Joe Niekro hit the first homer of his major league career and smacked it off his brother, Phil, as the Astros defeated the Braves, 4-3. Joe's blow in the seventh inning tied the score at 2-2. Then in the eighth, Cesar Cedeno walked and counted on a double by Jose Cruz. Ken Boswell followed with a single to drive in Cruz, enabling the Astros to withstand a homer by Jim Wynn in the Braves' half of the eighth. [The Sporting News]



Houston Astros 4, Atlanta Braves 3
Game Played on Saturday, May       29, 1976 (Night game) at Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium
Astros       0  1  0    0  0  0    1  2  0  -   4  9  2
Braves       2  0  0    0  0  0    0  1  0  -   3  6  2


Astros               AB   R   H RBI    BB  SO    AVG      Braves               AB   R   H RBI    BB  SO    AVG
Gross rf              4   0   1   0     1   0   .285      Office cf             5   1   1   0     0   1   .239
Andrews 2b            4   0   1   0     0   1   .295      Perez 2b              4   0   0   0     0   0   .239
Cedeno cf             3   1   1   0     1   0   .297      Wynn lf               2   2   1   1     2   0   .226
Watson 1b             4   0   0   0     0   1   .276      Henderson rf          4   0   0   1     0   3   .296
Cruz lf               3   2   2   1     1   0   .271      Pocoroba c            3   0   0   0     1   0   .239
Boswell 3b            4   0   3   1     0   0   .278        Paciorek pr         0   0   0   0     0   0   .209
  DaVanon pr,3b       0   0   0   0     0   0   .286        Correll c           0   0   0   0     0   0   .279
Jutze c               4   0   0   0     0   0   .127      Evans 1b              4   0   1   0     0   2   .171
Metzger ss            4   0   0   0     0   0   .240      Chaney ss             4   0   1   0     0   0   .259
Niekro p              3   1   1   1     0   0   .167      Royster 3b            4   0   1   0     0   0   .176
  Howard ph           1   0   0   0     0   0   .196      Niekro p              2   0   0   0     0   0   .074
  Forsch p            0   0   0   0     0   0   .333        Leon p              0   0   0   0     0   0   .000
                                                            May ph              1   0   1   0     0   0   .151

Totals               34   4   9   3     3   2             Totals               33   3   6   2     3   6

Time of Game: 2:20   Attendance: 11,238
Left on Base: Astros 6, Braves 7
DP: Astros 1, Braves 2
Errors: Watson 2, Perez, Niekro
Doubles: Cruz (2)
Home Runs: Niekro (1), Wynn (5)
Stolen Bases: Cedeno (15), Cruz (4), Wynn (5)
Sacrifice Hits: Niekro (3)
GIDP: Jutze (2), Office (2)


Astros                 IP     H   R  ER  BB  SO  HR BFP    ERA
Niekro W(3-5)           8     4   3   1   3   6   1  33   3.36
Forsch SV(9)            1     2   0   0   0   0   0   4   1.95
Totals                  9     6   3   1   3   6   1  37

Braves                 IP     H   R  ER  BB  SO  HR BFP    ERA
Niekro L(3-4)           7.1   9   4   3   3   2   1  33   3.66
Leon                    1.2   0   0   0   0   0   0   4   0.75
Totals                  9     9   4   3   3   2   1  37

Passed Balls: Jutze (3)
Wild Pitches: Niekro (5)

Umpires: HP - Jim Quick, 1B - Bill Williams, 2B - Harry Wendelstedt, 3B - Dick Stello


ASTROS 1ST: Gross walked; Andrews hit into a double play (second
to first) [Gross out at second]; Cedeno made an out to third; 0
R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Astros 0, Braves 0.

BRAVES 1ST: Office singled; Perez grounded out (first
unassisted) [Office to second]; Jutze allowed a passed ball
[Office to third]; Wynn walked; Henderson reached on an error by
Watson [Office scored (unearned) (RBI), Wynn to third (error by
Watson)]; Niekro threw a wild pitch [Wynn scored (unearned),
Henderson to second]; Pocoroba reached on a fielder's choice
[Henderson to third]; Evans struck out; Chaney flied out to
left; 2 R (0 ER), 1 H, 2 E, 2 LOB.  Astros 0, Braves 2.

