A five-hitter by Joe Niekro enabled the Astros to blank the Braves, 2-0, and complete the three-game series sweep. The Astros' runs came in the first inning on a single by Terry Puhl, groundout, a double by Cesar Cedeno and single by Jose Cruz. [The Sporting News]



Houston Astros 2, Atlanta Braves 0
Game Played on Sunday, April     8, 1979 (Day game) at Astrodome
Braves       0  0  0    0  0  0    0  0  0  -   0  5  1
Astros       2  0  0    0  0  0    0  0  x  -   2  7  0


Braves               AB   R   H RBI    BB  SO    AVG      Astros               AB   R   H RBI    BB  SO    AVG
Royster 3b            4   0   2   0     0   1   .222      Puhl rf               4   1   1   0     0   1   .455
Hubbard 2b            4   0   1   0     0   2   .167      Reynolds ss           4   0   1   0     0   0   .100
Matthews rf           4   0   0   0     0   0   .182      Cedeno cf             4   1   2   1     0   1   .364
Burroughs lf          4   0   0   0     0   2   .000      Cruz lf               3   0   1   1     0   0   .333
Lum 1b                3   0   0   0     0   0   .100      Cabell 3b             3   0   0   0     0   1   .300
Murphy c              3   0   1   0     0   1   .222      Watson 1b             3   0   0   0     0   0   .000
Bonnell cf            3   0   1   0     0   0   .111        Landestoy 2b        0   0   0   0     0   0   .000
Frias ss              2   0   0   0     0   0   .000      Howe 2b,1b            3   0   0   0     0   1   .100
  Beall ph            1   0   0   0     0   0   .000      Ashby c               3   0   2   0     0   0   .400
  Chaney ss           0   0   0   0     0   0   .000      Niekro p              3   0   0   0     0   0   .000
Matula p              2   0   0   0     0   0   .000
  Nolan ph            1   0   0   0     0   1   .000
  Garber p            0   0   0   0     0   0   .000

Totals               31   0   5   0     0   7             Totals               30   2   7   2     0   4

Time of Game: 2:00   Attendance: 16,501
Left on Base: Braves 4, Astros 4
DP: Braves 0, Astros 1
Errors: Hubbard
Doubles: Cedeno (2)
Stolen Bases: Royster (1), Cruz 2 (3)
Caught Stealing: Cedeno (1), Reynolds (1)
GIDP: Bonnell (1)


Braves                 IP     H   R  ER  BB  SO  HR BFP    ERA
Matula L(0-1)           7     6   2   2   0   3   0  27   2.57
Garber                  1     1   0   0   0   1   0   3   0.00
Totals                  8     7   2   2   0   4   0  30

Astros                 IP     H   R  ER  BB  SO  HR BFP    ERA
Niekro W(1-0)           9     5   0   0   0   7   0  31   0.00
Totals                  9     5   0   0   0   7   0  31

Umpires: HP - Steve Fields, 1B - Jim Rains, 2B - Bob Schroeder, 3B - Murray Strey


BRAVES 1ST: ump1b,rainj901 ump2b,schrb901 ump3b,strem901
timeofgame,120 attendance,16501; Royster singled to
right; Debut game for Rick Matula; Royster stole second;
Hubbard struck out; Matthews flied out to right; Burroughs was
called out on strikes; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Braves 0, Astros 0.

ASTROS 1ST: Puhl singled to center; Reynolds grounded out (first
unassisted) [Puhl to second]; Cedeno doubled to left [Puhl
scored]; Cruz singled to center [Cedeno scored]; Cruz stole
second; Cabell grounded out (third to first); Watson flied out
to left; 2 R, 3 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Braves 0, Astros 2.

BRAVES 2ND: Lum flied out to center; Murphy singled to right;
Bonnell grounded into a double play (shortstop to second to
first) [Murphy out at second]; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Braves 0,
Astros 2.

ASTROS 2ND: Howe struck out; Ashby singled to right; Niekro
forced Ashby (catcher to shortstop); Puhl flied out to center; 0
R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Braves 0, Astros 2.

BRAVES 3RD: Frias flied out to right; Matula grounded out (first
unassisted); Royster singled to center; Hubbard struck out; 0 R,
1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Braves 0, Astros 2.

ASTROS 3RD: Reynolds grounded out (catcher to first); Cedeno
struck out; Cruz reached on an error by Hubbard; Cruz stole
second; Cabell struck out; 0 R, 0 H, 1 E, 1 LOB.  Braves 0,
Astros 2.

BRAVES 4TH: Matthews flied out to right; Burroughs flied out to
right; Lum grounded out (second to first); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.
 Braves 0, Astros 2.

ASTROS 4TH: Watson grounded out (shortstop to first); Howe
grounded out (third to first); Ashby singled to right; Niekro
grounded out (second to first); 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Braves 0,
Astros 2.

BRAVES 5TH: Murphy struck out; Bonnell singled to center; Frias
forced Bonnell (pitcher to second); Matula grounded out (pitcher
to first); 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Braves 0, Astros 2.

ASTROS 5TH: Puhl made an out to shortstop; Reynolds flied out to
right; Cedeno singled to third; Cedeno was caught stealing
second (catcher to shortstop); 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Braves 0,
Astros 2.

BRAVES 6TH: Royster struck out (catcher to first); Hubbard
singled to center; Matthews flied out to center; Burroughs
struck out; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Braves 0, Astros 2.

ASTROS 6TH: Cruz grounded out (pitcher to first); Cabell
grounded out (third to first); Watson flied out to center; 0 R,
0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Braves 0, Astros 2.

BRAVES 7TH: Lum flied out to center; Murphy flied out to right;
Bonnell flied out to center; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Braves 0,
Astros 2.

ASTROS 7TH: Howe flied out to center; Ashby lined to second;
Niekro flied out to right; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Braves 0,
Astros 2.

BRAVES 8TH: LANDESTOY REPLACED WATSON (PLAYING 2B); HOWE CHANGED
POSITIONS (PLAYING 1B); BEALL BATTED FOR FRIAS; Beall grounded
out (first to pitcher); NOLAN BATTED FOR MATULA; Nolan struck
out; Royster made an out to first; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Braves
0, Astros 2.

ASTROS 8TH: GARBER REPLACED NOLAN (PITCHING); CHANEY REPLACED
BEALL (PLAYING SS); Puhl struck out; Reynolds singled to
pitcher; Reynolds was caught stealing second (catcher to
shortstop); Cedeno flied out to right; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.
Braves 0, Astros 2.

BRAVES 9TH: Hubbard lined to third; Matthews grounded out
(shortstop to first); Burroughs grounded out (second to first);
0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Braves 0, Astros 2.