The 1971 Houston Astros season was the tenth season for the Major League Baseball (MLB) franchise located in Houston, Texas, their seventh as the Astros, tenth in the National League (NL), third in the NL West division, and seventh at The Astrodome. The Astros entered the season having posted a record of 79–83, for fourth place and 23 games behind the division-champion and NL pennant-winning Cincinnati Reds.
Pitcher Larry Dierker made his third Opening Day start for the Astros, who hosted the Los Angeles Dodgers on April 5, and won, 5–2. The Astros' first-round selection in the amateur draft was shortstop Neil Rasmussen, at 12th overall.
Dierker and fellow pitcher Don Wilson both represented the Astros and played for the National League at the MLB All-Star Game. This was second career selection for Dierker and first for Wilson.
The Astros concluded the season with a record of 79–83—replicating their performance from the year prior—while maintaining fourth place in the NL West, this time, tying with Cincinnati for 11 games behind the division-champion San Francisco Giants. The Astros played 75 games that were decided by a one-run margin, which is an all-time MLB record. In those games, the Astros performed to a record. Following the season, third baseman Doug Rader won his second career Gold Glove Award.
Offseason Summary The Houston Astros concluded the season with a record, for fourth place and 23 games behind the NL West division-champion and NL pennant-winning Cincinnati Reds. Houston set then-club records with 744 runs scored and 129 home runs, including five grand slams. Second baseman Joe Morgan became first player in club history to record two 40-stolen base seasons. Third baseman Doug Rader won the Gold Glove Award for the first time, joining pitcher Bobby Shantz in as the second Houston Colt 45/Astro to be so recognized.
Transactions January 13, 1971: Doug Konieczny was drafted by the Astros in the 1st round (4th pick) of the 1971 Major League Baseball draft Secondary Phase.
Exhibition play The Astrodome hosted a 15-inning, exhibition tripleheader on April 2 between Houston, the Minnesota Twins and New York Yankees. For the first five-inning contest, the Astros tripped the Yankees, 2–1. During the middle five, the Twins toppled the Yankees, 4–1, prior to getting ripped by the Astros during the last five frames, 5–3.
Regular season
Summary
April
+ Opening Day starting lineup Player Position+ 28 César Cedeño Center fielder 18 Joe Morgan Second baseman 24 Jimmy Wynn Right fielder 27 Bob Watson Left fielder 11 Denis Menke First baseman 12 Doug Rader Third baseman 7 Johnny Edwards Catcher 15 Roger Metzger Shortstop 49 Larry Dierker Pitcher Venue: Astrodome • Final: Houston 5, Los Angeles 2 Sources:
Hosting the Los Angeles Dodgers for Opening Day on April 5, Denis Menke tripled in runs (RBI) of Joe Morgan and Bob Watson off Los Angeles' Bill Singer for a 2–0 lead. The Astros never looked back, winning 5–2, backed by complete game execution from Larry Dierker. Dierker diffused 10 hits, issued one base on balls and struck out four. Making his third Opening Day start for the Astros, Dierker at the time remained the only pitcher to start more than once on Opening Day for the club.
On April 28, César Gerónimo chipped in a walk-off triple, just the second in club history. This scored Jim Wynn during the bottom of the tenth frame for a decision of Houston 4, Philadelphia Phillies 3. Rader drove in six, and Larry Dierker (6–1) earned the win and quality start spite of yielding 13 hits in six innngs,
May On May 16, Doug Rader hit a record third career grand slam inside the Astrodome—which would be matched by one other player during its 35 years of hosting baseball. At that point, Rader had been the only player to hit more than one in the Astrodome. Larry Dierker (6–1) earned the victory and quality start, escaping 13 hits surrendered over six innings. The Astros won, 12–4, while Dierker himself collected two hits at the plate. Jim Ray (1) pitched the final three innings to earn the save.
During a doubleheader on May 26 at San Diego Stadium, the Padres started Al Santorini for both contests, though during the first game, Santorini was deployed as an opener. Facing an order assembled with seven lefties, Santorini got the leadoff hitter out and was replaced by Dave Roberts. The Astros won, 2–1, behind Wade Blasingame's effort. Bob Watson pinch hit for Blasingame (3–5) in the top of the ninth and singled home Doug Rader for the game-winning run.
In the May 26 nightcap, Larry Dierker cruised to his first career one-hitter while outpitching Santorini–who, this time, hurled six innings–in an 8–0 Astros triumph. Ollie Brown's broken-bat single in the seventh foiled Dierker's bid for a no-hitter. Dierker issued three base on balls and struck out five to earn a game score of 87. Catcher Johnny Edwards tripled and collected three runs batted in (RBI). The Astros piled on 11 hits and worked 6 walks. It was also Dierker's fourth career complete game effort of two hits or fewer.
June On June 6, for the first time in club history, the Astros logged 10 extra-base hits in a single game. Though Astros stacked eight doubles and two home runs, they fell short to the Pittsburgh Pirates, 9–8. Bob Watson homered (4), doubled (9) and collected four RBI. John Mayberry (2) also homered. Jesús Alou doubled twice, while Jack Hiatt, Doug Rader, and Johnny Edwards also doubled.
July The Astros exploded for a season-high 18 runs on July 7, en route to an 18–4 drubbing of the San Francisco Giants at Candlestick Park. Jimmy Wynn became the first player to attain 1,000 hits as a member the Houston Astros, also the 1,000th hit of his career, with a seventh inning double off left-hander Steve Hamilton. During an all-round memorable day, Wynn was 2-for-4 with 2 runs batted in (RBI), 2 runs scored, one stolen base and one base on balls.
