Managerial maneuvering worked out in favor of the Astros, who defeated the Braves, 3-1. In the ninth inning, J.R. Richard allowed two hits, putting runners on first and second with none out, and had a count of a 2-and-0 on Darrel Chaney when the Astros brought in Joe Niekro to relieve. After Chaney took two strikes, the Braves had Brian Asselstine bat for Chaney. Asselstine promptly hit into a double play and Rod Gilbreath grounded out to end the game. [The Sporting News]



Houston Astros 3, Atlanta Braves 1
Game Played on Friday, July      1, 1977 (Night game) at Astrodome
Braves       0  0  0    0  1  0    0  0  0  -   1  4  1
Astros       0  1  1    0  0  0    1  0  x  -   3  6  1


Braves               AB   R   H RBI    BB  SO    AVG      Astros               AB   R   H RBI    BB  SO    AVG
Office cf             4   0   1   1     0   1   .250      Gonzalez 2b           5   0   1   1     0   0   .246
Matthews lf           4   0   0   0     0   0   .283      Cabell 3b             4   1   1   0     0   0   .281
Montanez 1b           3   0   1   0     1   1   .305      Cedeno cf             2   1   0   0     2   1   .205
Burroughs rf          2   0   0   0     2   1   .273      Watson 1b             4   0   2   1     0   0   .276
Pocoroba c            4   0   1   0     0   1   .312      Cruz rf               2   0   0   0     1   0   .268
Chaney ss             3   0   0   0     0   2   .240      Ferguson c            3   0   0   0     1   0   .264
  Asselstine ph       1   0   0   0     0   0   .205      Fuller lf             2   1   1   1     1   1   .160
Gilbreath 2b          4   0   0   0     0   2   .247        Howard lf           1   0   1   0     0   0   .224
Royster 3b            3   0   0   0     0   1   .208      Metzger ss            3   0   0   0     1   0   .138
Collins p             1   0   0   0     0   0   .000      Richard p             4   0   0   0     0   2   .171
  Capra p             1   1   1   0     0   0   .091        Niekro p            0   0   0   0     0   0   .222
  Campbell p          0   0   0   0     0   0   .000
  Nolan ph            0   0   0   0     1   0   .333
  Leon pr,p           0   0   0   0     0   0   .400

Totals               30   1   4   1     4   9             Totals               30   3   6   3     6   4

Time of Game: 2:24   Attendance:  8,378
Left on Base: Braves 6, Astros 10
DP: Braves 0, Astros 1
Errors: Chaney, Fuller
Doubles: Office (6), Fuller (3), Gonzalez (13), Cabell (17)
Stolen Bases: Howard (10)
Caught Stealing: Office (3)
Sacrifice Hits: Cruz (2)
GIDP: Asselstine (1)


Braves                 IP     H   R  ER  BB  SO  HR BFP    ERA
Collins L(1-7)          2.1   3   2   2   5   0   0  16   5.08
Capra                   4.1   2   1   1   1   3   0  16   6.17
Campbell                0.1   0   0   0   0   0   0   1   4.30
Leon                    1     1   0   0   0   1   0   4   4.42
Totals                  8     6   3   3   6   4   0  37

Astros                 IP     H   R  ER  BB  SO  HR BFP    ERA
Richard W(7-6)          8     4   1   1   4   9   0  32   3.12
Niekro SV(4)            1     0   0   0   0   0   0   2   2.53
Totals                  9     4   1   1   4   9   0  34

Wild Pitches: Richard (5)

Umpires: HP - Bob Engel, 1B - Jerry Dale, 2B - John McSherry, 3B - Bill Williams


BRAVES 1ST: Office flied out to center; Matthews grounded out
(pitcher to first); Montanez singled; Burroughs walked [Montanez
to second]; Pocoroba struck out; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 2 LOB.  Braves
0, Astros 0.

ASTROS 1ST: Gonzalez made an out to shortstop; Cabell reached on
an error by Chaney [Cabell to first]; Cedeno walked [Cabell to
second]; Watson flied out to center; Cruz grounded out (pitcher
to first); 0 R, 0 H, 1 E, 2 LOB.  Braves 0, Astros 0.

