Phil Niekro notched his 41st career shutout and 240th big league victory, and Bob Horner collected his 100th major league home run as the Braves topped the Astros, 9-0. Houston ace Nolan Ryan was no puzzle to Atlanta as the Braves scored twice in the first inning on a two-run single by Glenn Hubbard before Horner delivered a three-run homer in the second. [The Sporting News]



Atlanta Braves 9, Houston Astros 0
Game Played on Wednesday, September 9, 1981 (Night game) at Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium
Astros       0  0  0    0  0  0    0  0  0  -   0  8  1
Braves       2  3  0    0  0  0    1  3  x  -   9 15  0


Astros               AB   R   H RBI    BB  SO    AVG      Braves               AB   R   H RBI    BB  SO    AVG
Scott cf              4   0   1   0     0   0   .256      Miller rf             4   0   1   0     1   1   .231
Garner 2b             3   0   0   0     1   0   .237      Butler lf             3   2   1   0     2   1   .233
Walling rf            4   0   0   0     0   1   .244      Horner 3b             4   2   2   3     1   0   .273
Cruz lf               3   0   0   0     1   0   .264      Chambliss 1b          4   2   2   0     1   0   .275
Spilman 1b            4   0   3   0     0   0   .311      Murphy cf             4   1   2   1     1   0   .262
Howe 3b               3   0   1   0     0   1   .317      Hubbard 2b            5   1   3   2     0   0   .258
  Ivie ph             1   0   1   0     0   0   .263      Benedict c            3   0   0   0     1   1   .259
Ashby c               3   0   0   0     1   0   .277      Ramirez ss            5   1   4   3     0   0   .216
Reynolds ss           4   0   1   0     0   0   .245      Niekro p              4   0   0   0     0   3   .068
Ryan p                1   0   1   0     0   0   .216
  Pittman ph          1   0   0   0     0   0   .276
  Pladson p           0   0   0   0     0   0   .000
  Heep ph             1   0   0   0     0   0   .225
  Sprowl p            0   0   0   0     0   0   .167
  Tolman ph           1   0   0   0     0   0   .000

Totals               33   0   8   0     3   2             Totals               36   9  15   9     7   6

Time of Game: 2:34   Attendance:  4,482
Left on Base: Astros 9, Braves 12
DP: Astros 0, Braves 2
Errors: Reynolds
Doubles: Scott (13), Chambliss (21)
Triples: Ramirez (1)
Home Runs: Horner (9)
Stolen Bases: Miller (21)
Caught Stealing: Spilman (1), Miller (4)
Sacrifice Hits: Niekro (2), Benedict (5)
GIDP: Ashby (6)


Astros                 IP     H   R  ER  BB  SO  HR BFP    ERA
Ryan L(8-4)             4     7   5   5   5   3   1  23   1.63
Pladson                 2     2   0   0   1   1   0   9   0.00
Sprowl                  2     6   4   4   1   2   0  13   6.18
Totals                  8    15   9   9   7   6   1  45

Braves                 IP     H   R  ER  BB  SO  HR BFP    ERA
Niekro W(7-5)           9     8   0   0   3   2   0  36   2.99
Totals                  9     8   0   0   3   2   0  36

Umpires: HP - Bill Williams, 1B - Dave Pallone, 2B - Fred Brocklander, 3B - Paul Pryor


ASTROS 1ST: Scott flied out to center; Garner flied out to left;
Walling flied out to center; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Astros 0,
Braves 0.

BRAVES 1ST: Miller was called out on strikes; Butler struck out;
Horner singled to left; Chambliss walked [Horner to second];
Murphy walked [Horner to third, Chambliss to second]; Hubbard
singled to left [Horner scored, Chambliss scored, Murphy to
third]; Benedict struck out; 2 R, 2 H, 0 E, 2 LOB.  Astros 0,
Braves 2.

ASTROS 2ND: Cruz made an out to second; Spilman singled to
right; Howe struck out while Spilman was caught stealing second
(catcher to second); 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Astros 0, Braves 2.

