Pushing across a run in the bottom of the ninth inning, the Astros shaded the Padres, 2-1. Tony Scott opened the ninth with a single and was forced at second by Jose Cruz. Alan Ashby and Cesar Cedeno then walked to load the sacks and Art Howe followed with a checked-swing single through the right side. [The Sporting News]



Houston Astros 2, San Diego Padres 1
Game Played on Monday, September 28, 1981 (Night game) at Astrodome
Padres       0  0  0    0  0  0    1  0  0  -   1  6  1
Astros       0  0  0    0  0  0    1  0  1  -   2  6  1


Padres               AB   R   H RBI    BB  SO    AVG      Astros               AB   R   H RBI    BB  SO    AVG
Smith ss              3   0   1   0     1   0   .230      Puhl rf               4   0   0   0     0   0   .251
Bonilla 2b            4   0   1   0     0   0   .293      Garner 2b             3   1   1   0     1   0   .260
Richards lf           3   0   2   0     1   0   .294      Scott cf              4   0   2   0     0   1   .271
Jones cf              4   0   0   0     0   1   .249      Cruz lf               4   1   0   0     0   0   .270
Kennedy c             4   1   2   1     0   0   .295      Ashby c               3   0   1   0     1   0   .281
Perkins 1b            2   0   0   0     1   1   .277      Cedeno 1b             3   0   0   0     1   1   .275
Salazar rf            3   0   0   0     0   1   .303      Howe 3b               4   0   1   1     0   0   .303
Flannery 3b           3   0   0   0     0   0   .259      Reynolds ss           3   0   1   0     0   0   .255
Eichelberger p        3   0   0   0     0   0   .093      Niekro p              2   0   0   0     0   0   .176
                                                            Walling ph          0   0   0   0     1   0   .234
                                                            Sambito p           0   0   0   0     0   0   .000

Totals               29   1   6   1     3   3             Totals               30   2   6   1     4   2

Time of Game: 2:07   Attendance: 21,576
Left on Base: Padres 4, Astros 6
DP: Padres 2, Astros 3
Errors: Eichelberger, Cedeno
Doubles: Garner (9)
Home Runs: Kennedy (2)
Caught Stealing: Smith (12), Richards (8)
GIDP: Jones (6), Perkins (5), Salazar (7), Cedeno (5), Cruz (7)


Padres                 IP     H   R  ER  BB  SO  HR BFP    ERA
Eichelberger L(8-8)     8.2   6   2   2   4   2   0  34   3.48
Totals                  8.2   6   2   2   4   2   0  34

Astros                 IP     H   R  ER  BB  SO  HR BFP    ERA
Niekro                  8     5   1   1   2   3   1  27   2.72
Sambito W(5-5)          1     1   0   0   1   0   0   5   1.96
Totals                  9     6   1   1   3   3   1  32

Umpires: HP - Dick Stello, 1B - John Kibler, 2B - Bruce Froemming, 3B - Joe West


PADRES 1ST: Smith grounded out (third to first); Bonilla reached
on an error by Cedeno [Bonilla to first]; Richards singled to
center [Bonilla to third]; Jones grounded into a double play
(first to shortstop) [Richards out at second]; 0 R, 1 H, 1 E, 1
LOB.  Padres 0, Astros 0.

ASTROS 1ST: Puhl grounded out (second to first); Garner walked;
Scott struck out; Garner was picked off first but was safe on an
error by Eichelberger [Garner to second]; Cruz lined to
shortstop; 0 R, 0 H, 1 E, 1 LOB.  Padres 0, Astros 0.

PADRES 2ND: Kennedy singled to center; Perkins grounded into a
double play (first to shortstop) [Kennedy out at second];
Salazar struck out; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Padres 0, Astros 0.

ASTROS 2ND: Ashby singled to right; Cedeno grounded into a
double play (third to second to first) [Ashby out at second];
Howe flied out to right; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Padres 0, Astros
0.

PADRES 3RD: Flannery flied out to center; Eichelberger grounded
out (third to first); Smith walked; Smith was caught stealing
second (catcher to second); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Padres 0,
Astros 0.

ASTROS 3RD: Reynolds grounded out (first to pitcher); Niekro
grounded out (shortstop to first); Puhl lined to first; 0 R, 0
H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Padres 0, Astros 0.

PADRES 4TH: Bonilla flied out to right; Richards grounded out
(second to first); Jones struck out; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.
Padres 0, Astros 0.

ASTROS 4TH: Garner grounded out (second to first); Scott
grounded out (shortstop to first); Cruz grounded out (second to
first); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Padres 0, Astros 0.

PADRES 5TH: Kennedy flied out to center; Perkins walked; Salazar
grounded into a double play (shortstop to second to first)
[Perkins out at second]; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Padres 0, Astros
0.

ASTROS 5TH: Ashby flied out to right; Cedeno popped to third in
foul territory; Howe flied out to center; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.
Padres 0, Astros 0.

PADRES 6TH: Flannery grounded out (first unassisted);
Eichelberger grounded out (shortstop to first); Smith singled to
catcher; Bonilla forced Smith (third to second); 0 R, 1 H, 0 E,
1 LOB.  Padres 0, Astros 0.

ASTROS 6TH: Reynolds grounded out (second to first); Niekro
flied out to center; Puhl grounded out (third to first); 0 R, 0
H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Padres 0, Astros 0.

PADRES 7TH: Richards singled to center; Richards was caught
stealing second (catcher to shortstop); Jones flied out to
center; Kennedy homered; Perkins struck out; 1 R, 2 H, 0 E, 0
LOB.  Padres 1, Astros 0.

ASTROS 7TH: Garner doubled to right; Scott singled to center
[Garner to third]; Cruz grounded into a double play (shortstop
to second to first) [Garner scored, Scott out at second]; Ashby
grounded out (second to first); 1 R, 2 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Padres 1,
Astros 1.

PADRES 8TH: Salazar grounded out (third to first); Flannery
grounded out (shortstop to first); Eichelberger grounded out
(shortstop to first); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Padres 1, Astros 1.

ASTROS 8TH: Cedeno struck out; Howe flied out to left; Reynolds
singled to right; WALLING BATTED FOR NIEKRO; Walling walked
[Reynolds to second]; Puhl flied out to right; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 2
LOB.  Padres 1, Astros 1.

PADRES 9TH: SAMBITO REPLACED WALLING (PITCHING); Smith flied out
to center; Bonilla singled to center; Richards walked [Bonilla
to second]; Jones flied out to center; Kennedy popped to third
in foul territory; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 2 LOB.  Padres 1, Astros 1.

ASTROS 9TH: Garner flied out to right; Scott singled to center;
Cruz forced Scott (third to second); Ashby walked [Cruz to
second]; Cedeno walked [Cruz to third, Ashby to second]; Howe
singled to right [Cruz scored, Ashby to third, Cedeno to
second]; 1 R, 2 H, 0 E, 3 LOB.  Padres 1, Astros 2.