A three-run outburst in the first inning and five-hit pitching by Vern Ruhle lifted the Astros to a 3-0 blanking of the Braves. Terry Puhl led off the opening frame with a single, stole second and scored on a single by Julio Gonzalez. After Jose Cruz forced Gonzalez, Bob Watson followed with a two-run homer deep to left-center field. [The Sporting News]



Houston Astros 3, Atlanta Braves 0
Game Played on Sunday, August    13, 1978 (Day game) at Astrodome
Braves       0  0  0    0  0  0    0  0  0  -   0  5  1
Astros       3  0  0    0  0  0    0  0  x  -   3  7  0


Braves               AB   R   H RBI    BB  SO    AVG      Astros               AB   R   H RBI    BB  SO    AVG
Royster ss            4   0   1   0     0   0   .272      Puhl cf               3   1   1   0     0   0   .294
Office cf             4   0   0   0     0   0   .248      Gonzalez ss,2b        4   0   1   1     0   1   .235
Matthews rf           4   0   0   0     0   1   .282      Cabell 3b             4   0   1   0     0   0   .288
Burroughs lf          3   0   1   0     1   1   .317      Cruz rf               4   1   0   0     0   1   .300
Horner 3b             4   0   0   0     0   0   .261      Watson 1b             3   1   2   2     1   0   .297
Nolan c               2   0   1   0     2   0   .226        Walling pr,lf       0   0   0   0     0   0   .227
Murphy 1b             4   0   0   0     0   0   .239      Howe 2b               3   0   1   0     0   0   .284
Gilbreath 2b          3   0   1   0     0   0   .251        Fischlin pr,ss      0   0   0   0     0   0   .123
Hanna p               2   0   0   0     0   1   .182      Bergman lf,1b         4   0   0   0     0   0   .246
  Beall ph            1   0   1   0     0   0   .239      Bochy c               2   0   1   0     1   0   .267
  Campbell p          0   0   0   0     0   0   .000      Ruhle p               3   0   0   0     0   3   .111
  Skok p              0   0   0   0     0   0   .286

Totals               31   0   5   0     3   3             Totals               30   3   7   3     2   5

Time of Game: 2:09   Attendance: 15,878
Left on Base: Braves 7, Astros 7
DP: Braves 1, Astros 1
Errors: Campbell
Doubles: Bochy (3)
Home Runs: Watson (13)
Stolen Bases: Royster (23), Puhl (20), Cruz (21)
GIDP: Horner (5), Howe (12)
Hit by Pitch: Puhl (4,by Hanna), Howe (1,by Campbell)


Braves                 IP     H   R  ER  BB  SO  HR BFP    ERA
Hanna L(7-11)           7     6   3   3   2   5   1  29   4.82
Campbell                0.2   1   0   0   0   0   0   4   5.02
Skok                    0.1   0   0   0   0   0   0   1   3.98
Totals                  8     7   3   3   2   5   1  34

Astros                 IP     H   R  ER  BB  SO  HR BFP    ERA
Ruhle W(2-0)            9     5   0   0   3   3   0  34   0.92
Totals                  9     5   0   0   3   3   0  34

Hit by Pitch: Hanna (3), Campbell (3)

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


BRAVES 1ST: Royster singled; Royster stole second; Office made
an out to second; Matthews grounded out (second to first)
[Royster to third]; Burroughs grounded out (third to first); 0
R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Braves 0, Astros 0.

ASTROS 1ST: Puhl singled; Puhl stole second; Gonzalez singled
[Puhl scored]; Cabell flied out to right; Cruz forced Gonzalez
(shortstop to second); Cruz stole second; Watson homered [Cruz
scored]; Howe singled; Bergman forced Howe (third to second); 3
R, 4 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Braves 0, Astros 3.

BRAVES 2ND: Horner grounded out (third to first); Nolan walked;
Murphy made an out to second; Gilbreath singled [Nolan to
second]; Hanna grounded out (second to first); 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 2
LOB.  Braves 0, Astros 3.

ASTROS 2ND: Bochy made an out to shortstop; Ruhle struck out;
Puhl grounded out (third to first); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.
Braves 0, Astros 3.

BRAVES 3RD: Royster grounded out (shortstop to first); Office
grounded out (first unassisted); Matthews struck out; 0 R, 0 H,
0 E, 0 LOB.  Braves 0, Astros 3.

ASTROS 3RD: Gonzalez grounded out (second to first); Cabell
grounded out (first unassisted); Cruz struck out; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E,
0 LOB.  Braves 0, Astros 3.

BRAVES 4TH: Burroughs walked; Horner grounded into a double play
(shortstop to first) [Burroughs out at second]; Nolan grounded
out (first to pitcher); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Braves 0, Astros
3.

ASTROS 4TH: Watson walked; Howe grounded into a double play
(second to shortstop to first) [Watson out at second]; Bergman
made an out to second; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Braves 0, Astros 3.

BRAVES 5TH: Murphy flied out to center; Gilbreath made an out to
third; Hanna struck out; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Braves 0, Astros
3.

ASTROS 5TH: Bochy doubled; On a bunt Ruhle struck out; Puhl was
hit by a pitch; Gonzalez forced Puhl (second to shortstop)
[Bochy to third]; Cabell grounded out (second to first); 0 R, 1
H, 0 E, 2 LOB.  Braves 0, Astros 3.

BRAVES 6TH: Royster flied out to left; Office grounded out
(second to first); Matthews grounded out (third to first); 0 R,
0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Braves 0, Astros 3.

ASTROS 6TH: Cruz flied out to center; Watson singled; Howe
forced Watson (first to shortstop); Bergman flied out to center;
0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Braves 0, Astros 3.

BRAVES 7TH: Burroughs singled; Horner flied out to left; Nolan
singled [Burroughs to second]; Murphy flied out to right;
Gilbreath flied out to center; 0 R, 2 H, 0 E, 2 LOB.  Braves 0,
Astros 3.

ASTROS 7TH: Bochy walked; Ruhle struck out; Puhl forced Bochy
(second to shortstop); Gonzalez struck out; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 1
LOB.  Braves 0, Astros 3.

BRAVES 8TH: BEALL BATTED FOR HANNA; Beall singled; Royster flied
out to right; Office flied out to center; Matthews forced Beall
(third to second); 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Braves 0, Astros 3.

ASTROS 8TH: CAMPBELL REPLACED BEALL (PITCHING); Cabell singled;
Cruz flied out to right; Watson forced Cabell (third to second
to shortstop); WALLING RAN FOR WATSON; Walling was picked off
first but was safe on an error by Campbell [Walling to second];
Howe was hit by a pitch; SKOK REPLACED CAMPBELL (PITCHING);
FISCHLIN RAN FOR HOWE; Bergman flied out to center; 0 R, 1 H, 1
E, 2 LOB.  Braves 0, Astros 3.

BRAVES 9TH: WALLING STAYED IN GAME (PLAYING LF); BERGMAN CHANGED
POSITIONS (PLAYING 1B); FISCHLIN STAYED IN GAME (PLAYING SS);
GONZALEZ CHANGED POSITIONS (PLAYING 2B); Burroughs struck out;
Horner flied out to left; Nolan walked; Murphy made an out to
first; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Braves 0, Astros 3.