On July 16, the Astros executed the first triple play in franchise history—and first at the Astrodome—during the top of the third inning, capping a 9–4 triumph over Nolan Ryan and the New York Mets. Shortstop Roger Metzger scooped a tapper hit by Cleon Jones, stepped on second base to force out Tommie Agee, then tossed to Denis Menke at first base ahead of Jones for the putout. Menke then fired to Doug Rader after Ken Boswell hesitated on his dash to third base, where Rader completed the trifecta. The Astros scored three in the bottom of the first inning, and once each every inning through the fifth. Metzer scored three times and Bob Watson had three this. Jack Billingham (5–8) worked innings to earn the win.
September On September 2, César Cedeño hit the first Inside-the-park grand slam at the Astrodome, one of two all-time. He stepped to the plate to face Claude Osteen with the bases loaded in the fifth in a 3–2 deficit to the Los Angeles Dodgers, and hit a blooper to shallow right field between Bill Buckner and Jim Lefebvre. They while attempting to make the catch, and the ball dribbled into the corner. Meanwhile, the bases cleared ahead of Cedeño, who raced home for the inside the-park grand slam. The first of his career, Cedeño had blasted his first major league home run off Osteen on July 6 of the prior year. On the day, Cedeño was 3-for-4 with 4 RBI and a double. Astros starter Don Wilson (13–8) went the distance to pick up the victory, a 9–3 score.
Strikeout records in a doubleheader: J. R. Richard's 15-strikeout debut Astros pitching fired a record performance on September 5 during a doubleheader at Candlestick Park. In the opener, Jack Billingham tossed a five-hit, 1–0 shutout with 11 strikeouts and a game score of 86 over the Giants. Making his major league debut during the second game on September 5, J. R. Richard struck out 15 Giants on the way to firing another complete game. Richard's final strikeout victim was Hal Lanier, also the final out of the contest, to finish off a 5–3 Astros triumph. This contest garnered a 75-game score for Richard. His 15-strikeout effort remained his permanent career-high, while tying a record for a Major League debut first established in 1954 by Karl Spooner of the Brooklyn Dodgers. The 26 combined strikeouts by Billingham and Richard during the twinbill set a new MLB record.
Rest of September Facing a 4–1 deficit to the Atlanta Braves on September 15, manager Harry Walker inserted right-handed prospect Larry Yount to pitch the ninth inning. His major league debut, Félix Millán was the first batter of the inning. Before he could throw his first pitch, Yount's elbow became sore, whom Walker replaced with veteran Jim Ray. Yount, who never made another major league appearance, became the first to appear in a game without any officially scored plays being completed. Atlanta prevailed over Houston, 4 to 2, led by Phil Niekro (14–12), who tossed a four-hit complete game, defeating Houston's Jack Billingham (8–15). Billingham surrendered Hank Aaron's 44th home run of the season.
The Astros turned their second triple play of the season on September 17, during the second inning while hosting the Cincinnati Reds.
On September 24, Ken Forsch established an individual club record by working 13 innings. Forsch surrendered six hits, one run, and struck out eight.
Performance overview With a record, Houston terminated the 1971 campaign tied for fourth place in the NL West with the Cincinnati, 11 games behind the division-champion San Francisco Giants. The Astros participated in 75 contests that were decided by a one-run margin, which set an all-time MLB record. In those games, the team had a record of . Note that tie games are not explicitly shown in the table; the number of ties, if any, can be deduced from any discrepancy between #Matching and (Wins + Losses). The 1971 Astros did not have any tied games in any case.
Third baseman Doug Rader, who won his second consecutive Gold Glove Award, became the first Astros player to win more than once.
As the Astrodome was reputed for suppressing the home run, three Astros combined to lead the league in extra-base hit categories. With 40 doubles, César Cedeño led the major leagues. He joined Rusty Staub in 1967 as the second Astro to lead both theNatioal League in doubles as well as all of baseball. Meanwhile, Houston's first-ever triples leaders—Roger Metzger and Joe Morgan jointly led the major leagues with 11 each—forged a three-way tie with Freddie Patek of the Kansas City Royals in the American League.
Joe Morgan furthered club stolen base records by becoming the first individual player club history to attain 40 or more over three seasons, each consecutively. This was also the third of a franchise-record nine successive campaigns featuring at least one baserunner with 40 or more stolen bases.
Don Wilson became the first Astros pitcher to lead the NL in hits per nine innings (6.549 H/9).
Season standings
Record vs. opponents
Notable transactions June 8, 1971: 1971 Major League Baseball draft Paul Siebert was drafted by the Astros in the 3rd round. Rich Troedson was drafted by the Astros in the 1st round (8th pick) of the Secondary Phase, but did not sign.
Roster 1971 Houston Astros Roster Pitchers Catchers
Infielders Outfielders Manager
Coaches
Player stats
Batting
Starters by position Note: Pos = Position; G = Games played; AB = At bats; H = Hits; Avg. = Batting average; HR = Home runs; RBI = Runs batted in Pos Player G AB H Avg. HR RBI C Johnny Edwards 106 317 74 .233 1 23 1B Denis Menke 146 475 117 .246 1 43 2B Joe Morgan 160 583 149 .256 13 56 SS Roger Metzger 150 562 132 .235 0 26 3B Doug Rader 135 484 118 .244 12 56 LF Bob Watson 129 468 135 .288 9 67 CF 161 611 161 .264 10 81 RF Jimmy Wynn 123 404 82 .203 7 45
Other batters Note: G = Games played; AB = At bats; H = Hits; Avg. = Batting average; HR = Home runs; RBI = Runs batted in