After beating Andy Messersmith in the first game, 5-2, the Astros piled up a club record of 25 hits in the second game and walloped the Braves, 16-5, to complete the sweep of a doubleheader. Trhe first three batters to face Messersmith in the opener -- Greg Gross, Rob Andrews and Cesar Cedeno -- all singled and scored to settle the fate for the Braves' million-dollar pitcher.

In the nightcap, Cliff Johnson collected four hits and Jerry DaVanon batted in five runs to lead the Astros' attack, giving rookie Gil Rondon credit for his first major league victory. [The Sporting News]

Houston Astros 5, Atlanta Braves 2 (Game 1)

Game Played on Sunday, May 30, 1976 (Day game) at Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium

Astros       3  0  0    0  1  0    0  1  0  -   5  8  0
Braves       0  0  1    1  0  0    0  0  0  -   2  7  3


Astros               AB   R   H RBI    BB  SO    AVG      Braves               AB   R   H RBI    BB  SO    AVG
Gross rf              4   1   1   0     0   2   .284      Office cf             4   0   1   0     1   0   .239
Andrews 2b            4   2   2   1     0   1   .308      Gilbreath 2b          5   1   3   0     0   0   .353
Cedeno cf             4   1   2   1     0   0   .302      Wynn lf               3   0   1   1     2   1   .229
Watson 1b             3   0   0   1     0   0   .272      Henderson rf          5   0   0   0     0   2   .283
Cruz lf               4   0   1   1     0   1   .270      Williams 1b           4   0   1   0     1   1   .220
Johnson c             4   0   0   0     0   1   .193      Pocoroba c            3   0   0   0     1   0   .232
Boswell 3b            3   0   1   0     0   1   .281      Chaney ss             1   0   0   0     3   0   .257
  DaVanon pr,3b       1   0   0   0     0   0   .250      Royster 3b            3   1   1   1     1   1   .180
Metzger ss            4   1   1   0     0   1   .240      Messersmith p         3   0   0   0     0   0   .087
Cosgrove p            1   0   0   0     1   1   .100        May ph              1   0   0   0     0   1   .148
  Griffin p           1   0   0   0     0   1   .000        Devine p            0   0   0   0     0   0   .000
  Forsch p            0   0   0   0     0   0   .333

Totals               33   5   8   4     1   9             Totals               32   2   7   2     9   6

Time of Game: 2:25
Left on Base: Astros 3, Braves 12
DP: Astros 2, Braves 1
Errors: Gilbreath, Chaney, Royster
Doubles: Boswell (2), Wynn (7)
Home Runs: Royster (1)
Stolen Bases: Cedeno (16)
Caught Stealing: Cruz (3)
Sacrifice Flies: Watson (1)
GIDP: Royster (4)


Astros                 IP     H   R  ER  BB  SO  HR BFP    ERA
Cosgrove                4.1   6   2   2   4   3   1  23   5.11
Griffin W(4-1)          2.2   1   0   0   5   1   0  12   4.85
Forsch SV(10)           2     0   0   0   0   2   0   6   1.85
Totals                  9     7   2   2   9   6   1  41

Braves                 IP     H   R  ER  BB  SO  HR BFP    ERA
Messersmith L(2-5)      8     8   5   3   1   8   0  32   3.34
Devine                  1     0   0   0   0   1   0   3   3.44
Totals                  9     8   5   3   1   9   0  35

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


ASTROS 1ST: Gross singled to center; Andrews singled to right
[Gross to second]; Cedeno singled to right [Gross scored,
Andrews to third]; Cedeno stole second; Watson hit a sacrifice
fly to right [Andrews scored, Cedeno to third]; Cruz grounded
out (second to first) [Cedeno scored]; Johnson popped to second;
3 R, 3 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Astros 3, Braves 0.

BRAVES 1ST: Office singled to right; Gilbreath singled to center
[Office to second]; Wynn popped to first in foul territory;
Henderson struck out; Williams forced Gilbreath (shortstop to
second); 0 R, 2 H, 0 E, 2 LOB.  Astros 3, Braves 0.

