The 1970 Houston Astros season was the ninth season for the Major League Baseball (MLB) franchise located in Houston, Texas, their sixth as the Astros, their ninth in the National League (NL), second in the NL West division, and sixth at The Astrodome. The Astros entered the season having posted a record of 81âÂÂ81, for fifth place and 12 games behind the division-champion Atlanta Braves.
On April 7, pitcher Larry Dierker made his second Opening Day start for the Astros, who defeated the San Francisco Giants at Candlestick Park, 8âÂÂ5. The Astros' first-round draft pick in the amateur draft was pitcher Randy Scarbery, at third overall, and in the fourth round, they selected outfielder Greg Gross.
Second baseman Joe Morgan and shortstop Denis Menke represented the Astros at the MLB All-Star Game, the second career selection for both.
The Astros concluded the season with a record of 79âÂÂ83, for fourth place and 23 games behind the division-champion and NL pennant-winning Cincinnati Reds in the NL West.
Third baseman Doug Rader was awarded the first of five consecutive Gold Gloves.
On April 3, Doug Rader swatted the first home run to reach the Astrodome's gold (upper reserved) seats, landing in section 738D, row 6, seat 1. Rader "touched 'em all" on Stan Bahnsen's offering during the Astros' 9âÂÂ5 victory over the New York Yankees.
Astros Opening Day starter, Larry Dierker, "ordered" pinch hitter Norm Miller to hit a home run as he was departing the game on April 7. Miller obliged, with a pivotal three-run blast off starter Gaylord Perry of the San Francisco Giants at Candlestick Park in an 8âÂÂ5 Astros victory. Dierker picked up the win, while Fred Gladding iced the final frames to earn the save. Dierker, the Astros' starter for the opener in 1968, became the first pitcher to start more than one for the club.
The Astros launched five home runs on April 12 to dump Phil Niekro and the Atlanta Braves, 8âÂÂ3. In the third inning, Jimmy Wynn blasted one unforgettable rocket which made contact in the gold upper reserved seats (section 738C, row 6, seat 3), outdoing his own effort just earlier in the game. In the first inning, Wynn had launched a home run into the purple seats. Tommy Davis, Joe Pepitone and Doug Rader each went yard, helping starter Larry Dierker remain in complete command the whole evening.
On April 23, Tom Griffin tossed his first one-hit complete game, where he issued two walks and struck out eight.
Center fielder César Cedeño made his major league debut on June 20 at Atlanta Stadium, and proceeded to accrete two hits as Houston rallied to defeat the Braves, 9âÂÂ6. Batting third in the order, Cedeño faced southpaw George Stone for his first plate appearance, and was retired on a fly ball to left field. Leading of the top of the fourth, Cedeño singled off stone for his first major league hit.
Joe Morgan tied a club record starting July 6 by drawing at least one base on balls in each of 11 consecutive contests, enduring until July 20, having been set by teammate Jimmy Wynn starting exactly one year earlier. Morgan drew 14 total walks with this active streak, while slashing.333 / .509 / .462 / .971. He also accrued 7 stolen bases. Alex Bregman later tied this streak, from April 20 to 30, 2019.
Also on July 6, César Cedeño connected for his first major league home run, off Claude Osteen of the Los Angeles Dodgers, for two runs in the bottom of the sixth inning. The blast gave Houston a 4âÂÂ3 lead. The game proceeded to extra innings, when the Dodgers harangued Jim Bouton for four runs in the top of the tenth. The Dodgers then withstood a three-run rally led by Pepitone, Rader, and Johnny Edwards in the bottom of the tenth, to hold on for the triumph over Houston, 10âÂÂ8.
During a 10-day span commencing September 7 on a West Coast road trip, 24-year old slugger Bob Watson crushed his first two career grand slams. The first blast was at San Diego Stadium off a Ron Willis offering during the opener of a doubleheader, a 10âÂÂ5 triumph over the Padres. Ten days later at Dodger Stadium, Watson tagged Jim Brewer for a grand slam in the 7th inning that snapped 5âÂÂ5 tie and was a key play in an Astros 10âÂÂ5 victory over Los Angeles.
The 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. Though Houston's record declined by two victories from the year prior, this represented the first time in franchise history they had won at least 79 contests successively, following the period during which they lost at least 90 games in each of their first seven seasons of play. Moreover, the 1970 campaign was also the first in which Houston had closed out as high as fourth place in the standings.
This iteration of the Astros set several then-club records, including scoring 744 runs and hitting 129 home runs, surpassing the 676 tallies obtained the year prior, and 112 home runs in 1966. They remained the club record until 1995 (747 runs) and 1972 (134 home runs).
By swiping 42 bags, Joe Morgan became first player in club history to record two 40-stolen base season, both in catenation. For the team, this signaled the second of a franchise-record nine successive campaigns featuring at least one baserunner who pilfered 40 or more bases.
Third baseman Doug Rader was recognized with his first career Gold Glove Award, thus being first Houston player awarded since pitcher Bobby Shantz in 1962. Shantz played for the Colt .45s for approximately the first month of the franchise's inaugural season prior to being traded.
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Note: Pos = Position; G = Games played; AB = At bats; H = Hits; Avg. = Batting average; HR = Home runs; RBI = Runs batted in
Note: G = Games played; AB = At bats; H = Hits; Avg. = Batting average; HR = Home runs; RBI = Runs batted in
Note: G = Games pitched; IP = Innings pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts
Note: G = Games pitched; IP = Innings pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts
Note: G = Games pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; SV = Saves; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts