A three-run homer by Darrell Porter highlighted a five-run first inning that propelled the Cardinals to a 14-3 rout of the Astros in the season opener for both teams. Porter's blast off Nolan Ryan followed a hit batsman and a base on balls. The Redbirds added two more markers later in the frame on Steve Braun's run-scoring single and an RBI groundout by Ozzie Smith.

Keith Hernandez collected a single, two doubles and 3 RBI. Jim Kaat, who relieved for the Cards in the ninth inning, set a major league record for pitchers by appearing in a big league game for the 24th consecutive season. [The Sporting News]



St. Louis Cardinals 14, Houston Astros 3
Game Played on Tuesday, April     6, 1982 (Night game) at Astrodome
Cardinals    5  1  0    4  2  2    0  0  0  -  14 18  0
Astros       0  1  0    0  0  1    1  0  0  -   3  8  2


Cardinals            AB   R   H RBI    BB  SO    AVG      Astros               AB   R   H RBI    BB  SO    AVG
L. Smith cf,lf        4   3   2   0     1   0   .500      Puhl rf               4   0   0   0     0   0   .000
Herr 2b               6   1   2   1     0   2   .333      Scott cf              4   0   0   0     0   0   .000
Hernandez 1b          4   3   3   3     2   0   .750      Garner 2b             4   0   0   0     0   1   .000
Porter c              5   2   2   3     0   2   .400      Cruz lf               3   1   1   0     1   0   .333
  Brummer c           1   0   0   0     0   1   .000      Ashby c               2   1   2   1     1   0  1.000
Hendrick rf           5   2   2   1     1   1   .400        Knicely c           1   0   0   0     0   0   .000
Iorg lf               3   1   2   2     0   1   .667      Knight 3b             4   0   2   0     0   0   .500
  Green pr,cf         2   1   1   1     0   1   .500      Howe 1b               3   1   1   2     0   0   .333
Braun 3b              4   0   1   1     1   0   .250      Reynolds ss           2   0   0   0     1   0   .000
  Ramsey 3b           0   0   0   0     0   0   .000        Garcia ss           1   0   0   0     0   0   .000
O. Smith ss           5   0   2   2     0   1   .400      Ryan p                0   0   0   0     0   0   .000
Forsch p              5   1   1   0     0   1   .200        Heep ph             1   0   1   0     0   0  1.000
  Kaat p              0   0   0   0     0   0   .000        Pladson p           0   0   0   0     0   0   .000
                                                            LaCoss p            0   0   0   0     0   0   .000
                                                            Ivie ph             1   0   1   0     0   0  1.000
                                                            Smith p             0   0   0   0     0   0   .000
                                                            Walling ph          1   0   0   0     0   0   .000
                                                            Sambito p           0   0   0   0     0   0   .000

Totals               44  14  18  14     5  10             Totals               31   3   8   3     3   1

Time of Game: 2:48   Attendance: 33,521
Left on Base: Cardinals 9, Astros 5
DP: Cardinals 3, Astros 2
Errors: Cruz, Ashby
Doubles: Iorg 2 (2), Herr 2 (2), Porter (1), Hernandez 2 (2)
Home Runs: Porter (1), Ashby (1), Howe (1)
Stolen Bases: L. Smith 2 (2), O. Smith (1)
Sacrifice Flies: Howe (1)
GIDP: L. Smith (1), Hendrick (1), Scott 2 (2), Howe (1)
Hit by Pitch: L. Smith (1,by Ryan)


Cardinals              IP     H   R  ER  BB  SO  HR BFP    ERA
Forsch W(1-0)           8     7   3   3   3   1   2  32   3.38
Kaat                    1     1   0   0   0   0   0   3   0.00
Totals                  9     8   3   3   3   1   2  35

Astros                 IP     H   R  ER  BB  SO  HR BFP    ERA
Ryan L(0-1)             3     8   6   6   2   5   1  20  18.00
Pladson                 0.1   5   4   4   1   0   0   7 108.00
LaCoss                  1.2   3   2   2   1   0   0   8  10.80
Smith                   2     1   2   1   1   4   0   9   4.50
Sambito                 2     1   0   0   0   1   0   6   0.00
Totals                  9    18  14  13   5  10   1  50

Hit by Pitch: Ryan (1)
Wild Pitches: Forsch (1)

Umpires: HP - Lee Weyer, 1B - Harry Wendelstedt, 2B - Ed Montague, 3B - Randy Marsh


CARDINALS 1ST: L. Smith was hit by a pitch; L. Smith stole
second [L. Smith to third (error by Ashby)]; Herr struck out;
Hernandez walked; Porter homered [L. Smith scored, Hernandez
scored]; Hendrick singled to left; Iorg doubled to right
[Hendrick to third]; Braun singled to right [Iorg to third,
Hendrick scored]; O. Smith forced Braun (shortstop to second)
[Iorg scored]; O. Smith stole second; Forsch was called out on
strikes; 5 R, 4 H, 1 E, 1 LOB.  Cardinals 5, Astros 0.

ASTROS 1ST: Puhl grounded out (second to first); Scott grounded
out (first unassisted); Garner grounded out (first to pitcher);
0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Cardinals 5, Astros 0.

