September 2, 1971
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by Bob Hulsey
It was 1971 and the Astros were experiencing yet another season of futility. It had been almost 10 years and the franchise had yet to put together a winning season. Houston fans did have one reason to be excited. He was 20-year-old outfielder Cesar Cedeno.
The lanky Dominican was earning comparisons to the all-time greats. He could hit for average, hit for power, field, throw and run - the five tools every baseball scout yearns for.
The gifted kid from Santo Domingo was signed in 1967 and quickly rose up through the Astros' farm system. His talent would not be denied, but there were harder transitions to make than the ones he easily handled on the diamond.
Cedeno came to America without knowing any English. He arrived before the advent of foreign baseball academies or clubs sensitive to the cultural differences between the U.S. and Latin America. He ate ham and eggs regularly because it was one of the few items he could recite off a menu. He learned English by watching cartoons on television. He also experienced the prejudice that dark-skinned men encountered in the American South back during the Civil Rights era.
Debuted At Age 19
Cesar made his major league debut in June of 1970, just short of 19 years and four months from his birth. He went 2-for-5 against the Braves. He finished the season with a .310 average, 7 homers, 42 RBIs and 17 steals in 90 games. The local media were already comparing him to Willie Mays and Roberto Clemente.
The 1971 season was one of adjustments. Cedeno's average fell and he struck out often. Still, he was leading the Astros in games, hits, doubles and RBIs.
On September 2nd, the Los Angeles Dodgers were in town to complete a four-game series. The Dodgers had won the first three games and had their sights set on the first-place San Francisco Giants. The Astros were in fifth place in the N.L. West, eight games below .500 and 1-8 for the homestand.
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Righthander Don Wilson shook off some early jitters but ran into trouble in the fourth inning. Bill Buckner, Dick Allen and Willie Crawford all singled to cut the lead in half. In the fifth, Tom Haller doubled for the Dodgers and came around to score when Osteen's bunt was misplayed into a single and an error. Osteen later scored on Buckner's infield hit for a 3-2 Los Angeles lead.
Cedeno Chases Them Home
Catcher Larry Howard walked to open the bottom of the fifth for Houston. Marty Martinez' single to right moved Howard to third. Wilson topped the ball back to Osteen who threw back to Haller at home plate, retiring Howard for the first out. Alou flied to left and Joe Morgan drew a two-out walk to load the bases.
Cesar Cedeno stepped up with a chance to tie or give the Astros the lead. Cedeno took a mighty swing and hit a bloop off the end of his bat. Second baseman Jim Lefebvre raced out to get it while right fielder Buckner scurried in. The ball fell in between them about 20 feet inside the foul line, landing approximately 170 feet from home plate. The two fielders bumped each other and both fell to the astroturf.
The race was on. Like a relay team, Martinez, Wilson, Morgan and Cedeno sprinted around the bases while center fielder Willie Davis chased the ball down into the right field corner. It was no contest. All four Astros arrived safely at home plate for a 170-foot grand slam homer. It was 6-3, Houston.
Cedeno wasn't done. In the eighth, he singled to left off reliever Pete Mikkelsen for his third hit of the night and scored as part of a three-run uprising that pushed the lead to 9-3. Wilson pitched a complete game to seal his 13th victory.
"I'll Take It"
Afterwards, the talk in both clubhouses was the momentum-changing bloop that gave Houston the win. Veteran manager Walter Alston of the Dodgers remarked, "It's the cheapest (grand slam homer) I've ever seen."
"Maybe it was cheap," replied Cedeno in broken English later, "but I'll take it." The homer was young Cesar's ninth of the season.
The following year, Cedeno broke onto the national stage. He made his first of four All-Star appearances, finished fourth in the National League in batting average (.320), sixth in hits (172), fifth in runs scored (103), first in doubles (39), third in triples (9), second in total bases (300), third in stolen bases (55), fourth in slugging percentage (.537), sixth in on base percentage (.385) and sixth in MVP balloting. He also won the first of five Gold Gloves for his performance in center field. Cesar stayed with the Astros throughout the rest of the decade, helping them to their first division title in 1980.
