Alan Ashby's two-run homer in the ninth inning lifted the Astros to a 3-1 triumph over the Dodgers in the opening game of the N.L. West playoff series. The score was 1-1 when Craig Reynolds stroked a two-out pinch-single and Ashby belted a drive into the right field seats.

The Astros scored their first run in the sixth on a two-out single by Terry Puhl, a walk to Phil Garner and a bloop single to center by Tony Scott. Nolan Ryan allowed only three Dodgers to reach base: Ken Landreaux on a first-inning single, Rick Monday on a second-inning walk and Steve Garvey on a seventh-inning homer. [The Sporting News]



Houston Astros 3, Los Angeles Dodgers 1
Division Series Game 1 Played on Tuesday, October   6, 1981 (Night game) at Astrodome
Dodgers      0  0  0    0  0  0    1  0  0  -   1  2  0
Astros       0  0  0    0  0  1    0  0  2  -   3  8  0


Dodgers              AB   R   H RBI    BB  SO    AVG      Astros               AB   R   H RBI    BB  SO    AVG
Lopes 2b              4   0   0   0     0   2   .000      Puhl rf               4   1   2   0     0   0   .500
Landreaux cf          4   0   1   0     0   1   .250      Garner 2b             3   0   0   0     1   1   .000
Baker lf              3   0   0   0     0   0   .000      Scott cf              4   0   1   1     0   1   .250
Garvey 1b             3   1   1   1     0   0   .333      Cruz lf               4   0   0   0     0   2   .000
Monday rf             2   0   0   0     1   1   .000      Cedeno 1b             4   0   2   0     0   1   .500
Guerrero 3b           3   0   0   0     0   1   .000      Howe 3b               4   0   1   0     0   0   .250
Scioscia c            3   0   0   0     0   1   .000      Garcia ss             3   0   0   0     0   1   .000
Russell ss            3   0   0   0     0   0   .000        Reynolds ph         1   1   1   0     0   0  1.000
Valenzuela p          2   0   0   0     0   1   .000      Ashby c               3   1   1   2     1   0   .333
  Johnstone ph        1   0   0   0     0   0   .000      Ryan p                3   0   0   0     0   1   .000
  Stewart p           0   0   0   0     0   0   .000

Totals               28   1   2   1     1   7             Totals               33   3   8   3     2   7

Time of Game: 2:22   Attendance: 44,836
Left on Base: Dodgers 1, Astros 6
DP: Dodgers 0, Astros 1
Doubles: Cedeno (1)
Home Runs: Garvey (1), Ashby (1)
Stolen Bases: Cedeno 2 (2)
GIDP: Baker (1)


Dodgers                IP     H   R  ER  BB  SO  HR BFP    ERA
Valenzuela              8     6   1   1   2   6   0  31   1.13
Stewart L(0-1)          0.2   2   2   2   0   1   1   4  27.00
Totals                  8.2   8   3   3   2   7   1  35

Astros                 IP     H   R  ER  BB  SO  HR BFP    ERA
Ryan W(1-0)             9     2   1   1   1   7   1  29   1.00
Totals                  9     2   1   1   1   7   1  29

Umpires: HP - Jerry Dale, 1B - Jim Quick, 2B - Satch Davidson, 3B - John McSherry, LF - Lee Weyer, RF - Ed Montague


DODGERS 1ST: Lopes grounded out (second to first); Landreaux
singled to center; Baker grounded into a double play (pitcher to
shortstop to first) [Landreaux out at second]; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 0
LOB.  Dodgers 0, Astros 0.

ASTROS 1ST: Puhl grounded out (first unassisted); Garner struck
out; Scott was called out on strikes; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.
Dodgers 0, Astros 0.

DODGERS 2ND: Garvey flied out to right; Monday walked; Guerrero
was called out on strikes; Scioscia struck out (catcher to
first); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Dodgers 0, Astros 0.

ASTROS 2ND: Cruz flied out to left; Cedeno singled to center;
Cedeno stole second; Howe flied out to right; Garcia grounded
out (third to first); 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Dodgers 0, Astros 0.

DODGERS 3RD: Russell popped to shortstop; Valenzuela grounded
out (pitcher to first); Lopes lined to first; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0
LOB.  Dodgers 0, Astros 0.

ASTROS 3RD: Ashby grounded out (shortstop to first); Ryan struck
out; Puhl grounded out (second to first); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.
Dodgers 0, Astros 0.

DODGERS 4TH: Landreaux grounded out (second to first); Baker
grounded out (shortstop to first); Garvey grounded out (pitcher
to first); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Dodgers 0, Astros 0.

ASTROS 4TH: Garner grounded out (shortstop to first); Scott
grounded out (third to first); Cruz was called out on strikes; 0
R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Dodgers 0, Astros 0.

DODGERS 5TH: Monday struck out; Guerrero flied out to center;
Scioscia flied out to right; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Dodgers 0,
Astros 0.

ASTROS 5TH: Cedeno flied out to left; Howe singled to center;
Howe was picked off first (pitcher to first); Garcia struck out;
0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Dodgers 0, Astros 0.

DODGERS 6TH: Russell grounded out (shortstop to first);
Valenzuela was called out on strikes; Lopes struck out; 0 R, 0
H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Dodgers 0, Astros 0.

ASTROS 6TH: Ashby flied out to left; Ryan grounded out
(shortstop to first); Puhl singled to right; Garner walked [Puhl
to second]; Scott singled to right [Puhl scored, Garner to
third, Scott to second (on throw)]; Cruz grounded out (first
unassisted); 1 R, 2 H, 0 E, 2 LOB.  Dodgers 0, Astros 1.

DODGERS 7TH: Landreaux struck out; Baker flied out to right;
Garvey homered; Monday flied out to left; 1 R, 1 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.
Dodgers 1, Astros 1.

ASTROS 7TH: Cedeno doubled to left; Cedeno stole third; Howe
flied out to right; Garcia flied out to center; Ashby was walked
intentionally; Ryan forced Ashby (second to shortstop); 0 R, 1
H, 0 E, 2 LOB.  Dodgers 1, Astros 1.

DODGERS 8TH: Guerrero flied out to left; Scioscia grounded out
(first unassisted); Russell flied out to center; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E,
0 LOB.  Dodgers 1, Astros 1.

ASTROS 8TH: Puhl singled to right; Garner flied out to right;
Scott forced Puhl (pitcher to shortstop); Cruz was called out on
strikes; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Dodgers 1, Astros 1.

DODGERS 9TH: JOHNSTONE BATTED FOR VALENZUELA; Johnstone grounded
out (pitcher to first); Lopes was called out on strikes;
Landreaux grounded out (shortstop to first); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0
LOB.  Dodgers 1, Astros 1.

ASTROS 9TH: STEWART REPLACED JOHNSTONE (PITCHING); Cedeno struck
out; Howe flied out to center; REYNOLDS BATTED FOR GARCIA;
Reynolds singled to center; Ashby homered [Reynolds scored]; 2
R, 2 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Dodgers 1, Astros 3.