Nolan Ryan and Joe Sambito combined on a three-hitter as the Astros posted a 5-0 victory over the Expos for their ninth straight triumph. Houston took a 1-0 lead in the third inning when Jose Cruz stroked a two-out single, stole second and scored on a single by Cesar Cedeno. Ryan helped his own cause with an RBI single in the sixth and Cedeno cracked an RBI single in the seventh and a run-scoring double in the ninth. [The Sporting News]

Houston Astros 5, Montreal Expos 0

Game Played on Friday, September 4, 1981 (Night game) at Stade Olympique

Astros 0 0 1 0 0 1 1 0 2 - 5 13 0 Expos 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 - 0 3 0 Astros AB R H RBI BB SO AVG Expos AB R H RBI BB SO AVG Scott cf 5 0 1 0 0 2 .258 Raines lf 4 0 1 0 0 1 .302 Garner 2b 5 1 2 0 0 1 .249 Scott 2b 2 0 0 0 1 0 .209 Puhl rf 3 0 0 0 1 0 .261 Wallach ph 1 0 0 0 0 0 .225 Cruz lf 5 2 1 0 0 2 .275 Gorman p 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000 Cedeno 1b 5 2 4 3 0 0 .289 Dawson cf 4 0 1 0 0 0 .317 Howe 3b 5 0 1 0 0 0 .312 Carter c 4 0 0 0 0 0 .239 Ashby c 4 0 2 0 0 0 .278 Cromartie rf 3 0 0 0 1 1 .293 Reynolds ss 3 0 0 0 1 1 .244 Milner 1b 3 0 0 0 0 1 .217 Ryan p 3 0 2 1 0 0 .194 Parrish 3b 3 0 1 0 0 1 .222 Sambito p 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000 Speier ss 2 0 0 0 1 1 .233 Gullickson p 1 0 0 0 0 1 .143 Office ph 1 0 0 0 0 1 .118 Jackson p 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000 White ph 1 0 0 0 0 0 .241 Phillips 2b 0 0 0 0 0 0 .212 Totals 38 5 13 4 2 6 Totals 29 0 3 0 3 7 Time of Game: 2:54 Attendance: 32,580 Left on Base: Astros 10, Expos 5 DP: Astros 0, Expos 0 Doubles: Garner (7), Cedeno 2 (18) Stolen Bases: Cruz (4), Cedeno (11), Scott (26) Sacrifice Hits: Puhl (4), Ryan (3) Astros IP H R ER BB SO HR BFP ERA Ryan W(8-3) 7 2 0 0 3 7 0 26 1.29 Sambito SV(8) 2 1 0 0 0 0 0 6 1.77 Totals 9 3 0 0 3 7 0 32 Expos IP H R ER BB SO HR BFP ERA Gullickson L(4-7) 6 9 2 2 2 5 0 28 2.85 Jackson 2 3 1 1 0 0 0 9 2.62 Gorman 1 1 2 2 0 1 0 5 4.50 Totals 9 13 5 5 2 6 0 42 Wild Pitches: Gorman 2 (2) Umpires: HP - Jerry Crawford, 1B - Ed Vargo, 2B - Satch Davidson, 3B - Terry Tata ASTROS 1ST: Scott grounded out (second to first); Garner doubled to left; Puhl walked; Cruz flied out to left; Cedeno grounded out (shortstop to first); 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 2 LOB. Astros 0, Expos 0. EXPOS 1ST: Raines flied out to left; Scott walked; Scott stole second; Dawson flied out to left; Carter grounded out (third to first); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 1 LOB. Astros 0, Expos 0. ASTROS 2ND: Howe singled to center; Ashby singled to left [Howe to second]; Reynolds flied out to center; Ryan popped to first in foul territory; Scott struck out; 0 R, 2 H, 0 E, 2 LOB. Astros 0, Expos 0. EXPOS 2ND: Cromartie grounded out (second to first); Milner was called out on strikes; Parrish grounded out (second to first); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB. Astros 0, Expos 0. ASTROS 3RD: Garner grounded out (pitcher to first); Puhl flied out to left; Cruz singled to center; Cruz stole second; Cedeno singled to right [Cruz scored]; Cedeno stole second; Howe reached on a fielder's choice [Cedeno out at third (third unassisted)]; 1 R, 2 H, 0 E, 1 LOB. Astros 1, Expos 0. EXPOS 