Scoring four runs in the third inning, the Astros coasted to a 9-1 rout of the Expos. Alan Ashby began the Houston third with a double and came home on a triple by Joe Pittman. A one-out single by Tony Scott registered Pittman.

After a single by Craig Reynolds put runners on first and second, Terry Puhl cleared the sacks with a double. Winning pitcher Nolan Ryan left the game for a pinch-hitter in the sixth inning after surrendering just two hits, striking out eight and lowering his league-leading ERA to 1.29. [The Sporting News]

Houston Astros 9, Montreal Expos 1

Game Played on Wednesday, August 19, 1981 (Night game) at Astrodome

Expos 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 - 1 5 1 Astros 0 0 4 0 0 1 2 2 x - 9 13 2 Expos AB R H RBI BB SO AVG Astros AB R H RBI BB SO AVG Raines lf 4 0 1 0 0 1 .309 Scott cf 5 1 2 1 0 0 .251 Scott 2b 3 0 0 0 0 1 .212 Reynolds ss 5 1 2 1 0 0 .252 Dawson cf 4 0 1 0 0 3 .329 Puhl rf 4 1 2 2 1 0 .274 Cromartie rf 4 1 2 0 0 0 .290 Walling lf 4 2 1 2 1 0 .226 Parrish 3b 4 0 0 0 0 0 .207 Cedeno 1b 4 1 1 0 1 2 .293 Wallach 1b 4 0 0 0 0 1 .211 Howe 3b 4 0 1 0 0 1 .307 Phillips ss 4 0 0 0 0 1 .210 Ashby c 4 1 1 1 0 0 .242 Ramos c 3 0 1 0 0 1 .219 Pittman 2b 4 1 1 2 0 1 .287 Sanderson p 1 0 0 0 0 1 .150 Ryan p 2 0 1 0 0 1 .143 Bahnsen p 0 0 0 0 0 0 .167 Spilman ph 1 1 1 0 0 0 .241 Hutton ph 1 0 0 0 0 0 .095 D. Smith p 1 0 0 0 0 1 .200 Sosa p 0 0 0 0 0 0 1.000 Francona ph 1 0 0 0 0 0 .000 Reardon p 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000 Totals 33 1 5 0 0 9 Totals 38 9 13 9 3 6 Time of Game: 2:39 Attendance: 27,169 Left on Base: Expos 6, Astros 8 DP: Expos 1, Astros 0 Errors: Phillips, Cedeno, Howe Doubles: Cromartie (10), Ashby (8), Puhl (13), Cedeno (13) Triples: Pittman (2) Home Runs: Walling (4) Caught Stealing: Howe (2) Sacrifice Hits: Scott (9) Expos IP H R ER BB SO HR BFP ERA Sanderson L(6-4) 4 7 4 4 0 4 0 19 2.47 Bahnsen 1 0 0 0 2 0 0 5 4.60 Sosa 2 4 3 3 1 1 0 12 4.79 Reardon 1 2 2 2 0 1 1 5 3.34 Totals 8 13 9 9 3 6 1 41 Astros IP H R ER BB SO HR BFP ERA Ryan W(7-3) 6 2 0 0 0 8 0 21 1.29 D. Smith SV(5) 3 3 1 0 0 1 0 13 3.83 Totals 9 5 1 0 0 9 0 34 Wild Pitches: Ryan (11) Umpires: HP - Jerry Crawford, 1B - Eric Gregg, 2B - Charlie Williams, 3B - Doug Harvey EXPOS 1ST: Raines struck out; Scott struck out; Dawson struck out; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB. Expos 0, Astros 0. ASTROS 1ST: Scott flied out to center; Reynolds flied out to right; Puhl flied out to center; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB. Expos 0, Astros 0. EXPOS 2ND: Cromartie grounded out (second to first); Parrish grounded out (third to first); Wallach was called out on strikes; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB. Expos 0, Astros 0. ASTROS 2ND: Walling flied out to center; Cedeno was called out on strikes; Howe was called out on strikes; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB. Expos 0, Astros 0. EXPOS 3RD: Phillips was called out on strikes; Ramos flied out to right; Sanderson was called out on strikes; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB. Expos 0, Astros 0. ASTROS 3RD: Ashby doubled to center; Pittman tripled to left [Ashby scored]; Ryan struck out; Scott singled to right [Pittman scored]; Reynolds singled to right [Scott