Dick Ruthven scattered seven hits and pitched the Braves to a 6-0 victory over the Astros in a game enlivened by a bench-clearing incident in the sixth inning. Astro outfielder Cliff Johnson charged the mound after being hit by a pitch and wrestled Ruthven to the ground.

Players from both sides joined in the melee. After peace was restored, Johnson was ejected by the umpires. Rowland Office and Jerry Royster each had three hits for the Braves, who ended their 20-inning scoreless streak by putting together five singles for three runs in the second. [The Sporting News]



Atlanta Braves 6, Houston Astros 0
Game Played on Sunday, April     10, 1977 (Day game) at Astrodome
Braves       0  3  0    0  2  1    0  0  0  -   6 14  0
Astros       0  0  0    0  0  0    0  0  0  -   0  7  1


Braves               AB   R   H RBI    BB  SO    AVG      Astros               AB   R   H RBI    BB  SO    AVG
Office cf             5   0   3   2     0   0   .286      Gonzalez 2b           5   0   2   0     0   0   .286
Royster 3b            5   1   3   1     0   0   .286      Cabell 3b             5   0   2   0     0   0   .231
Montanez 1b           4   0   0   0     1   0   .083      Cruz rf               3   0   0   0     1   1   .100
Burroughs rf          4   0   0   0     1   0   .250      Watson 1b             4   0   0   0     0   1   .182
  Asselstine pr,rf    0   0   0   0     0   0   .000      Ferguson c            2   0   1   0     2   1   .500
Matthews lf           4   1   2   1     1   1   .250      Gardner cf            4   0   0   0     0   2   .000
Pocoroba c            5   0   2   1     0   0   .167      Johnson lf            2   0   1   0     0   1   .200
Gilbreath 2b          5   1   1   0     0   1   .273        Roberts pr,lf       1   0   0   0     0   0   .000
Rockett ss            4   2   2   0     1   0   .273      Metzger ss            3   0   0   0     0   1   .250
Ruthven p             4   1   1   1     0   0   .250        Boswell ph          0   0   0   0     1   0   .000
                                                          Lemongello p          1   0   0   0     0   0   .000
                                                            Howard ph           1   0   1   0     0   0  1.000
                                                            Pentz p             0   0   0   0     0   0   .000
                                                            Howe ph             1   0   0   0     0   0   .000
                                                            Larson p            0   0   0   0     0   0   .000
                                                            Fuller ph           1   0   0   0     0   1   .000

Totals               40   6  14   6     4   2             Totals               33   0   7   0     4   8

Time of Game: 2:47   Attendance:  9,332
Left on Base: Braves 11, Astros 11
DP: Braves 1, Astros 1
Errors: Johnson
Doubles: Rockett (1)
Stolen Bases: Royster (2), Matthews 2 (3), Cabell 3 (3), Cruz (1)
Hit by Pitch: Johnson (2,by Ruthven)


Braves                 IP     H   R  ER  BB  SO  HR BFP    ERA
Ruthven W(1-0)          9     7   0   0   4   8   0  38   0.00
Totals                  9     7   0   0   4   8   0  38

Astros                 IP     H   R  ER  BB  SO  HR BFP    ERA
Lemongello L(0-1)       5    10   5   5   0   0   0  25   9.00
Pentz                   2     4   1   1   3   1   0  12   4.50
Larson                  2     0   0   0   1   1   0   7   0.00
Totals                  9    14   6   6   4   2   0  44

Hit by Pitch: Ruthven (1)
Wild Pitches: Pentz (1)

Umpires: HP - Paul Runge, 1B - Ed Montague, 2B - Lee Weyer, 3B - Art Williams


BRAVES 1ST: Office singled; Royster grounded out (shortstop to
first) [Office to second]; Montanez flied out to center;
Burroughs grounded out (shortstop to first); 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1
LOB.  Braves 0, Astros 0.

ASTROS 1ST: Gonzalez singled; Cabell forced Gonzalez (second to
shortstop); Cruz hit into a double play (left to second to
first) [Cabell out at second]; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Braves 0,
Astros 0.

BRAVES 2ND: Matthews grounded out (shortstop to first); Pocoroba
flied out to center; Gilbreath singled; Rockett singled
[Gilbreath to second]; Ruthven singled [Gilbreath scored,
Rockett to third]; Office singled to left [Rockett scored,
Ruthven to third, Office to second (error by Johnson)]; Royster
singled [Ruthven scored, Office to third]; Royster stole second;
Montanez grounded out (second to first); 3 R, 5 H, 1 E, 2 LOB.
Braves 3, Astros 0.