3RD: Speier grounded out (shortstop to first); Gullickson was called out on strikes; Raines was called out on strikes; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB. Astros 1, Expos 0. ASTROS 4TH: Ashby flied out to center; Reynolds struck out (catcher to first); Ryan singled to center; Scott was credited with a single when a runner was hit by the batted ball [Ryan out at second (first unassisted)]; 0 R, 2 H, 0 E, 1 LOB. Astros 1, Expos 0. EXPOS 4TH: Scott flied out to center; Dawson flied out to right; Carter made an out to shortstop; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB. Astros 1, Expos 0. ASTROS 5TH: Garner struck out; Puhl lined to second; Cruz was called out on strikes; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB. Astros 1, Expos 0. EXPOS 5TH: Cromartie struck out; Milner made an out to third; Parrish was called out on strikes; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB. Astros 1, Expos 0. ASTROS 6TH: Cedeno doubled to left; Howe grounded out (first unassisted) [Cedeno to third]; Ashby popped to catcher in foul territory; Reynolds was walked intentionally; Ryan singled to left [Cedeno scored, Reynolds to second]; Scott struck out; 1 R, 2 H, 0 E, 2 LOB. Astros 2, Expos 0. EXPOS 6TH: Speier was called out on strikes; OFFICE BATTED FOR GULLICKSON; Office was called out on strikes; Raines grounded out (second to first); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB. Astros 2, Expos 0. ASTROS 7TH: JACKSON REPLACED OFFICE (PITCHING); Garner singled to left; Puhl out on a sacrifice bunt (pitcher to second) [Garner to second]; Cruz grounded out (shortstop to first) [Garner to third]; Cedeno singled to center [Garner scored]; Howe flied out to center; 1 R, 2 H, 0 E, 1 LOB. Astros 3, Expos 0. EXPOS 7TH: Scott flied out to center; Dawson singled to left; Carter made an out to shortstop; Cromartie walked [Dawson to second]; Milner grounded out (first unassisted); 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 2 LOB. Astros 3, Expos 0. ASTROS 8TH: Ashby singled to left; Reynolds flied out to right; Ryan out on a sacrifice bunt (pitcher unassisted) [Ashby to second]; Scott grounded out (shortstop to first); 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB. Astros 3, Expos 0. EXPOS 8TH: Parrish singled to center; Speier walked [Parrish to second]; SAMBITO REPLACED RYAN (PITCHING); WHITE BATTED FOR JACKSON; White flied out to center; Raines singled to center [Parrish to third, Speier to second]; Raines was picked off first (catcher to first); WALLACH BATTED FOR SCOTT; Wallach made an out to shortstop; 0 R, 2 H, 0 E, 2 LOB. Astros 3, Expos 0. ASTROS 9TH: GORMAN REPLACED WALLACH (PITCHING); PHILLIPS REPLACED WHITE (PLAYING 2B); Garner flied out to center; Puhl popped to third in foul territory; Cruz struck out but advanced to first on a wild pitch; Cedeno doubled to left [Cruz scored, Cedeno to third (on throw to home)]; Gorman threw a wild pitch [Cedeno scored]; Howe grounded out (second to first); 2 R, 1 H, 0 E, 0 LOB. Astros 5, Expos 0. EXPOS 9TH: Dawson flied out to right; Carter popped to first in foul territory; Cromartie grounded out (first unassisted); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB. Astros 5, Expos 0.

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