Although held to only three hits by Phil Niekro, the Astros scored two runs in the first inning on a single by Enos Cabell and won the season opener from the Braves, 2-1. Terry Puhl walked to lead off for the Astros, stole second and moved to third on a wild pitch. Jose Cruz walked with two out and stole second before Cabell's single drove in both runners. [The Sporting News]



Houston Astros 2, Atlanta Braves 1
Game Played on Friday, April     6, 1979 (Night game) at Astrodome
Braves       0  0  0    0  0  1    0  0  0  -   1  7  0
Astros       2  0  0    0  0  0    0  0  x  -   2  3  1


Braves               AB   R   H RBI    BB  SO    AVG      Astros               AB   R   H RBI    BB  SO    AVG
Bonnell cf            4   0   0   0     0   1   .000      Puhl rf               3   1   1   0     1   0   .333
Matthews rf           4   0   2   0     0   1   .500      Reynolds ss           3   0   0   0     0   0   .000
Horner 3b             3   0   1   0     0   0   .333      Cedeno cf             3   0   0   0     0   1   .000
  Royster ph,3b       1   0   0   0     0   0   .000      Cruz lf               2   1   0   0     1   0   .000
Burroughs lf          1   1   0   0     3   1   .000      Cabell 3b             3   0   2   2     0   0   .667
Lum 1b                4   0   1   0     0   2   .250      Watson 1b             3   0   0   0     0   2   .000
Murphy c              3   0   1   0     1   1   .333      Howe 2b               3   0   0   0     0   0   .000
Hubbard 2b            4   0   1   0     0   1   .250        Landestoy 2b        0   0   0   0     0   0   .000
Frias ss              2   0   0   0     0   0   .000      Ashby c               3   0   0   0     0   0   .000
  Beall ph            1   0   0   0     0   0   .000      Richard p             2   0   0   0     0   1   .000
  Chaney ss           0   0   0   0     0   0   .000        Andujar p           1   0   0   0     0   1   .000
  Office ph           1   0   0   0     0   1   .000
Niekro p              3   0   1   0     0   0   .333
  Spikes ph           1   0   0   0     0   1   .000

Totals               32   1   7   0     4   9             Totals               26   2   3   2     2   5

Time of Game: 2:11   Attendance: 28,998
Left on Base: Braves 8, Astros 3
DP: Braves 0, Astros 3
Errors: Cabell
Doubles: Cabell (1)
Stolen Bases: Puhl (1), Cruz (1), Cabell (1)
Sacrifice Hits: Reynolds (1)
GIDP: Lum (1), Horner (1), Frias (1)


Braves                 IP     H   R  ER  BB  SO  HR BFP    ERA
Niekro L(0-1)           8     3   2   2   2   5   0  29   2.25
Totals                  8     3   2   2   2   5   0  29

Astros                 IP     H   R  ER  BB  SO  HR BFP    ERA
Richard W(1-0)          5.1   6   1   1   4   5   0  24   1.69
Andujar SV(1)           3.2   1   0   0   0   4   0  12   0.00
Totals                  9     7   1   1   4   9   0  36

Wild Pitches: Niekro (1), Richard 2 (2)

Umpires: HP - Steve Fields, 1B - Murray Strey, 2B - Howard Hansen, 3B - Bob Schroeder


BRAVES 1ST: Debut for umpire Steve Fields; Bonnell struck
out; Matthews singled; Horner singled [Matthews to second];
Burroughs walked [Matthews to third, Horner to second]; Lum
grounded into a double play (shortstop to second to first)
[Burroughs out at second]; 0 R, 2 H, 0 E, 2 LOB.  Braves 0,
Astros 0.

ASTROS 1ST: Puhl walked; Puhl stole second; Reynolds popped to
first in foul territory; Cedeno flied out to center; Niekro
threw a wild pitch [Puhl to third]; Cruz walked; Cruz stole
second; Cabell singled [Puhl scored, Cruz scored]; Cabell stole
second; Watson struck out; 2 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Braves 0,
Astros 2.

BRAVES 2ND: Murphy walked; Hubbard struck out; On a bunt Frias
made an out to catcher; Pepe Frias called for
interference; Niekro reached on an error by Cabell [Murphy
to second]; Bonnell flied out to right; 0 R, 0 H, 1 E, 2 LOB.
Braves 0, Astros 2.

ASTROS 2ND: Howe grounded out (third to first); Ashby flied out
to left; Richard was called out on strikes; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0
LOB.  Braves 0, Astros 2.

BRAVES 3RD: Matthews singled; Horner grounded into a double play
(shortstop to second to first) [Matthews out at second];
Burroughs walked; Lum singled [Burroughs to second]; Murphy was
called out on strikes; 0 R, 2 H, 0 E, 2 LOB.  Braves 0, Astros 2.

ASTROS 3RD: Puhl grounded out (second to pitcher); Reynolds
grounded out (first unassisted); Cedeno flied out to left; 0 R,
0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Braves 0, Astros 2.

BRAVES 4TH: Hubbard singled; Frias grounded into a double play
(third to second to first) [Hubbard out at second]; Niekro
grounded out (catcher to first); 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Braves
0, Astros 2.

ASTROS 4TH: Cruz made an out to catcher; Cabell grounded out
(second to first); Watson struck out; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.
Braves 0, Astros 2.

BRAVES 5TH: Bonnell made an out to second; Matthews struck out;
Horner grounded out (third to first); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.
Braves 0, Astros 2.

ASTROS 5TH: Howe grounded out (second to first); Ashby grounded
out (first unassisted); Richard flied out to center; 0 R, 0 H, 0
E, 0 LOB.  Braves 0, Astros 2.

BRAVES 6TH: Burroughs walked; Richard threw a wild pitch
[Burroughs to third]; Richard threw a wild pitch [Burroughs
scored]; Lum struck out; Murphy singled; ANDUJAR REPLACED
RICHARD (PITCHING); Hubbard grounded out (catcher to first)
[Murphy to second]; BEALL BATTED FOR FRIAS; Beall flied out to
left; 1 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Braves 1, Astros 2.

ASTROS 6TH: CHANEY REPLACED BEALL (PLAYING SS); Puhl singled;
Reynolds out on a sacrifice bunt (pitcher to first) [Puhl to
second]; Cedeno struck out; Cruz grounded out (third to first);
0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Braves 1, Astros 2.

BRAVES 7TH: Niekro singled; Bonnell forced Niekro (pitcher to
second); Matthews flied out to center; ROYSTER BATTED FOR
HORNER; Royster grounded out (catcher to first); 0 R, 1 H, 0 E,
1 LOB.  Braves 1, Astros 2.

ASTROS 7TH: ROYSTER STAYED IN GAME (PLAYING 3B); Cabell doubled;
Watson made an out to first; Howe flied out to center; Ashby
flied out to left; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Braves 1, Astros 2.

BRAVES 8TH: LANDESTOY REPLACED HOWE (PLAYING 2B); Burroughs
struck out; Lum struck out; Murphy grounded out (second to
first); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Braves 1, Astros 2.

ASTROS 8TH: Andujar was called out on strikes; Puhl grounded out
(second to first); Reynolds made an out to second; 0 R, 0 H, 0
E, 0 LOB.  Braves 1, Astros 2.

BRAVES 9TH: Hubbard flied out to center; OFFICE BATTED FOR
CHANEY; Office struck out; SPIKES BATTED FOR NIEKRO; Spikes
struck out; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Braves 1, Astros 2.