Behind the steady pitching of Joe Niekro, the Astros dealt the winless Braves their sixth consecutive defeat, 6-2. A single by Jeff Leonard, pass to Joe Morgan and singles by Jose Cruz and Enos Cabell produced two runs in the second inning before the Astros iced the game in the third with RBIs by Leonard, Julio Gonzalez, Cesar Cedeno and Morgan. [The Sporting News]



Houston Astros 6, Atlanta Braves 2
Game Played on Tuesday, April     15, 1980 (Night game) at Astrodome
Braves       0  0  0    1  0  0    0  0  1  -   2  6  1
Astros       2  4  0    0  0  0    0  0  x  -   6 10  0


Braves               AB   R   H RBI    BB  SO    AVG      Astros               AB   R   H RBI    BB  SO    AVG
Royster 2b            4   1   2   1     0   0   .182      Leonard rf            5   2   2   1     0   0   .286
Pocoroba c            4   0   1   0     0   0   .235      Gonzalez ss,3b        5   1   2   1     0   1   .250
Matthews lf           4   0   0   0     0   1   .250      Cedeno cf             4   1   1   1     0   1   .333
Chambliss 1b          4   0   0   0     0   0   .318      Morgan 2b             3   1   1   1     1   0   .200
Horner 3b             3   0   0   0     0   0   .091      Cruz lf               3   0   1   1     1   1   .476
Murphy rf             3   0   2   0     0   1   .211      Cabell 3b             4   0   1   1     0   2   .435
Asselstine cf         3   0   0   0     0   1   .222        Landestoy ss        0   0   0   0     0   0   .000
Gomez ss              2   0   0   0     0   0   .154      Howe 1b               4   0   0   0     0   1   .158
  Blanks ph,ss        1   0   0   0     0   1   .000      Pujols c              4   1   2   0     0   0   .364
McWilliams p          0   0   0   0     0   0   .000      Niekro p              2   0   0   0     0   0   .333
  Boggs p             1   0   0   0     0   1   .500
  Lum ph              1   0   0   0     0   1   .250
  Camp p              0   0   0   0     0   0   .000
  Hrabosky p          0   0   0   0     0   0   .000
  Nolan ph            1   1   1   0     0   0  1.000

Totals               31   2   6   1     0   6             Totals               34   6  10   6     2   6

Time of Game: 2:14   Attendance: 15,712
Left on Base: Braves 2, Astros 8
DP: Braves 0, Astros 2
Errors: Blanks
Doubles: Royster (2), Pujols (2), Gonzalez (1), Morgan (1)
Stolen Bases: Leonard (1), Morgan (2)
Sacrifice Hits: Niekro 2 (2)
GIDP: Matthews (2), Asselstine (1)


Braves                 IP     H   R  ER  BB  SO  HR BFP    ERA
McWilliams L(0-2)       1.1   6   5   5   1   1   0  11  54.00
Boggs                   3.2   2   1   1   1   3   0  15   1.04
Camp                    2     1   0   0   0   1   0   7   2.25
Hrabosky                1     1   0   0   0   1   0   5   5.40
Totals                  8    10   6   6   2   6   0  38

Astros                 IP     H   R  ER  BB  SO  HR BFP    ERA
Niekro W(1-0)           9     6   2   2   0   6   0  31   1.93
Totals                  9     6   2   2   0   6   0  31

Wild Pitches: Boggs (1), Niekro (1)

Umpires: HP - Andy Olsen, 1B - Nick Colosi, 2B - Steve Fields, 3B - Jerry Crawford


BRAVES 1ST: Royster grounded out (shortstop to first); Pocoroba
grounded out (first unassisted); Matthews made an out to
shortstop; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Braves 0, Astros 0.

ASTROS 1ST: Leonard singled to right; Leonard stole second;
Gonzalez flied out to center; Cedeno was called out on strikes;
Morgan walked; Cruz singled to center [Morgan to second, Leonard
scored]; Cabell singled to center [Cruz to second, Morgan
scored]; Howe flied out to center; 2 R, 3 H, 0 E, 2 LOB.  Braves
0, Astros 2.