ASTROS 2ND: Boswell popped to third in foul territory; Metzger
grounded out (first unassisted); Cosgrove walked; Gross struck
out; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Astros 3, Braves 0.

BRAVES 2ND: Pocoroba walked; Chaney walked [Pocoroba to second];
Royster struck out; Messersmith forced Chaney (second to
shortstop) [Pocoroba to third]; Office grounded out (second to
first); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 2 LOB.  Astros 3, Braves 0.

ASTROS 3RD: Andrews struck out; Cedeno flied out to left; Watson
grounded out (shortstop to first); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Astros
3, Braves 0.

BRAVES 3RD: Gilbreath singled to right; Wynn doubled to left
[Gilbreath scored]; Henderson struck out; Williams walked;
Pocoroba popped to third; Chaney flied out to center; 1 R, 2 H,
0 E, 2 LOB.  Astros 3, Braves 1.

ASTROS 4TH: Cruz struck out; Johnson popped to first in foul
territory; Boswell struck out; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Astros 3,
Braves 1.

BRAVES 4TH: Royster homered; Messersmith flied to left in foul
territory; Office flied out to right; Gilbreath flied out to
center; 1 R, 1 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Astros 3, Braves 2.

ASTROS 5TH: On a bunt Metzger singled to third [Metzger to
second (error by Royster)]; On a bunt Cosgrove struck out; Gross
struck out; Andrews singled to center [Metzger scored
(unearned)]; Cedeno flied out to right; 1 R (0 ER), 2 H, 1 E, 1
LOB.  Astros 4, Braves 2.

BRAVES 5TH: Wynn walked; Henderson flied out to left; Williams
singled to center [Wynn to second]; GRIFFIN REPLACED COSGROVE
(PITCHING); Pocoroba lined into a double play (second to
shortstop) [Wynn out at second]; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Astros
4, Braves 2.

ASTROS 6TH: Watson grounded out (pitcher to first); Cruz singled
to right; Johnson struck out; Cruz was caught stealing second
(catcher to shortstop); 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Astros 4, Braves
2.

BRAVES 6TH: Chaney walked; Royster grounded into a double play
(third to second to first) [Chaney out at second]; Messersmith
flied out to center; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Astros 4, Braves 2.

ASTROS 7TH: Boswell doubled to right; DAVANON RAN FOR BOSWELL;
Metzger lined into a double play (second to shortstop) [DaVanon
out at second]; Griffin struck out; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.
Astros 4, Braves 2.

BRAVES 7TH: DAVANON STAYED IN GAME (PLAYING 3B); Office walked;
Gilbreath singled to right [Office to second]; Wynn walked
[Office to third, Gilbreath to second]; Henderson flied out to
center; Williams struck out; Pocoroba forced Wynn (second to
shortstop); 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 3 LOB.  Astros 4, Braves 2.

ASTROS 8TH: Gross grounded out (second to first); Andrews
reached on an error by Gilbreath; Cedeno singled to left
[Andrews to second]; Watson forced Cedeno (second to shortstop)
[Andrews scored (error by Chaney) (unearned), Watson to third];
Cruz popped to third in foul territory; 1 R (0 ER), 1 H, 2 E, 1
LOB.  Astros 5, Braves 2.

BRAVES 8TH: Chaney walked; Royster walked [Chaney to second];
FORSCH REPLACED GRIFFIN (PITCHING); MAY BATTED FOR MESSERSMITH;
May struck out; Office grounded out (second to first) [Chaney to
third, Royster to second]; Gilbreath grounded out (first to
pitcher); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 2 LOB.  Astros 5, Braves 2.

ASTROS 9TH: DEVINE REPLACED MAY (PITCHING); Johnson popped to
second; DaVanon grounded out (shortstop to first); Metzger was
called out on strikes; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Astros 5, Braves 2.

BRAVES 9TH: Wynn struck out; Henderson grounded out (second to
first); Williams grounded out (third to first); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0
LOB.  Astros 5, Braves 2.

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