With his parents in the stands for their first view of Larry McWilliams pitching in the major leagues, the Braves' young lefthander allowed only three hits in eight innings and gained a 1-0 victory over the Astros. McWilliams was removed for a pinch-hitter and Gene Garber finished.

Garber, who retired the side in order in the ninth, picked up his 19th save of the season. The Braves scored their lone run off Joe Niekro in the sixth when Jeff Burroughs beat out an infield hit, Joe Nolan walked and Dale Murphy singled. [The Sporting News]



Atlanta Braves 1, Houston Astros 0
Game Played on Friday, August    11, 1978 (Night game) at Astrodome
Braves       0  0  0    0  0  1    0  0  0  -   1  9  0
Astros       0  0  0    0  0  0    0  0  0  -   0  3  2


Braves               AB   R   H RBI    BB  SO    AVG      Astros               AB   R   H RBI    BB  SO    AVG
Royster ss            5   0   2   0     0   0   .273      Puhl cf               4   0   1   0     0   0   .293
Office cf             5   0   1   0     0   0   .256      Gonzalez 2b           2   0   0   0     0   1   .234
Matthews rf           2   0   2   0     2   0   .284        Bergman ph          1   0   0   0     0   1   .244
Burroughs lf          4   1   1   0     0   0   .317      Cabell 3b             4   0   0   0     0   1   .288
  Bonnell lf          0   0   0   0     0   0   .233      Watson 1b             4   0   0   0     0   0   .295
Horner 3b             4   0   0   0     0   1   .272      Howard lf             3   0   1   0     0   0   .241
Nolan c               3   0   1   0     1   0   .218      Cruz rf               2   0   1   0     1   0   .301
Murphy 1b             4   0   1   1     0   1   .244      Sexton ss             3   0   0   0     0   0   .158
Gilbreath 2b          4   0   1   0     0   0   .254      Pujols c              2   0   0   0     0   2   .133
McWilliams p          3   0   0   0     0   2   .091        Landestoy ph        1   0   0   0     0   0   .247
  Beall ph            0   0   0   0     1   0   .231        Bochy c             0   0   0   0     0   0   .231
  Garber p            0   0   0   0     0   0   .091      Niekro p              2   0   0   0     0   0   .220
                                                            Alou ph             1   0   0   0     0   0   .343
                                                            Andujar p           0   0   0   0     0   0   .130
                                                            Sambito p           0   0   0   0     0   0   .000

Totals               34   1   9   1     4   4             Totals               29   0   3   0     1   5

Time of Game: 2:27   Attendance: 16,035
Left on Base: Braves 10, Astros 4
DP: Braves 0, Astros 2
Errors: Cabell, Bochy
Stolen Bases: Nolan (1), Murphy (10), Royster (22)
Caught Stealing: Matthews (6)
Sacrifice Hits: Gonzalez (3)
GIDP: Burroughs (11), Office (3)


Braves                 IP     H   R  ER  BB  SO  HR BFP    ERA
McWilliams W(5-0)       8     3   0   0   1   4   0  28   2.21
Garber SV(19)           1     0   0   0   0   1   0   3   1.75
Totals                  9     3   0   0   1   5   0  31

Astros                 IP     H   R  ER  BB  SO  HR BFP    ERA
Niekro L(9-9)           8     9   1   1   3   4   0  34   4.34
Andujar                 0.2   0   0   0   1   0   0   3   2.87
Sambito                 0.1   0   0   0   0   0   0   1   2.88
Totals                  9     9   1   1   4   4   0  38

Umpires: HP - Nick Colosi, 1B - Satch Davidson, 2B - Joe West, 3B - John Kibler


BRAVES 1ST: Royster singled; Office grounded out (pitcher to
first) [Royster to second]; Matthews walked; Burroughs grounded
into a double play (shortstop to second to first) [Matthews out
at second]; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Braves 0, Astros 0.

ASTROS 1ST: Puhl flied out to center; Gonzalez struck out;
Cabell made an out to shortstop; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Braves
0, Astros 0.