to second]; Puhl doubled to right [Scott scored, Reynolds scored]; Walling grounded out (second to first) [Puhl to third]; Cedeno grounded out (third to first); 4 R, 5 H, 0 E, 1 LOB. Expos 0, Astros 4. EXPOS 4TH: Raines flied out to center; Scott flied out to left; Dawson struck out; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB. Expos 0, Astros 4. ASTROS 4TH: Howe singled to center; Ashby reached on an error by Phillips [Ashby to first, Howe to second]; Pittman struck out while Howe was caught stealing third (catcher to third) [Ashby to second]; Ryan singled to right [Ashby to third]; Scott made an out to second; 0 R, 2 H, 1 E, 2 LOB. Expos 0, Astros 4. EXPOS 5TH: Cromartie flied out to center; Parrish grounded out (shortstop to first); Wallach reached on an error by Howe [Wallach to first]; Ryan threw a wild pitch [Wallach to second]; Phillips grounded out (second to first); 0 R, 0 H, 1 E, 1 LOB. Expos 0, Astros 4. ASTROS 5TH: BAHNSEN REPLACED SANDERSON (PITCHING); Reynolds flied out to right; Puhl walked; Walling grounded out (second to first) [Puhl to second]; Cedeno walked; Howe flied out to right; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 2 LOB. Expos 0, Astros 4. EXPOS 6TH: Ramos singled to right; HUTTON BATTED FOR BAHNSEN; Hutton made an out to shortstop; Raines singled to left [Ramos to second]; Scott out on a sacrifice bunt (pitcher to first) [Ramos to third, Raines to second]; Dawson struck out; 0 R, 2 H, 0 E, 2 LOB. Expos 0, Astros 4. ASTROS 6TH: SOSA REPLACED HUTTON (PITCHING); Ashby grounded out (first unassisted); Pittman flied out to right; SPILMAN BATTED FOR RYAN; Spilman singled to right; Scott singled to center [Spilman to second]; Reynolds singled to right [Spilman scored, Scott to third]; Puhl grounded out (first to pitcher); 1 R, 3 H, 0 E, 2 LOB. Expos 0, Astros 5. EXPOS 7TH: D. SMITH REPLACED SPILMAN (PITCHING); Cromartie doubled to right; Parrish grounded out (first unassisted) [Cromartie to third]; Wallach popped to catcher in foul territory; Phillips reached on an error by Cedeno [Cromartie scored (unearned) (no RBI)]; Ramos was called out on strikes; 1 R (0 ER), 1 H, 1 E, 1 LOB. Expos 1, Astros 5. ASTROS 7TH: Walling walked; Cedeno doubled to right [Walling to third]; Howe grounded out (shortstop to first); Ashby reached on a fielder's choice [Walling scored, Cedeno to third]; Pittman forced Ashby (second to shortstop) [Cedeno scored]; D. Smith struck out; 2 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB. Expos 1, Astros 7. EXPOS 8TH: FRANCONA BATTED FOR SOSA; Francona grounded out (first unassisted); Debut game for Terry Francona; Raines popped to catcher in foul territory; Scott grounded out (pitcher to first); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB. Expos 1, Astros 7. ASTROS 8TH: REARDON REPLACED FRANCONA (PITCHING); Scott flied out to left; Reynolds flied out to center; Puhl singled to right; Walling homered [Puhl scored]; Cedeno was called out on strikes; 2 R, 2 H, 0 E, 0 LOB. Expos 1, Astros 9. EXPOS 9TH: Dawson singled to shortstop; Cromartie singled to right [Dawson to second]; Parrish flied out to right; Wallach flied out to center; Phillips grounded out (second to first); 0 R, 2 H, 0 E, 2 LOB. Expos 1, Astros 9.

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