September 8:
Houston (60-79) at San Francisco (77-59)
Candlestick Park
San Francisco's Willie Mays continues his MVP pace, banging three hits - two for homers - as the first place Giants smash Houston, 12-3. Mays swats his 44th and 45th homers of the season and drives in five, starting with a two-run single off Don Nottebart (4-14) in the first inning. Mays connects for a solo shot in the second as Nottebart is pulled before the inning is done. The Astros put a small scare into the Candlestick crowd in the sixth when Jim Wynn plates Lee Maye on a sacrifice fly then Walt Bond tees off for his sixth homer of the year, a two-run blast off Bob Bolin. San Francisco's lead was cut in half to 6-3.
The Giants put it away in the eighth against Ron Taylor, who took over for Nottebart in the second and finished the game. Mays slugs a two-run homer, followed by a solo shot from Willie McCovey to highlight the outburst. The two Willies have combined to swat 10 homers this season against Houston pitching. Bolin goes the distance, allowing nine hits. Three come from Maye, including a triple while Bob Aspromonte also contributes three hits in a losing cause.