BRAVES 2ND: Horner struck out; Nolan singled; Nolan stole
second; Murphy struck out; Gilbreath singled [Nolan to third];
McWilliams flied out to right; 0 R, 2 H, 0 E, 2 LOB.  Braves 0,
Astros 0.

ASTROS 2ND: Watson flied out to right; Howard grounded out
(third to first); Cruz flied out to center; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0
LOB.  Braves 0, Astros 0.

BRAVES 3RD: Royster singled; Office grounded into a double play
(second to shortstop to first) [Royster out at second]; Matthews
walked; Burroughs made an out to second; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.
Braves 0, Astros 0.

ASTROS 3RD: Sexton flied out to right; Pujols struck out; Niekro
flied out to right; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Braves 0, Astros 0.

BRAVES 4TH: Horner flied out to left; Nolan flied out to left;
Murphy reached on an error by Cabell [Murphy to first]; Murphy
stole second; Gilbreath flied out to center; 0 R, 0 H, 1 E, 1
LOB.  Braves 0, Astros 0.

ASTROS 4TH: Puhl singled; Gonzalez out on a sacrifice bunt
(pitcher to first) [Puhl to second]; Cabell struck out; Watson
flied out to right; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Braves 0, Astros 0.

BRAVES 5TH: McWilliams struck out; Royster grounded out (third
to first); Office grounded out (pitcher to first); 0 R, 0 H, 0
E, 0 LOB.  Braves 0, Astros 0.

ASTROS 5TH: Howard singled; Cruz singled [Howard to second];
Sexton flied out to center; Pujols struck out; Niekro forced
Cruz (shortstop to second); 0 R, 2 H, 0 E, 2 LOB.  Braves 0,
Astros 0.

BRAVES 6TH: Matthews singled; Matthews was caught stealing
second (catcher to second); Burroughs singled; Horner flied out
to center; Nolan walked [Burroughs to second]; Murphy singled
[Burroughs scored, Nolan to second]; Gilbreath forced Nolan
(third unassisted); 1 R, 3 H, 0 E, 2 LOB.  Braves 1, Astros 0.

ASTROS 6TH: Puhl grounded out (first to pitcher); Gonzalez flied
out to right; Cabell flied out to center; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.
Braves 1, Astros 0.

BRAVES 7TH: McWilliams struck out; Royster grounded out (second
to first); Office singled; Matthews singled [Office to second];
Burroughs flied out to center; 0 R, 2 H, 0 E, 2 LOB.  Braves 1,
Astros 0.

ASTROS 7TH: Watson flied out to left; Howard flied out to right;
Cruz walked; Sexton flied out to left; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.
Braves 1, Astros 0.

BRAVES 8TH: Horner flied out to center; Nolan flied out to
right; Murphy flied out to center; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Braves
1, Astros 0.

ASTROS 8TH: LANDESTOY BATTED FOR PUJOLS; Landestoy popped to
catcher in foul territory; ALOU BATTED FOR NIEKRO; Alou grounded
out (shortstop to first); Puhl grounded out (second to first); 0
R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Braves 1, Astros 0.

BRAVES 9TH: ANDUJAR REPLACED ALOU (PITCHING); BOCHY REPLACED
LANDESTOY (PLAYING C ); Gilbreath grounded out (pitcher to
second to first); BEALL BATTED FOR MCWILLIAMS; Beall walked;
Royster forced Beall (second to shortstop); SAMBITO REPLACED
ANDUJAR (PITCHING); Royster stole second [Royster to third
(error by Bochy)]; Office made an out to shortstop; 0 R, 0 H, 1
E, 1 LOB.  Braves 1, Astros 0.

ASTROS 9TH: GARBER REPLACED BEALL (PITCHING); BONNELL REPLACED
BURROUGHS (PLAYING LF); BERGMAN BATTED FOR GONZALEZ; Bergman
struck out; Cabell grounded out (third to first); Watson
grounded out (shortstop to first); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Braves
1, Astros 0.