Bill Russell's solo homer in the sixth snapped a 1-1 tie and newly-acquired pitcher Jerry Reuss hurled four innings of one-hit ball in relief of winner Bob Welch in the Dodgers' 2-1 victory over the Astros. Dusty Baker doubled to open the Dodgers' fifth, went to third on a grounder and scored on Joe Ferguson's single. That run ended a string of 26 scoreless innings by the Astros' pitching staff. [The Sporting News]



Los Angeles Dodgers 2, Houston Astros 1
Game Played on Monday, April     9, 1979 (Night game) at Astrodome
Dodgers      0  0  0    0  1  1    0  0  0  -   2  5  0
Astros       0  0  0    0  1  0    0  0  0  -   1  4  0


Dodgers              AB   R   H RBI    BB  SO    AVG      Astros               AB   R   H RBI    BB  SO    AVG
Lopes 2b              4   0   0   0     0   1   .222      Puhl rf               4   0   0   0     0   0   .333
Russell ss            4   1   2   1     0   0   .524      Reynolds ss           4   0   0   0     0   0   .071
Smith rf              3   0   0   0     0   2   .167      Cedeno cf             4   0   1   0     0   0   .333
Garvey 1b             4   0   0   0     0   1   .381      Cruz lf               3   0   0   0     0   1   .250
Cey 3b                3   0   0   0     1   1   .235        Gonzalez ph         0   0   0   0     0   0   .000
Baker lf              4   1   1   0     0   2   .211      Cabell 3b             3   1   1   0     1   0   .308
Monday cf             3   0   1   0     0   0   .333      Watson 1b             3   0   0   0     0   1   .000
  Thomas pr,cf        1   0   0   0     0   0   .111      Howe 2b               3   0   1   0     0   0   .154
Ferguson c            3   0   1   1     1   0   .273      Ashby c               3   0   1   1     0   0   .385
  Martinez pr         0   0   0   0     0   0   .000      Ruhle p               0   0   0   0     1   0   .000
  Yeager c            0   0   0   0     0   0   .000        Alou ph             1   0   0   0     0   0   .000
Welch p               0   0   0   0     0   0   .000        Andujar p           0   0   0   0     0   0   .000
  Reuss p             2   0   0   0     0   2   .000

Totals               31   2   5   2     2   9             Totals               28   1   4   1     2   2

Time of Game: 2:28   Attendance: 12,116
Left on Base: Dodgers 7, Astros 5
DP: Dodgers 0, Astros 0
Doubles: Baker (2)
Home Runs: Russell (1)
Stolen Bases: Thomas (1), Cey (2)
Sacrifice Hits: Welch (1), Ruhle (1), Watson (1), Gonzalez (1)
Hit by Pitch: Smith (2,by Ruhle), Welch (1,by Ruhle)


Dodgers                IP     H   R  ER  BB  SO  HR BFP    ERA
Welch W(1-0)            5     3   1   1   1   2   0  19   1.80
Reuss SV(1)             4     1   0   0   1   0   0  14   0.00
Totals                  9     4   1   1   2   2   0  33

Astros                 IP     H   R  ER  BB  SO  HR BFP    ERA
Ruhle L(0-1)            8     5   2   2   0   8   1  31   2.25
Andujar                 1     0   0   0   2   1   0   5   0.00
Totals                  9     5   2   2   2   9   1  36

Hit by Pitch: Ruhle 2 (2)

Umpires: HP - Howard Hansen, 1B - Steve Fields, 2B - Jim Rains, 3B - Bob Schroeder


DODGERS 1ST: ump2b,rainj901 ump3b,schrb901 timeofgame,148
attendance,12116; Lopes flied out to left; Russell flied out
to center; Smith was hit by a pitch; Garvey forced Smith (third
to second); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Dodgers 0, Astros 0.

ASTROS 1ST: Puhl flied out to center; Reynolds made an out to
first; Cedeno flied out to right; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Dodgers
0, Astros 0.

DODGERS 2ND: Cey grounded out (third to first); Baker struck
out; Monday made an out to third; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Dodgers
0, Astros 0.

ASTROS 2ND: Cruz lined to center; Cabell lined to first; Watson
struck out; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Dodgers 0, Astros 0.

DODGERS 3RD: Ferguson popped to third in foul territory; Welch
was hit by a pitch; Lopes struck out; Russell grounded out
(catcher to first); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Dodgers 0, Astros 0.

ASTROS 3RD: Howe flied out to left; Ashby singled to left; Ruhle
out on a sacrifice bunt (first unassisted) [Ashby to second];
Puhl flied out to left; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Dodgers 0, Astros
0.

DODGERS 4TH: Smith struck out; Garvey grounded out (pitcher to
first); Cey struck out; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Dodgers 0, Astros
0.

ASTROS 4TH: Reynolds flied out to center; Cedeno grounded out
(third to first); Cruz struck out; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.
Dodgers 0, Astros 0.

DODGERS 5TH: Baker doubled to left; Monday grounded out (second
to first); Ferguson singled to center [Baker scored]; Welch out
on a sacrifice bunt (catcher to second) [Ferguson to second];
Lopes grounded out (third to first); 1 R, 2 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.
Dodgers 1, Astros 0.

ASTROS 5TH: Cabell singled to third; Watson flied out to center;
Howe singled to right [Cabell to third]; Ashby grounded out
(first unassisted) [Cabell scored, Howe to second]; Ruhle
walked; Puhl grounded out (pitcher to first); 1 R, 2 H, 0 E, 2
LOB.  Dodgers 1, Astros 1.

DODGERS 6TH: Russell homered; Smith struck out; Garvey struck
out; Cey lined to center; 1 R, 1 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Dodgers 2,
Astros 1.

ASTROS 6TH: REUSS REPLACED WELCH (PITCHING); Reynolds grounded
out (pitcher to shortstop to first); Cedeno grounded out (third
to first); Cruz grounded out (second to first); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0
LOB.  Dodgers 2, Astros 1.

DODGERS 7TH: Baker struck out; Monday singled to center; THOMAS
RAN FOR MONDAY; Thomas stole second; Ferguson grounded out
(first to pitcher); Reuss struck out; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.
Dodgers 2, Astros 1.

ASTROS 7TH: THOMAS STAYED IN GAME (PLAYING CF); Cabell walked;
Watson out on a sacrifice bunt (pitcher to second) [Cabell to
second]; Howe grounded out (shortstop to first); Ashby grounded
out (shortstop to first); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Dodgers 2,
Astros 1.

DODGERS 8TH: Lopes made an out to third; Russell singled to
center; Smith flied out to left; Garvey forced Russell (third to
second); 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Dodgers 2, Astros 1.

ASTROS 8TH: ALOU BATTED FOR RUHLE; Alou grounded out (shortstop
to first); Puhl grounded out (second to first); Reynolds
grounded out (first unassisted); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Dodgers
2, Astros 1.

DODGERS 9TH: ANDUJAR REPLACED ALOU (PITCHING); Cey walked; Cey
stole second; Baker grounded out (third to first); Thomas
grounded out (second to first); Ferguson was walked
intentionally; MARTINEZ RAN FOR FERGUSON; Reuss was called out
on strikes; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 2 LOB.  Dodgers 2, Astros 1.

ASTROS 9TH: YEAGER REPLACED MARTINEZ (PLAYING C ); Cedeno
singled to left; GONZALEZ BATTED FOR CRUZ; Gonzalez out on a
sacrifice bunt (pitcher to second) [Cedeno to second]; Cabell
made an out to shortstop; Watson grounded out (shortstop to
first); 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Dodgers 2, Astros 1.