BRAVES 2ND: Ramirez singled to left; Niekro out on a sacrifice
bunt (first unassisted) [Ramirez to second]; Miller singled to
first [Ramirez to third]; Miller was caught stealing second
(catcher to second to first); Butler walked; Horner homered
[Ramirez scored, Butler scored]; Chambliss made an out to
second; 3 R, 3 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Astros 0, Braves 5.

ASTROS 3RD: Ashby walked; Reynolds made an out to second; Ryan
singled to center [Ashby to second]; Scott forced Ryan (pitcher
to shortstop); Garner flied out to right; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 2 LOB.
Astros 0, Braves 5.

BRAVES 3RD: Murphy singled to center; Hubbard singled to left
[Murphy to second]; Benedict grounded out (pitcher to first)
[Murphy to third, Hubbard to second]; Ramirez reached on a
fielder's choice [Murphy out at home (third to catcher), Hubbard
to third]; Niekro lined to shortstop; 0 R, 2 H, 0 E, 2 LOB.
Astros 0, Braves 5.

ASTROS 4TH: Walling grounded out (shortstop to first); Cruz
walked; Spilman singled to left [Cruz to second]; Howe singled
to center [Cruz to third, Spilman to second]; Ashby grounded
into a double play (first to catcher to first) [Cruz out at
home]; 0 R, 2 H, 0 E, 2 LOB.  Astros 0, Braves 5.

BRAVES 4TH: Miller walked; Miller stole second; Butler walked;
Horner made an out to first; Chambliss popped to third in foul
territory; Murphy popped to first in foul territory; 0 R, 0 H, 0
E, 2 LOB.  Astros 0, Braves 5.

ASTROS 5TH: Reynolds made an out to shortstop; PITTMAN BATTED
FOR RYAN; Pittman flied out to right; Scott doubled to left;
Garner walked; Walling struck out; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 2 LOB.  Astros
0, Braves 5.

BRAVES 5TH: PLADSON REPLACED PITTMAN (PITCHING); Hubbard flied
out to center; Benedict grounded out (shortstop to first);
Ramirez tripled to left; Niekro struck out; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1
LOB.  Astros 0, Braves 5.

ASTROS 6TH: Cruz grounded out (second to pitcher); Spilman flied
out to right; Howe grounded out (third to first); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E,
0 LOB.  Astros 0, Braves 5.

BRAVES 6TH: Miller flied out to right; Butler grounded out
(shortstop to first); Horner walked; Chambliss doubled to right
[Horner to third]; Murphy flied out to right; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 2
LOB.  Astros 0, Braves 5.

ASTROS 7TH: Ashby grounded out (first to pitcher); Reynolds
singled to left; HEEP BATTED FOR PLADSON; Heep grounded out
(first to second to pitcher) [Reynolds to second]; Scott flied
out to left; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Astros 0, Braves 5.

BRAVES 7TH: SPROWL REPLACED HEEP (PITCHING); Hubbard singled to
shortstop [Hubbard to second (error by Reynolds)]; Benedict out
on a sacrifice bunt (pitcher to first) [Hubbard to third];
Ramirez singled to left [Hubbard scored]; Niekro struck out;
Miller grounded out (second to first); 1 R, 2 H, 1 E, 1 LOB.
Astros 0, Braves 6.

ASTROS 8TH: Garner flied out to center; Walling grounded out
(second to first); Cruz grounded out (second to first); 0 R, 0
H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Astros 0, Braves 6.

BRAVES 8TH: Butler singled to shortstop; Horner made an out to
second; Chambliss singled to right [Butler to third]; Murphy
singled to left [Butler scored, Chambliss to second]; Hubbard
flied out to center; Benedict walked [Chambliss to third, Murphy
to second]; Ramirez singled to left [Chambliss scored, Murphy
scored, Benedict to second]; Niekro struck out; 3 R, 4 H, 0 E, 2
LOB.  Astros 0, Braves 9.

ASTROS 9TH: Spilman singled to right; IVIE BATTED FOR HOWE; Ivie
singled to center [Spilman to second]; Ashby forced Ivie (second
to shortstop) [Spilman to third]; Reynolds flied out to right;
TOLMAN BATTED FOR SPROWL; Tolman forced Ashby (shortstop to
second); Debut game for Tim Tolman; 0 R, 2 H, 0 E, 2 LOB.
 Astros 0, Braves 9.