While he didn't reach the pinnacles of Mays or Clemente, Cedeno was the team's top performer of the 1970s and one of the franchise's all-time greats.
Houston Astros 9, Los Angeles Dodgers 3
Game Played on Thursday, September 2, 1971 (N) at Astrodome
LA N 0 0 0 1 2 0 0 0 0 - 3 9 1 HOU N 2 0 0 0 4 0 0 3 x - 9 8 1
BATTING
Los Angeles Dodgers AB R H RBI BB SO PO A Wills ss 4 0 1 0 0 0 1 4 Buckner rf 4 0 2 1 0 0 4 0 Davis cf 4 1 1 0 0 0 2 0 Allen 3b 4 0 2 0 0 1 0 2 Parker 1b 4 0 0 0 0 0 10 0 Crawford lf 4 0 1 1 0 1 1 0 Lefebvre 2b 4 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Haller c 4 1 1 0 0 0 6 0 Osteen p 2 1 1 0 0 1 0 3 Russell ph 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Mikkelsen p 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 Sims ph 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Totals 36 3 9 2 0 3 24 11
FIELDING - DP: 1. Osteen-Wills-Parker. E: Mikkelsen (2).
BATTING - 2B: Haller (5,off Wilson). Team LOB: 6.
BASERUNNING - SB: Davis (20,2nd base off Wilson/Howard).
Houston Astros AB R H RBI BB SO PO A Alou rf 4 1 1 0 0 0 5 0 Morgan 2b 2 2 0 0 2 0 2 3 Cedeno cf 4 3 3 4 0 0 1 0 Watson lf 3 0 1 2 1 0 2 0 Geronimo pr,lf 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 Menke 3b 3 0 0 1 0 0 3 0 Mayberry 1b 4 0 0 0 0 3 9 2 Howard c 3 0 1 1 1 1 3 0 Martinez ss 4 1 2 0 0 0 2 1 Wilson p 3 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 Totals 30 9 8 8 4 5 27 6
FIELDING - E: Wilson (2). PB: Howard (1).
BATTING - 2B: Cedeno (33,off Osteen); Howard (1,off Mikkelsen). 3B: Martinez (1,off Osteen). HR: Cedeno (9,5th inning off Osteen 3 on 2 out). SF: Menke (6,off Mikkelsen). IBB: Watson (5,by Mikkelsen). Team LOB: 2.
BASERUNNING - SB: Morgan (30,2nd base off Mikkelsen/Haller).
PITCHING
Los Angeles Dodgers IP H R ER BB SO HR Osteen L(12-10) 6 6 6 6 2 4 1 Mikkelsen 2 2 3 2 2 1 0 Totals 8 8 9 8 4 5 1
WP: Mikkelsen (4). IBB: Mikkelsen (5,Watson).
