October 2:

St. Louis (78-81) at Houston (65-95)
The Astrodome

It may have been a meaningless game on the final weekend of the season but not for Don Arlich. The lefthander was making his major league debut against the Cardinals and was nursing a lead. A triple by Joe Morgan and a walk to Jim Wynn precede a two-run double by Chuck Harrison in the first for a 2-0 advantage. Morgan triples again versus lefty Larry Jaster in the third and scores on Wynn's grounder to lead by three. Arlich is dinged for single tallies in the fourth and fifth but retires for the day with a 3-2 lead after six innings, poised to get his first win in the big leagues.

But the Redbirds attack ex-teammate Ron Taylor in the seventh for three runs. Pinch-hitter Bob Skinner smacks a two-run double to take the lead then gets insurance on singles by Jaster and Lou Brock. Jaster, meanwhile, bares down to get the complete-game win, 6-3, to run his record as a September call-up to 3-0.

Elsewhere, the Los Angeles Dodgers clinch the National League pennant, beating Milwaukee, 3-1. Sandy Koufax, capping a Cy Young season, wins his 26th of the year and fans 13 Braves.