John Martin, in his first start of the season, pitched a four-hitter to lead the Cardinals past the Astros, 3-1. The Cardinals scored twice in the first inning to make a loser out of Nolan Ryan. [The Sporting News]

St. Louis Cardinals 3, Houston Astros 1

Game Played on Thursday, May 21, 1981 (Day game) at Busch Stadium II

Astros 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 - 1 4 2 Cardinals 2 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 x - 3 5 1 Astros AB R H RBI BB SO AVG Cardinals AB R H RBI BB SO AVG Puhl cf 4 0 1 0 0 0 .248 Templeton ss 4 0 2 1 0 1 .283 Garcia ss 4 0 0 0 0 0 .236 Scott cf 4 0 0 0 0 1 .277 Woods rf 3 0 1 0 1 0 .133 Hernandez 1b 2 1 1 0 2 0 .328 Cruz lf 4 0 0 0 0 0 .275 Hendrick rf 3 1 1 0 1 0 .275 Howe 3b 4 0 1 0 0 0 .368 Iorg lf 3 0 1 1 0 0 .262 Roberts 1b 3 1 1 1 0 0 .233 Landrum lf 0 0 0 0 0 0 .100 Ashby c 3 0 0 0 0 0 .232 Oberkfell 3b 3 0 0 0 0 1 .286 Landestoy 2b 2 0 0 0 1 0 .167 Herr 2b 3 1 0 0 0 0 .261 Ryan p 2 0 0 0 0 1 .176 Sanchez c 3 0 0 0 0 2 .308 D. Smith p 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000 Martin p 3 0 0 0 0 3 .000 Pittman ph 1 0 0 0 0 0 .200 Sambito p 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000 Totals 30 1 4 1 2 1 Totals 28 3 5 2 3 8 Time of Game: 2:13 Attendance: 19,823 Left on Base: Astros 4, Cardinals 4 DP: Astros 1, Cardinals 1 Errors: Roberts, Landestoy, Sanchez Home Runs: Roberts (1) Stolen Bases: Puhl (10), Hernandez (5), Herr (3) Caught Stealing: Templeton 2 (7) GIDP: Cruz (4), Hendrick (2) Astros IP H R ER BB SO HR BFP ERA Ryan L(3-2) 6.1 3 3 1 3 6 0 26 1.12 D. Smith 0.2 1 0 0 0 1 0 2 6.04 Sambito 1 1 0 0 0 1 0 3 2.22 Totals 8 5 3 1 3 8 0 31 Cardinals IP H R ER BB SO HR BFP ERA Martin W(1-0) 9 4 1 1 2 1 1 32 1.88 Totals 9 4 1 1 2 1 1 32 Wild Pitches: Ryan (6) Balks: Martin (1) Umpires: HP - Nick Colosi, 1B - Frank Pulli, 2B - Eric Gregg, 3B - Doug Harvey ASTROS 1ST: Puhl popped to first in foul territory; Garcia grounded out (shortstop to first); Woods flied to right; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB. Astros 0, Cardinals 0. CARDINALS 1ST: Templeton singled to pitcher; Scott flied to left; Templeton was caught stealing second (catcher to shortstop); Hernandez walked; Hendrick singled to right [Hernandez to third]; Iorg singled to left [Hernandez scored, Hendrick to second]; Oberkfell reached on an error by Landestoy [Hendrick to third, Iorg to second]; Ryan threw a wild pitch [Hendrick scored (unearned), Iorg to third, Oberkfell to second]; Herr grounded out (second to first); 2 R (1 ER), 3 H, 1 E, 2 LOB. Astros 0, Cardinals 2. ASTROS 2ND: Cruz popped to shortstop; Howe singled to third; Roberts popped to shortstop; Ashby grounded out (shortstop to first); 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB. Astros 0, Cardinals 2. CARDINALS 2ND: Sanchez struck out (catcher to first); Martin struck out; Templeton struck out; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB. Astros 0, Cardinals 2. ASTROS 3RD: Landestoy popped to shortstop; Ryan struck out; Puhl singled to center; Puhl stole second [Puhl to third (error by Sanchez)]; Garcia flied to center; 0 R, 1 H, 1 E, 1 LOB. Astros 0, Cardinals 2. CARDINALS 3RD: Scott grounded out (shortstop to first); Hernandez popped to first in foul territory; Hendrick grounded out (second to first); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB. Astros 0, Cardinals 2. ASTROS 4TH: Woods singled to left; Martin balked [Woods to second]; Cruz popped to second; Howe lined to center; Roberts flied to center; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB. Astros 0, Cardinals 2. CARDINALS 4TH: Iorg grounded out (first to pitcher); Oberkfell struck out; Herr flied to left; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB. Astros 0, Cardinals 2. ASTROS 5TH: Ashby popped to shortstop; Landestoy walked; Ryan forced Landestoy (first to shortstop); Puhl popped to first in foul territory; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 1 LOB. Astros 0, Cardinals 2. CARDINALS 5TH: Sanchez struck out; Martin struck out; Templeton grounded out (shortstop to first); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB. Astros 0, Cardinals 2. ASTROS 6TH: Garcia flied to center; Woods walked; Cruz grounded into a double play (first to shortstop to first) [Woods out at second]; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB. Astros 0, Cardinals 2. CARDINALS 6TH: Scott flied to center; Hernandez walked; Hernandez stole second; Hendrick walked; Iorg flied to center; Oberkfell flied to left; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 2 LOB. Astros 0, Cardinals 2. ASTROS 7TH: Howe grounded out (first unassisted); Roberts homered; Ashby flied to center; Landestoy flied to right; 1 R, 1 H, 0 E, 0 LOB. Astros 1, Cardinals 2. CARDINALS 7TH: Herr reached on an error by Roberts; Herr stole second; Sanchez grounded out (first unassisted) [Herr to third]; D. SMITH REPLACED RYAN (PITCHING); Martin struck out; Templeton singled to left [Herr scored (unearned)]; Templeton was caught stealing second (catcher to shortstop); 1 R (0 ER), 1 H, 1 E, 0 LOB. Astros 1, Cardinals 3. ASTROS 8TH: PITTMAN BATTED FOR D. SMITH; Pittman popped to first; Puhl grounded out (first to pitcher); Garcia grounded out (third to first); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB. Astros 1, Cardinals 3. CARDINALS 8TH: SAMBITO REPLACED PITTMAN (PITCHING); Scott struck out; Hernandez singled to center; Hendrick grounded into a double play (third to second to first) [Hernandez out at second]; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 0 LOB. Astros 1, Cardinals 3. ASTROS 9TH: LANDRUM REPLACED IORG (PLAYING LF); Woods flied to center; Cruz popped to third in foul territory; Howe popped to second; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB. Astros 1, Cardinals 3.

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