ASTROS 2ND: Watson made an out to first; Cruz walked; Boswell
singled [Cruz to second]; Jutze forced Boswell (third to second)
[Cruz to third]; Jutze was picked off first but was safe on an
error by Niekro [Cruz scored (unearned)]; Metzger flied out to
left; 1 R (0 ER), 1 H, 1 E, 1 LOB.  Astros 1, Braves 2.

BRAVES 2ND: Royster grounded out (pitcher to first); Niekro
grounded out (third to first); Office was called out on strikes;
0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Astros 1, Braves 2.

ASTROS 3RD: Niekro flied out to center; Gross reached on an
error by Perez; Andrews singled to left [Gross out at third
(left to third)]; Cedeno singled [Andrews to third]; Cedeno
stole second; Watson struck out; 0 R, 2 H, 1 E, 2 LOB.  Astros
1, Braves 2.

BRAVES 3RD: Perez grounded out (shortstop to first); Wynn flied
out to left; Henderson struck out; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Astros
1, Braves 2.

ASTROS 4TH: Cruz singled; Cruz stole second; Boswell grounded
out (shortstop to first); Jutze made an out to second; Metzger
grounded out (shortstop to first); 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Astros
1, Braves 2.

BRAVES 4TH: Pocoroba grounded out (first to pitcher); Evans
struck out; Chaney flied out to center; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.
Astros 1, Braves 2.

ASTROS 5TH: Niekro flied out to center; Gross singled; Andrews
grounded out (third to first) [Gross to second]; Cedeno reached
on a fielder's choice [Gross out at third (third to second)]; 0
R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Astros 1, Braves 2.

BRAVES 5TH: Royster made an out to shortstop; Niekro grounded
out (shortstop to first); Office grounded out (first
unassisted); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Astros 1, Braves 2.

ASTROS 6TH: Watson flied out to center; Cruz grounded out
(shortstop to first); Boswell singled; Jutze flied out to left;
0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Astros 1, Braves 2.

BRAVES 6TH: Perez made an out to first; Wynn walked; Wynn stole
second; Henderson struck out; Pocoroba flied out to right; 0 R,
0 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Astros 1, Braves 2.

ASTROS 7TH: Metzger grounded out (second to first); Niekro
homered; Gross made an out to shortstop; Andrews was called out
on strikes; 1 R, 1 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Astros 2, Braves 2.

BRAVES 7TH: Evans singled; Chaney flied out to center; Royster
singled [Evans to second]; Niekro out on a sacrifice bunt (third
to second) [Evans to third, Royster to second]; Office grounded
out (shortstop to first); 0 R, 2 H, 0 E, 2 LOB.  Astros 2,
Braves 2.

ASTROS 8TH: Cedeno walked; Watson made an out to second; Cruz
doubled [Cedeno scored]; Boswell singled [Cruz scored]; DAVANON
RAN FOR BOSWELL; LEON REPLACED NIEKRO (PITCHING); Jutze grounded
into a double play (second to shortstop to first) [DaVanon out
at second]; 2 R, 2 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Astros 4, Braves 2.

BRAVES 8TH: DAVANON STAYED IN GAME (PLAYING 3B); Perez flied out
to center; Wynn homered; Henderson struck out; Pocoroba walked;
PACIOREK RAN FOR POCOROBA; Evans flied out to center; 1 R, 1 H,
0 E, 1 LOB.  Astros 4, Braves 3.

ASTROS 9TH: CORRELL REPLACED PACIOREK (PLAYING C ); Metzger
flied out to left; HOWARD BATTED FOR NIEKRO; Howard grounded out
(third to first); Gross grounded out (second to first); 0 R, 0
H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Astros 4, Braves 3.

BRAVES 9TH: FORSCH REPLACED HOWARD (PITCHING); Chaney singled;
Royster made an out to first; MAY BATTED FOR LEON; May singled
[Chaney to third]; Office grounded into a double play (shortstop
to first) [May out at second]; 0 R, 2 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Astros 4,
Braves 3.