The 1974 Houston Astros season was the 13th season for the Major League Baseball (MLB) franchise located in Houston, Texas, their tenth as the Astros, 13th in the National League (NL), sixth in the NL West division, and tenth at The Astrodome. The Astros entered the season having posted a record of 82âÂÂ80 for fourth place in the NL West, 17 games behind the division-champion Cincinnati Reds.
The 1974 season was the first for Preston Gómez as manager, the seventh in franchise history, having succeeded Leo Durocher. The season began for Houston on April 5 at Candlestick Park, where pitcher Dave Roberts made his second consecutive Opening Day start for the Astros, who were defeated by the San Francisco Giants, 5âÂÂ1. The Astros' first-round draft pick in the amateur draft was outfielder Kevin Drake, at 15th overall, and in fourth round, they selected catcher Alan Knicely.
Center fielder César Cedeño represented the Astros and played for the National League at the MLB All-Star Game. It was the third career selection for Cedeño.
The Astros concluded their season with a record of 81âÂÂ81, in fourth place and 21 games behind the division-champion and NL pennant-winning Los Angeles Dodgers. This continued a streak of three consecutive seasons with a record of .500 or better for Houston, extending the first such streak in franchise history. It was their fourth season overall with a record of .500 or above.
Following the season, Cedeño (third consecutive selection) and Doug Rader (fifth consecutive) each earned Gold Glove Awards. Meanwhile, right fielder Greg Gross was chosen as The Sporting News NL Rookie Player of the Year. Also, Gross (for the outfield) and Larry Milbourne (second baseman) were named to the Topps All-Star Rookie Team.
Houston concluded the 1973 season with an record, in fourth place and trailing the division-champion Cincinnati Reds by 17 games. For the first time, the Astros produced consecutive winning seasonsâÂÂalso the first two overallâÂÂwhile counting a third season of 81 wins or more (first in 1969). For the second successive campaign, Houston 134 swatted home runsâÂÂalso a then-club recordâÂÂand ranked third in the National League. Center fielder César Cedeño became the first Major League entrant into the 20âÂÂ50 club over consecutive campaigns. Also for the first time, the Astros headlined three Gold Glove winners: Cedeño, third baseman Doug Rader, and shortstop Roger Metzger. His fourth consecutive Gold Glove accolade, Rader extended a club record.
The Astros commenced the season at Candlestick Park on April 5, where they were defeated by the San Francisco Giants, 5âÂÂ1. Dave Roberts, who his second consecutive Opening Day start for Houston. was charged with all five runs over five innings pitched and the defeat. Greg Gross, who collected three of Houston's seven hits, gained the only tally on Bob Watson's run batted in (RBI) single during the top of the ninth.
Starter Larry Dierker earned his 100th career victory on April 9, tossing 7 innings with 2 runs allowed to lead a 9âÂÂ5 win over the San Diego Padres. It was Houston first win of the season after having dropped their first three. The Astros mounted a 6âÂÂ0 lead but withstood the Padres' rally. César Cedeño went 3-for-4 with four RBI, while Gross, the leadoff hitter, added three hits and scored thrice which appended to a torrid start to the season at 10-for-14. Dierker also collected two hits.
On April 29, Lee May tied a major league record by crushing two home runs in one inning, becoming the 17th major leaguer to do so. during an all-round record-setting contest. The Astros won, 18âÂÂ2, over the Chicago Cubs to match their largest-scoring output to date, first registered on July 7, 1971, versus San Francisco. Also, May set a career-high with five hits. Meanwhile, César Cedeño tied his career high with three stolen bases, also an Astros record shared with Jimmy Wynn; moreover, Cedeño became the first Astro to steal three bases in a game more than once.
Lee May earned NL Player of the Week honors for the week of April 29âÂÂMay 5. During that week, he played six games, with five being multi-hit contests. May's slash line was .636 batting average / .667 on-base percentage (OBP) / 1.136 slugging percentage (SLG) / 1.803 on-base plus slugging (OPS), and he had 14 hits, 25 total bases, and 11 RBI.
After crashing into the outfield fence at Riverfront Stadium on May 12, Bob Watson came to boos, ice, and cups hurled by fans of the Cincinnati Reds. He left the game, requiring 20 stitches for a laceration on his face and having broken his glasses.
Having traded masterpiece pitching duels on May 22, Randy Jones of the San Diego Padres and the Astros' Claude Osteen locked down the score 1âÂÂ1 through eight innings. In the bottom of the ninth inning, the Astros loaded the bases with two outs, and pinch hitter Milt May hit a walk-off grand slam to win it for Houston, 5âÂÂ1.
On June 6, Lee May hit a home run in an even-numbered minute to give fans a free beer. Meanwhile, Larry Dierker pitched a shutout three-hitter in Houston's 4âÂÂ0 victory.
Don Wilson tossed a shutout masterpiece on June 7 against the New York Mets, and Lee May connected for a solo home run in the second inning as the Astros won, 1âÂÂ0.
On June 10, Mike Schmidt of the Philadelphia Phillies may have connected for the longest base hit in Astrodome history. His batted fly ballâÂÂwhich ended up as a singleâÂÂhit the roof and travelled uninterrupted for an estimated .
Future Astro José Cruz belted the only inside-the-park home run of his careerâÂÂand lone bomb against HoustonâÂÂon July 21, off reliever Ken Forsch, scoring the hurler's younger brother, Bob. The drive polished off a 9âÂÂ1 St. Louis Cardinals triumph as Bob Forsch, also his brother's mound opponent, earned the victory and complete game.
Leading an 8âÂÂ4 effort on July 30 to topple Cincinnati, Don Wilson earned his 100th career victory, all with the Astros. The right-hander fanned nine over eight innings of work. Meanwhile, César Cedeño and Cliff Johnson connected for solo home runs in support of Wilson, and Lee May drove in three runs.
Having slugged 26 home runs and pilfered 57 bags, Cedeño achieved another season with 20 home runsâÂÂ50 stolen bases club, extending his major league record a third successive campaign. Craig Biggio became the next Astro to join the 20âÂÂ50 club during the 1998 season.
Cedeño's 57 steals broke his own club record of 56 set just the year prior. Moreover, at the time, Cedeño was the only Astro with 50-plus steals in a season, the third of a total of six in succession, through 1977.
For the third consecutive campaign, Doug Rader (third base) and Cedeño (center field) became Gold Glove Award-winning teammates. Rader's fifth, this extended his club recordâÂÂeach won consecutivelyâÂÂwhile Cedeño garnered his third.
Right fielder Greg Gross was chosen as The Sporting News NL Rookie of the Year, the third Astros rookie recognized with this award, preceded by second baseman Joe Morgan (1965) and right-hander Tom Griffin (1969). Gross led the club with a .314 batting average while establishing a then-club record with 185 hits, and right-hander Ken Forsch also made a then-club record 70 appearances. Cliff Johnson, who was a force off the bench, as a pinch hitter cranked five home runs and hit .351 (13-for-37) with 13 runs batted in (RBI), 4 bases on balls, .415 on-base percentage and .757 slugging percentage.
https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/c/cedence01.shtml César Cedeño
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