BRAVES 2ND: Chaney made an out to pitcher; Gilbreath struck out;
Royster struck out; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Braves 0, Astros 0.

ASTROS 2ND: Ferguson grounded out (shortstop to first); Fuller
doubled; Metzger walked; Richard flied out to right; Gonzalez
doubled [Fuller scored, Metzger to third]; Cabell grounded out
(third to first); 1 R, 2 H, 0 E, 2 LOB.  Braves 0, Astros 1.

BRAVES 3RD: Collins flied out to left; Office struck out but
advanced to first on a wild pitch; Office was caught stealing
second (catcher to second); Matthews flied out to center; 0 R, 0
H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Braves 0, Astros 1.

ASTROS 3RD: Cedeno walked; Watson singled [Cedeno to second];
Cruz out on a sacrifice bunt (pitcher to first) [Cedeno to
third, Watson to second]; Ferguson was walked intentionally;
CAPRA REPLACED COLLINS (PITCHING); Fuller walked (walk was
charged to Collins) [Cedeno scored, Watson to third, Ferguson to
second]; Metzger flied out to left; Richard struck out; 1 R, 1
H, 0 E, 3 LOB.  Braves 0, Astros 2.

BRAVES 4TH: Montanez walked; Burroughs flied out to right;
Pocoroba forced Montanez (second to shortstop); Chaney struck
out; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Braves 0, Astros 2.

ASTROS 4TH: Gonzalez made an out to catcher; Cabell flied out to
right; Cedeno struck out; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Braves 0,
Astros 2.

BRAVES 5TH: Gilbreath struck out; Royster made an out to
shortstop; Capra singled; Office doubled to left [Capra scored,
Office to third (error by Fuller)]; Matthews grounded out (third
to first); 1 R, 2 H, 1 E, 1 LOB.  Braves 1, Astros 2.

ASTROS 5TH: Watson made an out to second; Cruz made an out to
first; Ferguson grounded out (shortstop to first); 0 R, 0 H, 0
E, 0 LOB.  Braves 1, Astros 2.

BRAVES 6TH: Montanez flied out to center; Burroughs struck out;
Pocoroba grounded out (shortstop to first); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0
LOB.  Braves 1, Astros 2.

ASTROS 6TH: Fuller struck out; Metzger made an out to third;
Richard grounded out (second to first); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.
Braves 1, Astros 2.

BRAVES 7TH: Chaney struck out; Gilbreath flied out to center;
Royster made an out to shortstop; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Braves
1, Astros 2.

ASTROS 7TH: Gonzalez made an out to second; Cabell doubled;
Cedeno made an out to second; Watson singled [Cabell scored];
Cruz walked [Watson to second]; CAMPBELL REPLACED CAPRA
(PITCHING); Ferguson grounded out (pitcher to first); 1 R, 2 H,
0 E, 2 LOB.  Braves 1, Astros 3.

BRAVES 8TH: HOWARD REPLACED FULLER (PLAYING LF); NOLAN BATTED
FOR CAMPBELL; Nolan walked; LEON RAN FOR NOLAN; Office grounded
out (second to first) [Leon to second]; Matthews reached on a
fielder's choice [Leon out at third (shortstop to third)];
Montanez struck out; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Braves 1, Astros 3.

ASTROS 8TH: LEON STAYED IN GAME (PITCHING); Howard singled;
Howard stole second; Metzger made an out to catcher; Richard
struck out; Gonzalez made an out to third; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.
 Braves 1, Astros 3.

BRAVES 9TH: Burroughs walked; Pocoroba singled [Burroughs to
second]; ASSELSTINE BATTED FOR CHANEY; NIEKRO REPLACED RICHARD
(PITCHING); Asselstine grounded into a double play (pitcher to
shortstop to first) [Burroughs to third, Pocoroba out at
second]; Gilbreath grounded out (shortstop to first); 0 R, 1 H,
0 E, 1 LOB.  Braves 1, Astros 3.