ASTROS 2ND: Watson grounded out (second to first); Ferguson
singled; Gardner made an out to pitcher; Johnson singled
[Ferguson to third]; Metzger was called out on strikes; 0 R, 2
H, 0 E, 2 LOB.  Braves 3, Astros 0.

BRAVES 3RD: Burroughs flied out to center; Matthews singled;
Matthews stole second; Pocoroba flied out to right; Gilbreath
flied out to right; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Braves 3, Astros 0.

ASTROS 3RD: Lemongello grounded out (first unassisted); Gonzalez
grounded out (third to first); Cabell singled; Cabell stole
second; Cruz walked; Cabell stole third and Cruz stole second;
Watson grounded out (shortstop to first); 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 2 LOB.
Braves 3, Astros 0.

BRAVES 4TH: Rockett grounded out (pitcher to first); Ruthven
flied out to right; Office grounded out (first to pitcher); 0 R,
0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Braves 3, Astros 0.

ASTROS 4TH: Ferguson struck out; Gardner was called out on
strikes; Johnson struck out; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Braves 3,
Astros 0.

BRAVES 5TH: Royster singled; Montanez grounded out (pitcher to
first) [Royster to second]; Burroughs flied out to center;
Matthews singled [Royster scored]; Matthews stole second;
Pocoroba singled [Matthews scored]; Gilbreath forced Pocoroba
(shortstop unassisted); 2 R, 3 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Braves 5, Astros
0.

ASTROS 5TH: Metzger flied out to left; HOWARD BATTED FOR
LEMONGELLO; Howard singled; Gonzalez flied out to center; Cabell
singled [Howard to third]; Cabell stole second; Cruz flied out
to center; 0 R, 2 H, 0 E, 2 LOB.  Braves 5, Astros 0.

BRAVES 6TH: PENTZ REPLACED HOWARD (PITCHING); Rockett doubled;
Ruthven grounded out (second to first) [Rockett to third];
Office singled [Rockett scored]; Pentz threw a wild pitch
[Office to second]; Royster singled [Office to third, Royster to
second (on throw to home)]; Montanez was walked intentionally;
Burroughs hit into a double play (center to catcher) [Office out
at home]; 1 R, 3 H, 0 E, 2 LOB.  Braves 6, Astros 0.

ASTROS 6TH: Watson grounded out (third to first); Ferguson
walked; Gardner made an out to second; Johnson was hit by a
pitch [Ferguson to second]; tackled Dick Ruthven; both
benches cleared; Johnson ejected by HP umpire Paul Runge;
ROBERTS RAN FOR JOHNSON; Metzger flied out to left; 0 R, 0 H, 0
E, 2 LOB.  Braves 6, Astros 0.

BRAVES 7TH: ROBERTS STAYED IN GAME (PLAYING LF); Matthews
walked; both benches cleared after two bruchback pitches by
Gene Pentz; Pocoroba singled [Matthews to second]; Gilbreath
struck out; Rockett walked [Matthews to third, Pocoroba to
second]; Ruthven lined to second; Office grounded out (first
unassisted); 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 3 LOB.  Braves 6, Astros 0.

ASTROS 7TH: HOWE BATTED FOR PENTZ; Howe grounded out (second to
first); Gonzalez singled; Cabell grounded out (third to first)
[Gonzalez to second]; Cruz was called out on strikes; 0 R, 1 H,
0 E, 1 LOB.  Braves 6, Astros 0.

BRAVES 8TH: LARSON REPLACED HOWE (PITCHING); Royster flied out
to right; Montanez grounded out (shortstop to first); Burroughs
walked; ASSELSTINE RAN FOR BURROUGHS; Matthews was called out on
strikes; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Braves 6, Astros 0.

ASTROS 8TH: ASSELSTINE STAYED IN GAME (PLAYING RF); Watson was
called out on strikes; Ferguson walked; Gardner struck out;
Roberts grounded out (second to first); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.
Braves 6, Astros 0.

BRAVES 9TH: Pocoroba grounded out (second to first); Gilbreath
flied out to right; Rockett flied out to center; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E,
0 LOB.  Braves 6, Astros 0.

ASTROS 9TH: BOSWELL BATTED FOR METZGER; Boswell walked; FULLER
BATTED FOR LARSON; Fuller was called out on strikes; Gonzalez
forced Boswell (third to second); Cabell forced Gonzalez
(shortstop to second); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Braves 6, Astros 0.