Houston Astros IP H R ER BB SO HR Wilson W(13-8) 9 9 3 2 0 3 0
Umpires: Al Barlick, Paul Pryor, John Kibler, Bruce Froemming
Time of Game: 2:07 Attendance: 7508
Starting Lineups: Los Angeles Dodgers Houston Astros 1. Wills ss Alou rf 2. Buckner rf Morgan 2b 3. Davis cf Cedeno cf 4. Allen 3b Watson lf 5. Parker 1b Menke 3b 6. Crawford lf Mayberry 1b 7. Lefebvre 2b Howard c 8. Haller c Martinez ss 9. Osteen p Wilson p DODGERS 1ST: Wills grounded out (shortstop to first); Buckner grounded out (second to first); Davis singled to left; Howard allowed a passed ball [Davis to second]; Allen popped to first in foul territory; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB. Dodgers 0, Astros 0. ASTROS 1ST: Alou singled to center; Morgan flied out to right; Cedeno doubled to right [Alou to third]; Watson singled to left [Alou scored, Cedeno scored]; Menke grounded into a double play (pitcher to shortstop to first) [Watson out at second]; 2 R, 3 H, 0 E, 0 LOB. Dodgers 0, Astros 2. DODGERS 2ND: Parker made an out to third; Crawford struck out; Lefebvre grounded out (first unassisted); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB. Dodgers 0, Astros 2. ASTROS 2ND: Mayberry was called out on strikes; Howard struck out; Martinez tripled to center; Wilson struck out; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB. Dodgers 0, Astros 2. DODGERS 3RD: Haller flied out to left; Osteen struck out; Wills made an out to second; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB. Dodgers 0, Astros 2. ASTROS 3RD: Alou grounded out (third to first); Morgan flied out to right; Cedeno grounded out (pitcher to first); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB. Dodgers 0, Astros 2. DODGERS 4TH: Buckner singled to right; Davis forced Buckner (first to shortstop); Allen singled to right [Davis to third]; Parker made an out to second; Crawford singled to second [Davis scored, Allen to second]; Lefebvre flied out to right; 1 R, 3 H, 0 E, 2 LOB. Dodgers 1, Astros 2. ASTROS 4TH: Watson flied out to right; Menke grounded out (shortstop to first); Mayberry grounded out (first unassisted); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB. Dodgers 1, Astros 2. DODGERS 5TH: Haller doubled to right; Osteen singled to pitcher [Haller scored (error by Wilson) (no RBI), Osteen to third]; Wills made an out to third; Buckner singled to shortstop [Osteen scored (unearned)]; Davis forced Buckner (first to shortstop); Davis stole second; Allen struck out; 2 R (1 ER), 3 H, 1 E, 1 LOB. Dodgers 3, Astros 2. ASTROS 5TH: Howard walked; Martinez singled to right [Howard to third]; Wilson reached on a fielder's choice [Howard out at home (pitcher to catcher), Martinez to second]; Alou flied out to left; Morgan walked [Martinez to third, Wilson to second]; Cedeno homered [Martinez scored, Wilson scored, Morgan scored]; Watson flied out to right; 4 R, 2 H, 0 E, 0 LOB. Dodgers 3, Astros 6. DODGERS 6TH: Parker popped to first in foul territory; Crawford lined to first; Lefebvre flied out to center; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB. Dodgers 3, Astros 6. ASTROS 6TH: Menke grounded out (third to first); Mayberry struck out; Howard grounded out (shortstop to first); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB. Dodgers 3, Astros 6. DODGERS 7TH: Haller grounded out (second to first); RUSSELL BATTED FOR OSTEEN; Russell flied out to right; Wills singled to center; Buckner made an out to third; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB. Dodgers 3, Astros 6. ASTROS 7TH: MIKKELSEN REPLACED RUSSELL (PITCHING); Martinez grounded out (pitcher to first); Wilson grounded out (shortstop to first); Alou grounded out (pitcher to first); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB. Dodgers 3, Astros 6. DODGERS 8TH: Davis flied out to right; Allen singled to center; Parker flied out to right; Crawford flied out to left; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB. Dodgers 3, Astros 6. ASTROS 8TH: Morgan walked; Morgan stole second; Cedeno singled to left [Morgan to third]; Mikkelsen threw a wild pitch [Cedeno to second]; Watson was walked intentionally; GERONIMO RAN FOR WATSON; Menke hit a sacrifice fly to center [Morgan scored, Cedeno to third]; Geronimo was picked off first but was safe on an error by Mikkelsen [Cedeno scored, Geronimo to third]; Mayberry struck out; Howard doubled to center [Geronimo scored (unearned)]; Martinez flied out to center; 3 R (2 ER), 2 H, 1 E, 1 LOB. Dodgers 3, Astros 9. DODGERS 9TH: GERONIMO STAYED IN GAME (PLAYING LF); Lefebvre flied out to right; Haller grounded out (second to first); SIMS BATTED FOR MIKKELSEN; Sims grounded out (first unassisted); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB. Dodgers 3, Astros 9. Final Totals R H E LOB Dodgers 3 9 1 6 Astros 9 8 1 2