The Astros, capitalizing on 11 walks and the seven-hit pitching of Nolan Ryan, downed the Reds, 8-1, and increased their lead in the National League West to 1½ games. With the Astros leading, 1-0, in the seventh inning, Reds reliever Joe Price walked Phil Garner and Jose Cruz with the bases filled to make the score 3-0. [The Sporting News]

Houston Astros 8, Cincinnati Reds 1

Game Played on Thursday, October 1, 1981 (Night game) at Riverfront Stadium

Astros 1 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 5 - 8 10 0 Reds 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 - 1 7 1 Astros AB R H RBI BB SO AVG Reds AB R H RBI BB SO AVG Puhl rf 2 1 1 0 1 0 .253 Collins rf 4 0 0 0 0 1 .277 Woods ph,rf 1 0 0 0 0 1 .208 Mejias rf 0 0 0 0 0 0 .286 Walling ph,rf 1 1 1 2 0 0 .239 Griffey cf 4 0 2 0 0 1 .310 Garner 2b 3 0 0 2 1 1 .254 Concepcion ss 4 0 2 0 0 1 .306 Scott cf 3 1 1 0 2 2 .269 Foster lf 4 0 1 0 0 2 .294 Cruz lf 3 1 0 1 2 0 .266 Bench 1b 4 0 0 0 0 1 .324 Cedeno 1b 4 1 0 0 1 1 .271 Nolan c 4 1 0 0 0 0 .310 Ashby c 4 0 1 1 1 1 .273 Knight 3b 4 0 2 0 0 0 .256 Howe 3b 2 1 2 1 3 0 .301 Oester 2b 1 0 0 0 3 1 .267 Reynolds ss 5 1 2 1 0 0 .259 Berenyi p 2 0 0 0 0 1 .190 Ryan p 5 1 2 0 0 1 .216 LaCoss p 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000 Price p 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000 Moskau p 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000 Biittner ph 1 0 0 0 0 0 .232 Hume p 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000 Leibrandt p 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000 Edelen p 0 0 0 0 0 0 .200 Householder ph 1 0 0 0 0 1 .246 Totals 33 8 10 8 11 7 Totals 33 1 7 0 3 9 Time of Game: 3:12 Attendance: 26,484 Left on Base: Astros 10, Reds 8 DP: Astros 1, Reds 2 Errors: Nolan Doubles: Ryan (1), Knight (22) Home Runs: Walling (5) Stolen Bases: Puhl 2 (21), Scott (18) Caught Stealing: Ashby (2) Sacrifice Flies: Garner (4) GIDP: Ryan (1), Berenyi (1) Astros IP H R ER BB SO HR BFP ERA Ryan W(11-5) 9 7 1 1 3 9 0 36 1.69 Totals 9 7 1 1 3 9 0 36 Reds IP H R ER BB SO HR BFP ERA Berenyi L(9-6) 6 3 3 2 6 3 0 26 3.50 LaCoss 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 6.12 Price 0.2 0 0 0 2 2 0 4 2.52 Moskau 0.1 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 4.17 Hume 1.1 4 5 5 2 1 1 9 3.43 Leibrandt 0 2 0 0 1 0 0 3 3.60 Edelen 0.2 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 6.11 Totals 9 10 8 7 11 7 1 45 Wild Pitches: Ryan (16), Berenyi (7) Umpires: HP - Joe West, 1B - Dick Stello, 2B - John Kibler, 3B - Bruce Froemming ASTROS 1ST: Puhl singled to shortstop; Puhl stole second [Puhl to third (error by Nolan)]; Garner hit a sacrifice fly to right [Puhl scored (unearned)]; Scott walked; Cruz flied out to center; Cedeno grounded out (pitcher to first); 1 R (0 ER), 1 H, 1 E, 1 LOB. Astros 1, Reds 0. REDS 1ST: Collins grounded out (shortstop to first); Griffey struck out; Concepcion struck out; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB. Astros 1, Reds 0. ASTROS 2ND: Ashby singled to left; Howe walked [Ashby to second]; Reynolds flied out to left; Ashby was caught stealing third (catcher to third); Ryan struck out; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB. Astros 1, Reds 0. REDS 2ND: Foster was called out on strikes; Bench grounded out (third to first); Nolan flied out to right; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB. Astros 1, Reds 0. ASTROS 3RD: Puhl walked; Puhl stole second; Garner struck out; Scott struck out; Cruz grounded out (shortstop to first); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 1 LOB. Astros 1, Reds 0. REDS 3RD: Knight singled to center; Oester struck out; Berenyi was called out on strikes; Collins flied out to left; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB. Astros 1, Reds 0. ASTROS 4TH: Cedeno grounded out (third to first); Ashby lined to shortstop; Howe walked; Reynolds forced Howe (second to shortstop); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 1 LOB. Astros 1, Reds 0. REDS 4TH: Griffey singled to left; Concepcion singled to right [Griffey to second]; Foster struck out; Bench made an out to shortstop; Nolan grounded out (second to first); 0 R, 2 H, 0 E, 2 LOB. Astros 1, Reds 0. ASTROS 5TH: Ryan grounded out (second to first); Puhl grounded out (first to pitcher); Garner made an out to second; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB. Astros 1, Reds 0. REDS 5TH: Knight popped to catcher in foul territory; Oester walked; On a bunt Berenyi grounded into a double play (pitcher to shortstop to second) [Oester out at second]; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB. Astros 1, Reds 0. ASTROS 6TH: Scott walked; Scott stole second; Cruz flied out to right; Berenyi threw a wild pitch [Scott to third]; Cedeno grounded out (third to first); Ashby grounded out (first unassisted); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 1 LOB. Astros 1, Reds 0. REDS 6TH: Collins grounded out (second to first); Griffey flied out to center; Concepcion grounded out (first unassisted); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB. Astros 1, Reds 0. ASTROS 7TH: Howe walked; Reynolds singled to left [Howe to second]; LACOSS REPLACED BERENYI (PITCHING); Ryan singled to shortstop [Howe to third, Reynolds to second]; PRICE REPLACED LACOSS (PITCHING); WOODS BATTED FOR PUHL; Woods struck out; Garner walked [Howe scored, Reynolds to third, Ryan to second]; Scott struck out; Cruz walked [Reynolds scored, Ryan to third, Garner to second]; Joe Price ejected by HP umpire Joe West; MOSKAU REPLACED PRICE (PITCHING); Cedeno was called out on strikes; 2 R, 2 H, 0 E, 3 LOB. Astros 3, Reds 0. REDS 7TH: WOODS STAYED IN GAME (PLAYING RF); Foster singled to center; Bench struck out; Nolan forced Foster (first to shortstop); Knight doubled to right [Nolan to third]; Ryan threw a wild pitch [Nolan scored, Knight to third]; Oester walked; BIITTNER BATTED FOR MOSKAU; Biittner flied out to left; 1 R, 2 H, 0 E, 2 LOB. Astros 3, Reds 1. ASTROS 8TH: HUME REPLACED BIITTNER (PITCHING); Ashby struck out; Howe singled to third; Reynolds lined into a double play (third to first) [Howe out at first]; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 0 LOB. Astros 3, Reds 1. REDS 8TH: Collins struck out; Griffey singled to second; Concepcion singled to left [Griffey to second]; Foster forced Concepcion (second to shortstop) [Griffey to third]; Bench flied out to right; 0 R, 2 H, 0 E, 2 LOB. Astros 3, Reds 1. ASTROS 9TH: MEJIAS REPLACED COLLINS (PLAYING RF); Ryan doubled to right; WALLING BATTED FOR WOODS; Walling homered [Ryan scored]; Garner grounded out (shortstop to first); Scott singled to left; Cruz walked [Scott to second]; Cedeno walked [Scott to third, Cruz to second]; LEIBRANDT REPLACED HUME (PITCHING); Ashby walked [Scott scored, Cruz to third, Cedeno to second]; Howe singled to left [Cruz scored, Cedeno to third, Ashby to second]; Reynolds singled to center [Cedeno scored, Ashby to third, Howe to second]; EDELEN REPLACED LEIBRANDT (PITCHING); Ryan grounded into a double play (third to second to first) [Reynolds out at second]; 5 R, 5 H, 0 E, 2 LOB. Astros 8, Reds 1. REDS 9TH: WALLING STAYED IN GAME (PLAYING RF); Nolan flied out to center; Knight grounded out (shortstop to first); Oester walked; HOUSEHOLDER BATTED FOR EDELEN; Householder struck out; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 1 LOB. Astros 8, Reds 1.

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