METS TAKE THREE OF FOUR FROM THE ASTROS

Game 1 at Shea Stadium

NY 6 HOU 4

Mets come from behind with 4 in the 8^th to win it. Trailing 4-2, Cleon Jones hits a huge 2 run HR off Larry Dierker to tie the game. The Mets get 2 more in the inning scoring on a grounder by Swoboda and a bases loaded walk to Jerry Grote, before Elio Chacon hit into an inning ending DP.

Houston led 4-0 before the Mets rallied with 2 in the 6^th, before scoring 4 in the 8^th. Houston starter Larry Dierker helped his own cause with a first inning RBI single to make it 1-0. Houston scored three in the top of the 6^th with the big hits being an RBI double by Chuck Harrison (2-3) and a single by the pesky Sonny Jackson.

Galen Cisco pitched 8 innings in his first start of the year to get the win. Dierker (1-1) took the loss. Tug McGraw picked up the save with a shutout 9^th

Game 2  at Shea Stadium

NY  3 HOU 2

Mets do it again in the 8^th inning as Joe Christopher comes through with an RBI single scoring Cleon Jones to break a 2-2 tie. The hit extended Christopher's hitting streak to 10 games.

Houston took a 1-0 lead on a second inning HR by John Bateman off Tom Seaver. Cleon Jones singled in a run in the third to tie it. Then in the 4^th Johnny Lewis doubled in a run to make it 2-1 Mets. In the 7^th a Bud Harrelson error led to an unearned run – setting the stage for Christopher's game winning hit.

Ron Taylor won it in relief with 2 scoreless innings. Bob Bruce started for Houston and took the loss.

Game 3  at the Astrodome

HOU 3  NY 2

The Mets rallied once again tying the game with 2 in the top of the 9^th, while using every single position player on the roster! But in the bottom of the 9^th, Ron Hunt's throwing error allowed leadoff batter Al Spangler to get to second. He took third on a wild pitch by Tug McGraw and then came on to score on a game winning single by Sonny Jackson.

The Mets trailed 2-0 going to the top of the 9^th when manager Raylesberg pulled out all the stops with pinch hitter after pinch hitter. Ed Kranepool pinch hit a double to make it 2-1 and then Charley Smith, who was pinch hitting for a pinch hitter, greeted Woodeshick with a single to tie the game.

Jackson was 3-4 with 2 RBIs. Chuck Harrison was 3-4 with a single, double and triple. Hal Woodeschick won it in relief. McGraw, who came on in the 9^th for starter Jerry Koosman took  the loss.

Game 4 at the Astrodome

Mets 4, Astros 0

Dennis Ribant (1-2) pitched a 5 hit complete game shutout, walking only one and striking out 7 as the Mets take the series 3-1.  Cleon Jones singled in a run in the 3^rd and the Mets added another, off starter and loser Don Wilson, in the 5^th to take a 2-0 lead. In the top of the 9^th, Johnny Lewis hit a mammoth 2 run HR to give the Mets two big insurance runs.

The Mets are now 6-6. Houston is 5-7. Next week: Mets play the Dodgers while the Astros take on the Cardinals

--submitted by Alan Raylesberg--