Joe Ferguson, playing in his first game with the Astros, smashed a homer in the 11th inning to beat the Braves, 3-2, before 25,781, the largest season-opening crowd in the Astrodome since 1967 when the turnout was 26,001. Jeff Burroughs made his N.L. debut with the Braves and hit a two-run homer in his first time at bat in the first inning. [The Sporting News]

Houston Astros 3, Atlanta Braves 2

Game Played on Friday, April 8, 1977 (Night game) at Astrodome

Braves 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 - 2 8 2 Astros 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 1 - 3 8 0 Braves AB R H RBI BB SO AVG Astros AB R H RBI BB SO AVG Office cf 5 1 1 0 0 1 .200 Gonzalez 2b 5 1 2 0 0 0 .400 Royster 3b 5 0 1 0 0 1 .200 Cabell 3b 4 0 1 0 1 0 .250 Montanez 1b 5 0 1 0 0 0 .200 Cruz rf 3 0 0 1 1 1 .000 Burroughs rf 5 1 2 2 0 2 .400 Watson 1b 4 1 1 0 1 0 .250 Matthews lf 5 0 1 0 0 2 .200 Crawford lf 5 0 1 1 0 1 .200 Pocoroba c 4 0 0 0 0 1 .000 Howard lf 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000 Gilbreath 2b 3 0 2 0 1 1 .667 Ferguson c 5 1 2 1 0 0 .400 Rockett ss 4 0 0 0 0 0 .000 Gardner cf 3 0 0 0 1 2 .000 Messersmith p 2 0 0 0 1 0 .000 Metzger ss 3 0 1 0 0 2 .333 Asselstine ph 1 0 0 0 0 0 .000 Forsch p 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000 Johnson p 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000 Richard p 2 0 0 0 0 1 .000 Sperring ss 1 0 0 0 0 1 .000 Totals 39 2 8 2 2 8 Totals 35 3 8 3 4 8 Time of Game: 2:56 Attendance: 25,781 Left on Base: Braves 6, Astros 9 DP: Braves 1, Astros 2 Errors: Gilbreath, Messersmith Doubles: Office (1), Crawford (1) Triples: Watson (1) Home Runs: Burroughs (1), Ferguson (1) Stolen Bases: Royster (1), Matthews (1), Gonzalez (1) Caught Stealing: Cabell (1) Sacrifice Hits: Richard (1), Metzger (1) Sacrifice Flies: Cruz (1) GIDP: Rockett (1), Matthews (1) Braves IP H R ER BB SO HR BFP ERA Messersmith 9 6 2 2 2 7 0 35 2.00 Johnson L(0-1) 1 2 1 1 2 1 1 7 9.00 Totals 10 8 3 3 4 8 1 42 Astros IP H R ER BB SO HR BFP ERA Richard 9 7 2 2 2 7 1 35 2.00 Forsch W(1-0) 2 1 0 0 0 1 0 6 0.00 Totals 11 8 2 2 2 8 1 41 Umpires: HP - Lee Weyer, 1B - Art Williams, 2B - Paul Runge, 3B - Ed Montague BRAVES 1ST: Office doubled to left; Royster flied out to center; Montanez flied out to center; Burroughs homered [Office scored]; Matthews grounded out (third to first); 2 R, 2 H, 0 E, 0 LOB. Braves 2, Astros 0. ASTROS 1ST: Gonzalez singled; Debut game for Julio Gonzalez; Cabell singled [Gonzalez to third]; Cabell was caught stealing second (catcher to shortstop); Cruz hit a sacrifice fly to right [Gonzalez scored]; Watson grounded out (pitcher to first); 1 R, 2 H, 0 E, 0 LOB. Braves 2, Astros 1. BRAVES 2ND: Pocoroba grounded out (pitcher unassisted); Gilbreath walked; Rockett grounded into a double play (second to shortstop to first) [Gilbreath out at second]; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB. Braves 2, Astros 1. ASTROS 2ND: Crawford struck out; Ferguson singled; Gardner flied out to right; Metzger struck out; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB. Braves 2, Astros 1. BRAVES 3RD: Messersmith flied out to right; Office grounded out (pitcher to first); Royster flied out to right; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB. Braves 2, Astros 1. ASTROS 3RD: Richard struck out; Gonzalez reached on an error by Gilbreath [Gonzalez to first]; Gonzalez stole second; Cabell flied out to right; Cruz grounded out (shortstop to first); 0 R, 0 H, 1 E, 1 LOB. Braves 2, Astros 1. BRAVES 4TH: Montanez grounded out (first to pitcher); Burroughs was called