BRAVES 2ND: Chambliss flied out to center; Horner made an out to
shortstop; Murphy struck out; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Braves 0,
Astros 2.

ASTROS 2ND: Pujols doubled to left; Niekro out on a sacrifice
bunt (pitcher unassisted) [Pujols to third]; Leonard singled to
left [Pujols scored]; Gonzalez doubled to center [Leonard
scored]; BOGGS REPLACED MCWILLIAMS (PITCHING); Cedeno singled to
left [Gonzalez scored, Cedeno to second]; Boggs threw a wild
pitch [Cedeno to third]; Morgan reached on a fielder's choice
[Cedeno scored]; Morgan stole second; Cruz grounded out (first
to pitcher) [Morgan to third]; Cabell was called out on strikes;
4 R, 4 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Braves 0, Astros 6.

BRAVES 3RD: Asselstine grounded out (first to pitcher); Gomez
grounded out (second to first); Boggs was called out on strikes;
0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Braves 0, Astros 6.

ASTROS 3RD: Howe grounded out (third to first); Pujols grounded
out (shortstop to first); Niekro grounded out (third to first);
0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Braves 0, Astros 6.

BRAVES 4TH: Royster singled to right; Pocoroba singled to right
[Royster to third]; Matthews grounded into a double play
(shortstop to second to first) [Royster scored, Pocoroba out at
second]; Chambliss grounded out (second to first); 1 R, 2 H, 0
E, 0 LOB.  Braves 1, Astros 6.

ASTROS 4TH: Leonard grounded out (shortstop to first); Gonzalez
grounded out (first unassisted); Cedeno grounded out (pitcher to
first); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Braves 1, Astros 6.

BRAVES 5TH: Horner flied out to center; Murphy singled to
center; Asselstine was called out on strikes; Gomez made an out
to second; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Braves 1, Astros 6.

ASTROS 5TH: Morgan doubled to right; Cruz walked; Cabell was
called out on strikes; Howe struck out; Pujols grounded out
(shortstop to first); 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 2 LOB.  Braves 1, Astros 6.

BRAVES 6TH: LUM BATTED FOR BOGGS; Lum was called out on strikes;
Royster grounded out (second to first); Pocoroba grounded out
(first unassisted); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Braves 1, Astros 6.

ASTROS 6TH: CAMP REPLACED LUM (PITCHING); Niekro grounded out
(shortstop to first); Leonard grounded out (shortstop to first);
Gonzalez singled to left; Cedeno forced Gonzalez (shortstop to
second); 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Braves 1, Astros 6.

BRAVES 7TH: Matthews flied out to center; Chambliss popped to
third in foul territory; Horner made an out to second; 0 R, 0 H,
0 E, 0 LOB.  Braves 1, Astros 6.

ASTROS 7TH: Morgan flied out to center; Cruz was called out on
strikes; Cabell grounded out (shortstop to first); 0 R, 0 H, 0
E, 0 LOB.  Braves 1, Astros 6.

BRAVES 8TH: LANDESTOY REPLACED CABELL (PLAYING SS); GONZALEZ
CHANGED POSITIONS (PLAYING 3B); Murphy singled to right;
Asselstine grounded into a double play (shortstop to first)
[Murphy out at second]; BLANKS BATTED FOR GOMEZ; Blanks was
called out on strikes; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Braves 1, Astros 6.

ASTROS 8TH: BLANKS STAYED IN GAME (PLAYING SS); HRABOSKY
REPLACED CAMP (PITCHING); Howe flied out to right; Pujols
singled to left; Niekro out on a sacrifice bunt (first to
second) [Pujols to second]; Leonard reached on an error by
Blanks [Pujols to third]; Gonzalez was called out on strikes; 0
R, 1 H, 1 E, 2 LOB.  Braves 1, Astros 6.

BRAVES 9TH: NOLAN BATTED FOR HRABOSKY; Nolan singled to center;
Royster doubled to left [Nolan scored]; Niekro threw a wild
pitch [Royster to third]; Pocoroba made an out to second;
Matthews was called out on strikes; Chambliss flied out to left;
1 R, 2 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Braves 2, Astros 6.