Jose Cruz cracked a two-run homer in the sixth inning to support the pitching of Vern Ruhle and reliever Dave Smith as the Astros edged the Expos, 2-1. [The Sporting News]

Houston Astros 2, Montreal Expos 1

Game Played on Thursday, September 3, 1981 (Night game) at Stade Olympique

Astros 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 - 2 5 0 Expos 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 - 1 6 1 Astros AB R H RBI BB SO AVG Expos AB R H RBI BB SO AVG Scott cf 4 0 0 0 0 0 .259 Raines lf 4 0 1 0 0 0 .303 Garner 2b 4 0 1 0 0 0 .245 Scott 2b 3 0 1 0 1 1 .211 Puhl rf 4 1 1 0 0 1 .264 Dawson cf 4 0 1 0 0 0 .318 Cruz lf 4 1 1 2 0 0 .276 Carter c 4 0 0 0 0 0 .243 Cedeno 1b 4 0 0 0 0 0 .279 Cromartie rf 4 0 1 0 0 0 .297 Howe 3b 3 0 0 0 1 0 .314 Milner 1b 2 0 0 0 1 0 .223 Ashby c 3 0 0 0 0 0 .274 Phillips pr 0 0 0 0 0 0 .212 Reynolds ss 3 0 1 0 0 0 .247 Hutton 1b 1 0 0 0 0 0 .103 D. Smith p 0 0 0 0 0 0 .200 Parrish 3b 3 1 1 1 0 1 .221 Ruhle p 2 0 0 0 0 1 .308 Francona ph 1 0 0 0 0 0 .318 Garcia ss 1 0 1 0 0 0 .271 Speier ss 3 0 1 0 0 0 .236 Sanderson p 1 0 0 0 1 0 .125 White ph 1 0 0 0 0 0 .244 Fryman p 0 0 0 0 0 0 .500 Totals 32 2 5 2 1 2 Totals 31 1 6 1 3 2 Time of Game: 2:20 Attendance: 24,833 Left on Base: Astros 4, Expos 6 DP: Astros 0, Expos 1 Errors: Scott Doubles: Puhl (14), Garcia (4) Triples: Cromartie (2) Home Runs: Cruz (12), Parrish (5) Stolen Bases: Raines (66) Caught Stealing: Dawson (3), Phillips (1) GIDP: Ashby (5) Astros IP H R ER BB SO HR BFP ERA Ruhle W(3-3) 6 4 1 1 2 0 1 23 3.38 D. Smith SV(6) 3 2 0 0 1 2 0 11 3.15 Totals 9 6 1 1 3 2 1 34 Expos IP H R ER BB SO HR BFP ERA Sanderson L(7-5) 7 4 2 2 1 1 1 26 2.36 Fryman 2 1 0 0 0 1 0 7 1.86 Totals 9 5 2 2 1 2 1 33 Umpires: HP - Terry Tata, 1B - Jerry Crawford, 2B - Ed Vargo, 3B - Satch Davidson ASTROS 1ST: Scott flied out to left; Garner grounded out (shortstop to first); Puhl flied out to center; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB. Astros 0, Expos 0. EXPOS 1ST: Raines singled to center; Raines stole second; Scott walked; Dawson flied out to left; Carter flied out to left; Cromartie flied out to center; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 2 LOB. Astros 0, Expos 0. ASTROS 2ND: Cruz flied out to right; Cedeno grounded out (pitcher to first); Howe popped to catcher in foul territory; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB. Astros 0, Expos 0. EXPOS 2ND: Milner grounded out (first unassisted); Parrish flied out to center; Speier grounded out (shortstop to first); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB. Astros 0, Expos 0. ASTROS 3RD: Ashby flied out to center; Reynolds flied out to right; Ruhle was called out on strikes; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB. Astros 0, Expos 0. EXPOS 3RD: Sanderson grounded out (pitcher to first); Raines grounded out (first unassisted); Scott singled to center; Dawson grounded out (third to first); 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB. Astros 0, Expos 0. ASTROS 4TH: Scott flied out to center; Garner singled to pitcher; Puhl forced Garner (second to shortstop); Cruz reached on an error by Scott [Puhl to second, Cruz to first]; Cedeno forced Puhl (third unassisted); 0 R, 1 H, 1 E, 2 LOB. Astros 0, Expos 0. EXPOS 4TH: Carter grounded out (third to first); Cromartie grounded out (first unassisted); Milner grounded out (second to first); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB. Astros 0, Expos 0. ASTROS 5TH: Howe walked; Ashby grounded into a double play (second to shortstop to first) [Howe out at second]; Reynolds singled to left; Ruhle flied out to center; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB. Astros 0, Expos 0. EXPOS 5TH: Parrish homered; Speier grounded out (third to first); Sanderson walked; Raines flied out to center; Scott grounded out (second to first); 1 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB. Astros 0, Expos 1. ASTROS 6TH: Scott flied out to center; Garner flied out to center; Puhl doubled to right; Cruz homered [Puhl scored]; Cedeno flied out to center; 2 R, 2 H, 0 E, 0 LOB. Astros 2, Expos 1. EXPOS 6TH: Dawson singled to center; Dawson was caught stealing second (catcher to second); Carter grounded out (shortstop to first); Cromartie flied out to left; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 0 LOB. Astros 2, Expos 1. ASTROS 7TH: Howe flied out to left; Ashby flied out to left; Reynolds grounded out (first to pitcher); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB. Astros 2, Expos 1. EXPOS 7TH: D. SMITH REPLACED REYNOLDS (PITCHING); GARCIA REPLACED RUHLE (PLAYING SS); Milner walked; PHILLIPS RAN FOR MILNER; Phillips was caught stealing second (catcher to shortstop); Parrish struck out; Speier singled to center; WHITE BATTED FOR SANDERSON; White popped to third in foul territory; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB. Astros 2, Expos 1. ASTROS 8TH: FRYMAN REPLACED WHITE (PITCHING); HUTTON REPLACED PHILLIPS (PLAYING 1B); Garcia doubled to right; Scott grounded out (pitcher to first); Garner flied out to center [Garcia to third]; Puhl struck out; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB. Astros 2, Expos 1. EXPOS 8TH: Raines grounded out (first unassisted); Scott struck out; Dawson grounded out (shortstop to first); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB. Astros 2, Expos 1. ASTROS 9TH: Cruz flied out to right; Cedeno grounded out (pitcher to first); Howe flied out to right; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB. Astros 2, Expos 1. EXPOS 9TH: Carter grounded out (third to first); Cromartie tripled to right; Hutton grounded out (second to first); FRANCONA BATTED FOR PARRISH; Francona grounded out (pitcher to second to first); 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB. Astros 2, Expos 1.

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