Making his Houston debut, Jose Cruz hit a three-run homer and added two singles to back the four-hit hurling of Larry Dierker, now 4-0 in career season-opening verdicts, as the Astros toppled the Braves, 6-2. Atlanta got both its runs in the second on three singles and a hit batsman, with Dusty Baker and Mike Lum getting RBI hits.

Houston scored five times after two were out in the fifth, Rob Andrews tallying the first run from third on a bunt single by Cedeno Cedeno. Milt May reached first on a catcher's interference call before Cliff Johnson doubled home Cedeno. Cruz then homered. Cedeno doubled and scored the final Astro run in the seventh. [The Sporting News]

Houston Astros 6, Atlanta Braves 2

Game Played on Monday, April 7, 1975 (Night game) at Astrodome

Braves 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 - 2 4 2 Astros 0 0 0 0 5 0 1 0 x - 6 14 0 Braves AB R H RBI BB SO AVG Astros AB R H RBI BB SO AVG Garr lf 3 1 0 0 0 0 .000 Cabell lf 5 0 2 0 0 3 .400 Perez 2b 4 0 1 0 0 1 .250 Andrews 2b 5 1 2 0 0 2 .400 Evans 3b 4 1 1 0 0 0 .250 Cedeno cf 4 2 2 1 1 0 .500 Lum 1b 4 0 1 1 0 0 .250 xMay c 4 1 2 0 0 1 .000 Baker rf 4 0 1 1 0 1 .250 Johnson 1b 4 1 1 2 0 0 .250 Office cf 4 0 0 0 0 1 .000 Cruz rf 4 1 3 3 0 0 .750 Correll c 2 0 0 0 1 2 .000 Rader 3b 4 0 2 0 0 1 .500 Blanks ss 3 0 0 0 0 1 .000 Metzger ss 3 0 0 0 1 0 .000 Niekro p 2 0 0 0 0 1 .000 Dierker p 4 0 0 0 0 2 .000 Harrison p 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000 Tepedino ph 1 0 0 0 0 0 .000 Gentry p 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000 Totals 31 2 4 2 1 7 Totals 37 6 14 6 2 9 Time of Game: 2:08 Attendance: 14,959 Left on Base: Braves 4, Astros 11 DP: Braves 0, Astros 0 Errors: Evans, Correll Doubles: Johnson (1), Cedeno (1) Home Runs: Cruz (1) Stolen Bases: Cedeno (1), Cabell (1), Cruz (1) Sacrifice Flies: Johnson (1) Hit by Pitch: Garr (1,by Dierker) Braves IP H R ER BB SO HR BFP ERA Niekro L(0-1) 4.2 9 5 0 0 4 1 24 0.00 Harrison 1.1 1 0 0 0 2 0 5 0.00 Gentry 2 4 1 1 2 3 0 12 4.50 Totals 8 14 6 1 2 9 1 41 Astros IP H R ER BB SO HR BFP ERA Dierker W(1-0) 9 4 2 2 1 7 0 33 2.00 Totals 9 4 2 2 1 7 0 33 Passed Balls: Correll (1) Hit by Pitch: Dierker (1) Umpires: HP - Doug Harvey, 1B - Bob Engel, 2B - Harry Wendelstedt, 3B - Dutch Rennert BRAVES 1ST: Garr lined to right; Perez struck out; Evans grounded out (second to first); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB. Braves 0, Astros 0. ASTROS 1ST: Cabell struck out; Andrews struck out; Debut game for Rob Andrews; Cedeno flied out to left; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB. Braves 0, Astros 0. BRAVES 2ND: Lum grounded out (pitcher to first); Baker grounded out (pitcher to first); Office grounded out (second to first); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB. Braves 0, Astros 0. ASTROS 2ND: May struck out; Johnson grounded out (shortstop to first); Cruz singled; Rader singled [Cruz to third]; Metzger flied out to right; 0 R, 2 H, 0 E, 2 LOB. Braves 0, Astros 0. BRAVES 3RD: Correll struck out; Blanks grounded out (second to first); Niekro flied out to left; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB. Braves 0, Astros 0. ASTROS 3RD: Dierker grounded out (shortstop to first); Cabell struck out; Andrews singled; Cedeno reached on an error by Evans [Andrews to third, Cedeno to first]; Cedeno stole second; May grounded out (second to first); 0 R, 1 H, 1 E, 2 LOB. Braves 0, Astros 0. BRAVES 4TH: Garr was hit by a pitch; Perez made an out to second; Evans singled [Garr to second]; Lum singled [Garr scored, Evans to second]; Baker singled [Evans scored, Lum to second]; Office forced Baker (third to second) [Lum to third]; Correll walked [Office to second]; Blanks flied out to left; 2 R, 3 H, 0 E, 3 LOB. Braves 2, Astros 0. ASTROS 4TH: Johnson lined to third; Cruz grounded out (first unassisted); Rader singled; Metzger grounded out (second to first); 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB. Braves 2, Astros 0. BRAVES 5TH: Niekro struck out; Garr grounded out (pitcher to first); Perez singled; Evans flied out to right; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB. Braves 2, Astros 0. ASTROS 5TH: Dierker grounded out (third to first); Cabell singled; Andrews singled to right [Cabell out at third (right to third), Andrews to second (on throw to 3b)]; Correll allowed a passed ball [Andrews to third]; On a bunt Cedeno singled [Andrews scored (unearned)]; May reached on catcher's interference by Correll [Cedeno to second]; Johnson doubled [Cedeno scored (unearned), May to third]; Cruz homered (unearned) [May scored (unearned), Johnson scored (unearned)]; HARRISON REPLACED NIEKRO (PITCHING); Rader lined to right; 5 R (0 ER), 5 H, 1 E, 0 LOB. Braves 2, Astros 5. BRAVES 6TH: Lum popped to third in foul territory; Baker was called out on strikes; Office was called out on strikes; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB. Braves 2, Astros 5. ASTROS 6TH: Metzger flied out to left; Dierker struck out; Cabell singled; Cabell stole second; Andrews was called out on strikes; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB. Braves 2, Astros 5. BRAVES 7TH: Correll struck out; Blanks struck out; TEPEDINO BATTED FOR HARRISON; Tepedino grounded out (pitcher to first); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB. Braves 2, Astros 5. ASTROS 7TH: GENTRY REPLACED TEPEDINO (PITCHING); Cedeno doubled; May singled [Cedeno to third]; Johnson hit a sacrifice fly to center [Cedeno scored]; Cruz singled [May to third]; Cruz stole second; Rader struck out; Metzger was walked intentionally; Dierker struck out; 1 R, 3 H, 0 E, 3 LOB. Braves 2, Astros 6. BRAVES 8TH: Garr flied out to center; Perez flied out to center; Evans flied out to center; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB. Braves 2, Astros 6. ASTROS 8TH: Cabell struck out; Andrews flied out to center; Cedeno walked; May singled [Cedeno to third]; Johnson popped to third in foul territory; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 2 LOB. Braves 2, Astros 6. BRAVES 9TH: Lum flied out to right; Baker flied out to right; Office made an out to shortstop; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB. Braves 2, Astros 6.

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