out on strikes; Matthews was called out on strikes; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB. Braves 2, Astros 1. ASTROS 4TH: Watson flied out to center; Crawford grounded out (second to first); Ferguson grounded out (shortstop to first); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB. Braves 2, Astros 1. BRAVES 5TH: Pocoroba made an out to shortstop; Gilbreath struck out; Rockett flied out to left; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB. Braves 2, Astros 1. ASTROS 5TH: Gardner struck out; Metzger singled; Richard reached on an error by Messersmith on a sacrifice bunt [Metzger to second, Richard to first]; Gonzalez lined into a double play (first unassisted) [Richard out at first]; 0 R, 1 H, 1 E, 1 LOB. Braves 2, Astros 1. BRAVES 6TH: Messersmith flied out to center; Office grounded out (pitcher to first); Royster singled; Royster stole second; Montanez singled [Royster to third]; Burroughs grounded out (second to first); 0 R, 2 H, 0 E, 2 LOB. Braves 2, Astros 1. ASTROS 6TH: Cabell lined to second; Cruz walked; Watson forced Cruz (shortstop to second); Crawford doubled [Watson scored]; Ferguson made an out to first; 1 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB. Braves 2, Astros 2. BRAVES 7TH: Matthews singled; Matthews stole second; Pocoroba struck out; Gilbreath singled [Matthews to third]; Rockett reached on a fielder's choice [Matthews out at home (third to catcher), Gilbreath to second]; Messersmith walked [Gilbreath to third, Rockett to second]; Office struck out; 0 R, 2 H, 0 E, 3 LOB. Braves 2, Astros 2. ASTROS 7TH: Gardner walked; Metzger out on a sacrifice bunt (pitcher to second) [Gardner to second]; Richard grounded out (second to first) [Gardner to third]; Gonzalez grounded out (third to first); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 1 LOB. Braves 2, Astros 2. BRAVES 8TH: Royster made an out to first; Montanez grounded out (first unassisted); Burroughs struck out; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB. Braves 2, Astros 2. ASTROS 8TH: Cabell grounded out (pitcher to first); Cruz struck out; Watson tripled; Crawford lined to center; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB. Braves 2, Astros 2. BRAVES 9TH: Matthews struck out; Pocoroba flied out to center; Gilbreath singled; Rockett flied out to left; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB. Braves 2, Astros 2. ASTROS 9TH: Ferguson flied out to right; Gardner struck out; Metzger was called out on strikes; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB. Braves 2, Astros 2. BRAVES 10TH: FORSCH REPLACED METZGER (PITCHING); SPERRING REPLACED RICHARD (PLAYING SS); ASSELSTINE BATTED FOR MESSERSMITH; Asselstine flied out to center; Office flied out to right; Royster struck out; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB. Braves 2, Astros 2. ASTROS 10TH: JOHNSON REPLACED ASSELSTINE (PITCHING); Sperring struck out; Gonzalez singled; Cabell walked [Gonzalez to second]; Cruz made an out to catcher; Watson walked [Gonzalez to third, Cabell to second]; Crawford grounded out (first unassisted); 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 3 LOB. Braves 2, Astros 2. BRAVES 11TH: HOWARD REPLACED CRAWFORD (PLAYING LF); Montanez grounded out (second to first); Burroughs singled; Matthews grounded into a double play (third to second to first) [Burroughs out at second]; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 0 LOB. Braves 2, Astros 2. ASTROS 11TH: Ferguson homered; 1 R, 1 H, 0 E, 0 LOB. Braves 2, Astros 3.

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