Staked to a three-run lead in the first inning, Joaquin Andujar pitched the Astros to a 5-2 victory over the Braves. A walk, singles by Enos Cabell and Bob Watson and an infield out by Jose Cruz accounted for the Astros' opening burst. The Braves picked up their pair in the second with a walk, single by Tom Paciorek, double by Dale Murphy and grounder by Rob Belloir, but Watson and Cruz each drove in another run in the fifth to clinch the Astros' decision. [The Sporting News]



Houston Astros 5, Atlanta Braves 2
Game Played on Wednesday, September 22, 1976 (Night game) at Astrodome
Braves       0  2  0    0  0  0    0  0  0  -   2  6  0
Astros       3  0  0    0  2  0    0  0  x  -   5 12  1


Braves               AB   R   H RBI    BB  SO    AVG      Astros               AB   R   H RBI    BB  SO    AVG
Royster 3b            3   0   1   0     0   0   .238      Gross rf              3   2   1   0     1   2   .287
  Asselstine ph       1   0   0   0     0   0   .125      Cabell 3b             4   2   2   0     0   0   .277
  Hanna p             0   0   0   0     0   0   .000      Cedeno cf             4   1   1   1     0   2   .295
Gilbreath 2b          3   0   0   0     1   2   .251      Watson 1b             4   0   3   2     0   1   .311
Montanez 1b           4   0   0   0     0   0   .315        Milbourne pr        0   0   0   0     0   0   .241
May lf                2   1   0   0     2   1   .218        Johnson 1b          0   0   0   0     0   0   .221
Wynn cf               4   0   0   0     0   2   .209      Cruz lf               4   0   2   2     0   0   .300
Paciorek rf           4   1   3   0     0   0   .296      Herrmann c            4   0   1   0     0   0   .203
Murphy c              4   0   1   1     0   1   .250      Taveras 2b            4   0   1   0     0   0   .233
Belloir ss            3   0   0   1     0   0   .200      Metzger ss            4   0   1   0     0   1   .214
  Gaston ph           1   0   0   0     0   0   .288      Andujar p             4   0   0   0     0   3   .140
LaCorte p             1   0   0   0     0   0   .100
  Moore ph,3b         2   0   1   0     0   0   .261

Totals               32   2   6   2     3   6             Totals               35   5  12   5     1   9

Time of Game: 2:15   Attendance:  3,849
Left on Base: Braves 7, Astros 7
DP: Braves 1, Astros 0
Errors: Cabell
Doubles: Murphy (3)
Stolen Bases: Metzger (1), Taveras (1)
Caught Stealing: Royster (11)
Sacrifice Hits: LaCorte (2)
GIDP: Herrmann (6)


Braves                 IP     H   R  ER  BB  SO  HR BFP    ERA
LaCorte L(3-10)         6    10   5   5   1   8   0  28   4.70
Hanna                   2     2   0   0   0   1   0   8   1.80
Totals                  8    12   5   5   1   9   0  36

Astros                 IP     H   R  ER  BB  SO  HR BFP    ERA
Andujar W(9-10)         9     6   2   2   3   6   0  36   3.60
Totals                  9     6   2   2   3   6   0  36

Umpires: HP - Art Williams, 1B - Jim Quick, 2B - Ed Montague, 3B - John Kibler


BRAVES 1ST: Royster singled; Royster was caught stealing second
(catcher to second); Gilbreath struck out; Montanez flied out to
right; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Braves 0, Astros 0.

ASTROS 1ST: Gross walked; Cabell singled [Gross to second];
Cedeno singled [Gross scored, Cabell to second]; Watson singled
[Cabell scored, Cedeno to third]; Cruz grounded out (second to
first) [Cedeno scored, Watson to second]; Herrmann grounded out
(second to first) [Watson to third]; Taveras flied out to right;
3 R, 3 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Braves 0, Astros 3.

BRAVES 2ND: May walked; Wynn struck out; Paciorek singled [May
to second]; Murphy doubled [May scored, Paciorek to third];
Belloir reached on an error by Cabell [Paciorek scored (RBI),
Murphy stayed at second, Belloir to first]; LaCorte out on a
sacrifice bunt (pitcher to second) [Murphy to third, Belloir to
second]; Royster flied out to center; 2 R, 2 H, 1 E, 2 LOB.
Braves 2, Astros 3.

ASTROS 2ND: Metzger grounded out (third to first); Andujar
struck out; Gross was called out on strikes; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0
LOB.  Braves 2, Astros 3.

BRAVES 3RD: Gilbreath walked; Montanez made an out to third; May
walked [Gilbreath to second]; Wynn struck out; Paciorek flied
out to right; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 2 LOB.  Braves 2, Astros 3.

ASTROS 3RD: Cabell flied out to right; Cedeno struck out; Watson
struck out; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Braves 2, Astros 3.

BRAVES 4TH: Murphy struck out; Belloir flied out to left;
LaCorte grounded out (shortstop to first); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.
 Braves 2, Astros 3.

ASTROS 4TH: Cruz singled; Herrmann singled [Cruz to third];
Taveras flied out to right; Metzger struck out; Andujar struck
out; 0 R, 2 H, 0 E, 2 LOB.  Braves 2, Astros 3.

BRAVES 5TH: Royster flied out to center; Gilbreath struck out;
Montanez flied out to left; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Braves 2,
Astros 3.

ASTROS 5TH: Gross singled; Cabell singled [Gross to second];
Cedeno struck out; Watson singled [Gross scored, Cabell to
second]; Cruz singled [Cabell scored, Watson to second];
Herrmann grounded into a double play (shortstop to second to
first) [Cruz out at second]; 2 R, 4 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Braves 2,
Astros 5.

BRAVES 6TH: May struck out; Wynn flied out to center; Paciorek
singled; Murphy grounded out (third to first); 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1
LOB.  Braves 2, Astros 5.

ASTROS 6TH: Taveras grounded out (shortstop to first); Metzger
singled; Metzger stole second; Andujar flied out to center;
Gross struck out; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Braves 2, Astros 5.

BRAVES 7TH: Belloir flied out to right; MOORE BATTED FOR
LACORTE; Moore singled; ASSELSTINE BATTED FOR ROYSTER;
Asselstine forced Moore (shortstop to second); Gilbreath flied
out to right; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Braves 2, Astros 5.

ASTROS 7TH: MOORE STAYED IN GAME (PLAYING 3B); HANNA REPLACED
ASSELSTINE (PITCHING); Cabell flied out to center; Cedeno
grounded out (shortstop to first); Watson singled; MILBOURNE RAN
FOR WATSON; Cruz grounded out (third to first); 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1
LOB.  Braves 2, Astros 5.

BRAVES 8TH: JOHNSON REPLACED MILBOURNE (PLAYING 1B); Montanez
grounded out (shortstop to first); May grounded out (shortstop
to first); Wynn grounded out (third to first); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0
LOB.  Braves 2, Astros 5.

ASTROS 8TH: Herrmann grounded out (second to first); Taveras
singled; Taveras stole second; Metzger grounded out (shortstop
to first); Andujar struck out; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Braves 2,
Astros 5.

BRAVES 9TH: Paciorek singled; Murphy flied out to right; GASTON
BATTED FOR BELLOIR; Gaston flied out to center; Moore grounded
out (pitcher to first); 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Braves 2, Astros
5.