1974 while Osteen would own a 9-9 mark before being traded in mid-season.
1973 – Lefthander Jerry Reuss is traded to the Pirates for catcher Milt May. Reuss has an inconsistent two seasons in Houston, posting a 25-26 record with one save, but he improves on his way through a major league career that lasts 22 years. May, stuck behind Manny Sanguillen in Pittsburgh, bats .265 in two seasons before leaving for Detroit during a rebuilding purge. Also on this date, reliever Tim Byrdak is born in Oak Lawn, IL. The lefthander works out of the bullpen from 2008 to 2010 with a 3.53 ERA.
1973 – J.R. Richard tosses a two-hitter as Houston bombs the Pirates, 10-2. Al Oliver breaks up his no-hit bid in the seventh. By then, Lee May had launched a three-run shot and Bob Watson had belted a grand slam.
1973 – In a foreshadowing of coming years, J.R. Richard’s first major league shutout is against the Dodgers . It’s a five-hit performance with nine strikeouts and five walks. Jim Wynn breaks out of a long slump with an RBI double that sparks the 5-0 victory.
1973 – Leo Durocher pulls Jerry Reuss with a cozy 7-1 lead in the doubleheader opener in Montreal. The Expos storm back for a 12-8 decision then thump the Astros again, 14-6, in the nightcap. Reserve catcher John Boccabella blasts two home runs in one inning for five RBIs. Ron Fairly also goes deep twice in the nightcap. Giddy Canadians taunt Durocher. Reuss fumes afterwards.
1973 – Tommy Helms goes 4-for-5 to spark a 6-3 victory over the Giants. Jerry Reuss takes the win and singles home Helms with the eventual game-winner. Rafael Batista gets his first big league hit.
1973 – Lee May swats two homers to pace a 7-2 victory in Pittsburgh. Jerry Reuss goes the distance, scattering five hits for the win, pushing Houston back into a tie for the division lead.
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