A two-run double by Luis Pujols in the sixth inning was the key hit as the Astros shaded the Cardinals, 3-2. Houston took a 1-0 lead in the second on an RBI double by Tony Scott and boosted their lead to 3-0 in the sixth when Art Howe drew a two-out walk, Scott followed with a single and Pujols lined his two-bagger into the left field corner. Joe Niekro pitched until Darrell Porter blasted a solo homer with one out in the ninth. Joe Sambito relieved and retired the next two batters to earn the save. [The Sporting News]



Houston Astros 3, St. Louis Cardinals 2
Game Played on Wednesday, April     7, 1982 (Night game) at Astrodome
Cardinals    0  0  0    0  0  0    0  1  1  -   2  7  0
Astros       0  1  0    0  0  2    0  0  x  -   3  5  0


Cardinals            AB   R   H RBI    BB  SO    AVG      Astros               AB   R   H RBI    BB  SO    AVG
L. Smith lf           4   0   1   1     0   1   .375      Thon ss               4   0   1   0     0   0   .250
Herr 2b               3   0   0   0     1   2   .222      Puhl rf               4   0   1   0     0   0   .125
Hernandez 1b          4   0   0   0     0   1   .375      Garner 2b             3   0   0   0     1   2   .000
Porter c              4   1   3   1     0   0   .556      Knight 3b             4   0   0   0     0   0   .250
Iorg rf               3   0   0   0     0   0   .333      Cruz lf               3   1   0   0     1   1   .167
  Landrum ph          1   0   0   0     0   0   .000      Howe 1b               3   1   0   0     1   0   .167
Braun 3b              3   0   0   0     0   0   .143      Scott cf              2   1   2   1     1   0   .333
  Ramsey ph           1   0   0   0     0   0   .000      Pujols c              2   0   1   2     1   0   .500
Green cf              3   1   1   0     0   0   .400      Niekro p              3   0   0   0     0   1   .000
O. Smith ss           3   0   2   0     0   0   .500        Sambito p           0   0   0   0     0   0   .000
Martin p              1   0   0   0     0   0   .000
  Littell p           0   0   0   0     0   0   .000
  Roof ph             1   0   0   0     0   0   .000
  Bair p              0   0   0   0     0   0   .000

Totals               31   2   7   2     1   4             Totals               28   3   5   3     5   4

Time of Game: 2:29   Attendance: 18,467
Left on Base: Cardinals 4, Astros 6
DP: Cardinals 0, Astros 1
Doubles: Green (1), Scott (1), Pujols (1)
Triples: Puhl (1)
Home Runs: Porter (2)
Stolen Bases: Porter (1), L. Smith 2 (4), Cruz (1)
Caught Stealing: Thon (1)
Sacrifice Hits: Martin (1)
GIDP: Iorg (1)


Cardinals              IP     H   R  ER  BB  SO  HR BFP    ERA
Martin L(0-1)           6     5   3   3   5   4   0  27   4.50
Littell                 1     0   0   0   0   0   0   3   0.00
Bair                    1     0   0   0   0   0   0   3   0.00
Totals                  8     5   3   3   5   4   0  33

Astros                 IP     H   R  ER  BB  SO  HR BFP    ERA
Niekro W(1-0)           8.1   7   2   2   1   4   1  31   2.16
Sambito SV(1)           0.2   0   0   0   0   0   0   2   0.00
Totals                  9     7   2   2   1   4   1  33

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


CARDINALS 1ST: L. Smith grounded out (catcher to first); Herr
lined to left; Hernandez struck out; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.
Cardinals 0, Astros 0.

ASTROS 1ST: Thon singled to shortstop; Thon was picked off and
caught stealing second (pitcher to first to second); Puhl flied
out to right; Garner walked; Knight flied out to center; 0 R, 1
H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Cardinals 0, Astros 0.

CARDINALS 2ND: Porter singled to left; Iorg grounded into a
double play (second to shortstop to first) [Porter out at
second]; Braun grounded out (third to first); 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 0
LOB.  Cardinals 0, Astros 0.

ASTROS 2ND: Cruz walked; Cruz stole second; Howe grounded out
(shortstop to first); Scott doubled to left [Cruz scored];
Pujols grounded out (third to first); Niekro reached on a
fielder's choice [Scott out at third (third unassisted)]; 1 R, 1
H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Cardinals 0, Astros 1.

CARDINALS 3RD: Green grounded out (second to first); O. Smith
singled to left; Martin out on a sacrifice bunt (pitcher to
second) [O. Smith to second]; L. Smith was called out on
strikes; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Cardinals 0, Astros 1.

ASTROS 3RD: Thon grounded out (third to first); Puhl tripled to
right; Garner struck out; Knight grounded out (shortstop to
first); 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Cardinals 0, Astros 1.

CARDINALS 4TH: Herr struck out; Hernandez flied out to left;
Porter singled to center; Porter stole second; Iorg grounded out
(catcher to first); 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Cardinals 0, Astros 1.

ASTROS 4TH: Cruz was called out on strikes; Howe popped to
second; Scott walked; Pujols walked [Scott to second]; Niekro
grounded out (catcher to first); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 2 LOB.
Cardinals 0, Astros 1.

CARDINALS 5TH: Braun grounded out (shortstop to first); Green
flied out to right; O. Smith singled to right; Martin popped to
third; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Cardinals 0, Astros 1.

ASTROS 5TH: Thon flied out to right; Puhl flied out to center;
Garner was called out on strikes; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.
Cardinals 0, Astros 1.

CARDINALS 6TH: L. Smith grounded out (shortstop to first); Herr
walked; Herr was picked off first (pitcher to first); Hernandez
flied out to left; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Cardinals 0, Astros 1.

ASTROS 6TH: Knight lined to left; Cruz flied out to center; Howe
walked; Scott singled to left [Howe to second]; Pujols doubled
to left [Scott scored, Howe scored]; Niekro struck out; 2 R, 2
H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Cardinals 0, Astros 3.

CARDINALS 7TH: Porter flied out to left; Iorg flied out to left;
Braun popped to first in foul territory; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.
Cardinals 0, Astros 3.

ASTROS 7TH: LITTELL REPLACED MARTIN (PITCHING); Thon grounded
out (third to first); Puhl grounded out (catcher to first);
Garner popped to shortstop; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Cardinals 0,
Astros 3.

CARDINALS 8TH: Green doubled to center; O. Smith grounded out
(second to first) [Green to third]; ROOF BATTED FOR LITTELL;
Roof popped to shortstop; L. Smith singled to center [Green
scored]; L. Smith stole second; L. Smith stole third; Herr
struck out; 1 R, 2 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Cardinals 1, Astros 3.

ASTROS 8TH: BAIR REPLACED ROOF (PITCHING); Knight flied out to
center; Cruz popped to third; Howe grounded out (second to
first); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Cardinals 1, Astros 3.

CARDINALS 9TH: Hernandez lined to center; Porter homered;
SAMBITO REPLACED NIEKRO (PITCHING); LANDRUM BATTED FOR IORG;
Landrum flied out to right; RAMSEY BATTED FOR BRAUN; Ramsey
grounded out (shortstop to first); 1 R, 1 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.
Cardinals 2, Astros 3.