[Joy in Mudville]

Baltimore--The pressure was supposed to be on the Baltimore Orioles, but it was the Houston Astros that wilted in Saturday's sixth game of the Joy in Mudville World Series.

Three costly errors led to a pair of unearned runs and Baltimore tipped Houston 4-3 at Memorial Stadium. With the Series now tied, a seventh and deciding game will be needed to determine the JIM champion.

Sunday's final game will pit aces Tom Seaver of Baltimore and Ken Forsch of Houston against one another. The Orioles, the 1970 JIM champion, are attempting to rally from a 3-1 Series deficit.

Tied 3-3 in the sixth inning Saturday, Baltimore pushed across what turned out to be the winning run.

Bob Boone singled off Astro starter Don Wilson to open the inning. Boone was forced at second on a bad sacrifice bunt attempt by Baltimore pitcher Ken Holtzman. However, Wilson walked leadoff hitter Rick Miller. Ken Singleton, who walked three times in the game, rifled a single past a diving Denis Menke at short to score Holtzman.

Houston threatened in both the eighth and ninth innings. In the eighth, Nolan Ryan came out of the bullpen to strike out two batters with the tying run at second.

In the ninth, reliever Fred Beene saved the game by striking out Cesar Cedeno and retiring Carlos May on a pop out with two runners aboard. It was Beene's second straight Series save.

The Orioles won despite getting just five hits. Cleanup hitter and American League MVP candidate Dick Allen struck out four times. However, in addition to the three Houston runs, Astro pitchers walked eight Baltimore batters.

This marks the second straight time in JIM history that the World Series has gone the full seven games.

Game ID: 6737 - Saturday, October 21st, 1972 - Game Log


Saturday, October 21st, 1972
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
Houston Astros 0 2 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 3 9 3
Baltimore Orioles 2 0 1 0 0 1 0 0 X 4 5 0

Houston AB R H RBI BB K LOB AVG HR RBI
D. Menke SS 5 0 1 1 0 1 2 .192 0 2
J. Morgan 2B 4 0 1 0 1 1 3 .234 2 10
J. Wynn RF 3 1 0 0 2 2 2 .255 1 5
J. Mayberry 1B 3 0 0 0 2 2 1 .227 0 2
C. Cedeno CF 5 1 3 1 0 1 2 .386 2 7
C. May LF 5 0 1 0 0 0 6 .310 3 8
J. Edwards C 3 0 0 1 1 1 3 .351 0 2
D. Rader 3B 3 1 2 0 0 1 2 .293 1 6
D. Wilson P 2 0 1 0 0 0 0 .222 0 0
a-G. Geiger PH 1 0 0 0 0 1 1 .250 0 1
J. Bouton P 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000 0 0
J. Billingham P 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000 0 0
Totals 34 3 9 3 6 10 22

a - G. Geiger pinch hit for D. Wilson in the 8th

BATTING
Doubles: D. Rader (1, 6th Inning off K. Holtzman, 0 on, 0 outs)
Home Runs: C. Cedeno (2, 2nd Inning off K. Holtzman, 0 on, 0 outs)
Total Bases: D. Wilson, C. May, J. Morgan, D. Menke, C. Cedeno 6, D. Rader 3
2-out RBI: D. Menke
Runners left in scoring position, 2 outs: , C. May 2, J. Morgan 2, D. Menke, D. Rader
Sac Bunt: D. Wilson, D. Rader
Team LOB: 12

BASERUNNING
SB: J. Morgan (3), C. Cedeno (4)

FIELDING
Errors: D. Rader , J. Mayberry 2
Double Plays: 1 (Morgan-Menke)


Baltimore AB R H RBI BB K LOB AVG HR RBI
R. Miller RF 3 1 0 0 2 0 4 .286 0 1
K. Singleton LF 2 1 1 1 3 0 1 .364 1 4
D. Allen 1B 5 0 0 0 0 4 8 .263 3 3
F. Beene P 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000 0 0
D. Evans 3B 3 1 1 0 1 0 4 .200 0 3
J. Grubb CF 4 0 1 1 0 1 4 .297 1 4
B. Grich SS 3 0 1 1 1 1 1 .194 0 2
N. Ryan P 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000 0 0
T. Crowley 1B 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000 0 0
D. Johnson 2B 4 0 0 0 0 0 5 .242 1 6
B. Boone C 3 0 1 0 1 1 1 .161 1 4
K. Holtzman P 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 .000 0 0
C. Speier SS 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000 0 0
Totals 28 4 5 3 8 7 28

BATTING
Doubles: B. Grich (2, 1st Inning off D. Wilson, 2 on, 2 outs)
Total Bases: B. Boone, D. Evans, B. Grich 2, K. Singleton, J. Grubb
2-out RBI: B. Grich, J. Grubb
Runners left in scoring position, 2 outs: D. Allen, D. Evans, B. Grich, D. Johnson 2, R. Miller
Sac Bunt: K. Holtzman 2, C. Speier
Team LOB: 12


Houston IP H R ER BB K HR PI PS ERA
D. Wilson L (1-2) 7.0 5 4 2 6 7 0 120 71 2.86
J. Bouton 0.2 0 0 0 2 0 0 16 8 0.00
J. Billingham 0.1 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 0.00

PITCHING
Game Score: D. Wilson 56
Batters Faced: D. Wilson 34, J. Bouton 4, J. Billingham 1
Ground Outs - Fly Outs: D. Wilson 10-3, J. Bouton 1-1, J. Billingham 1-0
Pitches - Strikes: D. Wilson 120-71, J. Bouton 16-8, J. Billingham 1-1
Inherited Runners - Scored: J. Billingham 2-0
Balk: D. Wilson

Baltimore IP H R ER BB K HR PI PS ERA
K. Holtzman W (2-1) 7.0 9 3 3 4 6 1 130 81 3.22
N. Ryan H (1) 1.0 0 0 0 1 2 0 18 8 0.00
F. Beene SV (2) 1.0 0 0 0 1 2 0 18 8 2.25

PITCHING
Game Score: K. Holtzman 49
Batters Faced: K. Holtzman 34, N. Ryan 4, F. Beene 4
Ground Outs - Fly Outs: K. Holtzman 7-8, N. Ryan 1-0, F. Beene 0-1
Pitches - Strikes: K. Holtzman 130-81, N. Ryan 18-8, F. Beene 18-8
Inherited Runners - Scored: N. Ryan 1-0, F. Beene 1-0


GAME NOTES
Player of the Game: K. Singleton
Ballpark: Memorial Stadium
Weather: Partly Cloudy (53 degrees), wind blowing in from right at 17 mph
Start Time: 7:05 pm
Time: 3:03
Attendance: 38664