CARDINALS 2ND: L. Smith singled to second; L. Smith stole
second; Herr doubled to left [L. Smith scored]; Hernandez
grounded out (second to first) [Herr to third]; Porter struck
out; Hendrick walked; Iorg struck out; 1 R, 2 H, 0 E, 2 LOB.
Cardinals 6, Astros 0.

ASTROS 2ND: Cruz singled to center; Ashby singled to center
[Cruz to second]; Knight lined to center [Cruz to third]; Howe
hit a sacrifice fly to center [Cruz scored]; Reynolds flied out
to center; 1 R, 2 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Cardinals 6, Astros 1.

CARDINALS 3RD: Braun popped to third; O. Smith singled to left;
Forsch forced O. Smith (first to shortstop); L. Smith singled to
center [Forsch to second]; Herr struck out; 0 R, 2 H, 0 E, 2
LOB.  Cardinals 6, Astros 1.

ASTROS 3RD: HEEP BATTED FOR RYAN; Heep singled to center; Puhl
flied out to center; Scott grounded into a double play
(shortstop to first) [Heep out at second]; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.
 Cardinals 6, Astros 1.

CARDINALS 4TH: PLADSON REPLACED HEEP (PITCHING); Hernandez
walked; Porter doubled to left [Hernandez to third]; Hendrick
singled to center [Porter to third, Hernandez scored]; Iorg
doubled to left [Hendrick scored, Porter scored]; GREEN RAN FOR
IORG; Braun grounded out (second to first) [Green to third]; O.
Smith singled to left [Green scored]; Forsch singled to center
[O. Smith to second]; LACOSS REPLACED PLADSON (PITCHING); L.
Smith grounded into a double play (shortstop to second to first)
[Forsch out at second]; 4 R, 5 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Cardinals 10,
Astros 1.

ASTROS 4TH: GREEN STAYED IN GAME (PLAYING CF); L. SMITH CHANGED
POSITIONS (PLAYING LF); Garner struck out (catcher to first);
Cruz flied out to right; Ashby walked; Forsch threw a wild pitch
[Ashby to second]; Knight singled to left [Ashby to third]; Howe
forced Knight (shortstop to second); 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 2 LOB.
Cardinals 10, Astros 1.

CARDINALS 5TH: Herr doubled to left; Hernandez doubled to left
[Herr scored]; Porter flied out to right; Hendrick grounded out
(second to first) [Hernandez to third]; Green singled to right
[Hernandez scored]; Braun walked [Green to second]; O. Smith
grounded out (first to pitcher); 2 R, 3 H, 0 E, 2 LOB.
Cardinals 12, Astros 1.

ASTROS 5TH: Reynolds walked; IVIE BATTED FOR LACOSS; Ivie
singled to left [Reynolds to second]; Puhl flied out to center;
Scott grounded into a double play (second to shortstop to first)
[Ivie out at second]; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Cardinals 12,
Astros 1.

CARDINALS 6TH: SMITH REPLACED IVIE (PITCHING); Forsch reached on
an error by Cruz [Forsch to second]; L. Smith walked; Herr flied
out to center [Forsch to third]; Hernandez doubled to left [L.
Smith scored, Forsch scored (unearned)]; Porter was called out
on strikes; Hendrick struck out; 2 R (1 ER), 1 H, 1 E, 1 LOB.
Cardinals 14, Astros 1.

ASTROS 6TH: BRUMMER REPLACED PORTER (PLAYING C ); Garner popped
to shortstop; Cruz grounded out (pitcher to first); Ashby
homered; Knight grounded out (third to first); 1 R, 1 H, 0 E, 0
LOB.  Cardinals 14, Astros 2.

CARDINALS 7TH: KNICELY REPLACED ASHBY (PLAYING C ); Green struck
out; Braun grounded out (second to first); O. Smith struck out;
0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Cardinals 14, Astros 2.

ASTROS 7TH: RAMSEY REPLACED BRAUN (PLAYING 3B); Howe homered;
Reynolds lined to right; WALLING BATTED FOR SMITH; Walling
grounded out (first unassisted); Puhl flied out to right; 1 R, 1
H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Cardinals 14, Astros 3.

CARDINALS 8TH: SAMBITO REPLACED WALLING (PITCHING); GARCIA
REPLACED REYNOLDS (PLAYING SS); Forsch flied out to center; L.
Smith grounded out (second to first); Herr lined to second; 0 R,
0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Cardinals 14, Astros 3.

ASTROS 8TH: Scott grounded out (second to first); Garner popped
to shortstop; Cruz walked; Knicely popped to catcher in foul
territory; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Cardinals 14, Astros 3.

CARDINALS 9TH: Hernandez singled to left; Brummer struck out;
Hendrick grounded into a double play (pitcher to shortstop to
first) [Hernandez out at second]; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.
Cardinals 14, Astros 3.

ASTROS 9TH: KAAT REPLACED FORSCH (PITCHING); Knight singled to
center; Howe grounded into a double play (third to second to
first) [Knight out at second]; Garcia grounded out (pitcher to
first); 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Cardinals 14, Astros 3.