After J.R. Richard and Jose Cruz combined to win the first game, 2-1, the Astros took advantage of Mike Marshall's wildness and scored three runs in the eighth inning to win the second game, 9-6, completing a sweep of a twi-night doubleheader with the Braves. Richard pitched a four-hitter in the opener and Cruz scored both of the Astros' runs. In the second, Cruz beat out an infield hit, stole second, moved to third after a long fly by Ed Herrmann and scored on a single by Rob Andrews. A double by Cruz led to the other run in the sixth. After moving to third on a wild pitch, Cruz beat the throw home on a grounder by Herrmann.

In the nightcap, Joe Sambito gained his first major league victory as the third of four Houston pitchers. In the eighth, when the Astros scored their winning margin, Greg Gross singled and went around to third on a sacrifice and infield out before racing home on a wild pitch by Marshall. Bob Watson singled and counted on singles by Cruz and Andrews. Another wild pitch by Marshall then admitted Cruz with the Astros' final tally. [The Sporting News]



Houston Astros 2, Atlanta Braves 1 (Game 1)
Game Played on Saturday, July      31, 1976 (Night game) at Astrodome
Braves       1  0  0    0  0  0    0  0  0  -   1  4  0
Astros       0  1  0    0  0  1    0  0  x  -   2  6  0


Braves               AB   R   H RBI    BB  SO    AVG      Astros               AB   R   H RBI    BB  SO    AVG
Royster 3b            3   1   1   0     1   0   .256      Gross rf              4   0   0   0     0   0   .291
Gilbreath 2b          4   0   0   0     0   1   .269      Cabell 3b             4   0   0   0     0   0   .280
Wynn cf               1   0   0   0     3   0   .226      Cedeno cf             4   0   1   0     0   0   .299
Montanez 1b           4   0   0   0     0   0   .312      Watson 1b             3   0   1   0     1   0   .296
Henderson rf          3   0   0   0     1   1   .276      Cruz lf               4   2   3   0     0   0   .302
May lf                2   0   0   0     1   0   .194      Herrmann c            3   0   0   1     0   0   .207
Chaney ss             2   0   2   0     1   0   .268      Andrews 2b            3   0   1   1     0   0   .274
Pocoroba c            3   0   0   0     0   0   .233      Metzger ss            3   0   0   0     0   1   .221
Ruthven p             2   0   0   0     0   2   .157      Richard p             2   0   0   0     0   1   .106
  Office ph           1   0   1   0     0   0   .288
  Robinson pr         0   0   0   0     0   0   .214
  Marshall p          0   0   0   0     0   0   .111

Totals               25   1   4   0     7   4             Totals               30   2   6   2     1   2

Time of Game: 2:03
Left on Base: Braves 4, Astros 6
DP: Braves 1, Astros 4
Doubles: Chaney (13), Cruz 2 (13), Watson (17)
Stolen Bases: Royster (9), Cedeno (33), Cruz (16), Andrews (6)
GIDP: Montanez 2 (20), Pocoroba (8), Andrews (12)
Hit by Pitch: Richard (1,by Ruthven)


Braves                 IP     H   R  ER  BB  SO  HR BFP    ERA
Ruthven L(11-9)         7     5   2   2   1   2   0  28   3.42
Marshall                1     1   0   0   0   0   0   4   4.00
Totals                  8     6   2   2   1   2   0  32

Astros                 IP     H   R  ER  BB  SO  HR BFP    ERA
Richard W(12-11)        9     4   1   0   7   4   0  32   2.48
Totals                  9     4   1   0   7   4   0  32

Passed Balls: Herrmann (5)
Hit by Pitch: Ruthven (6)
Wild Pitches: Ruthven (2)

Umpires: HP - Lee Weyer, 1B - Nick Colosi, 2B - Paul Runge, 3B - Ed Montague


BRAVES 1ST: Royster walked; Royster stole second; Gilbreath
grounded out (shortstop to first) [Royster to third]; Herrmann
allowed a passed ball [Royster scored (unearned)]; Wynn walked;
Montanez grounded into a double play (shortstop to first) [Wynn
out at second]; 1 R (0 ER), 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Braves 1, Astros 0.

ASTROS 1ST: Gross flied out to left; Cabell grounded out (third
to first); Cedeno singled; Cedeno stole second; Watson grounded
out (second to first); 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Braves 1, Astros 0.

BRAVES 2ND: Henderson grounded out (first unassisted); May
walked; Chaney doubled to center [May out at home (center to
first to third to catcher)]; Pocoroba flied out to right; 0 R, 1
H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Braves 1, Astros 0.

ASTROS 2ND: Cruz singled; Cruz stole second; Herrmann flied out
to center [Cruz to third]; Andrews singled [Cruz scored];
Andrews stole second; Metzger struck out; Richard was hit by a
pitch; Gross flied out to center; 1 R, 2 H, 0 E, 2 LOB.  Braves
1, Astros 1.

BRAVES 3RD: Ruthven struck out; Royster singled; Gilbreath flied
out to right; Wynn flied out to center; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.
Braves 1, Astros 1.

ASTROS 3RD: Cabell flied out to right; Cedeno made an out to
first; Watson walked; Cruz doubled [Watson to third]; Herrmann
flied out to left; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 2 LOB.  Braves 1, Astros 1.

BRAVES 4TH: Montanez grounded out (second to first); Henderson
grounded out (second to first); May grounded out (second to
first); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Braves 1, Astros 1.

ASTROS 4TH: Andrews made an out to third; Metzger grounded out
(pitcher to first); Richard struck out; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.
Braves 1, Astros 1.

BRAVES 5TH: Chaney walked; Pocoroba grounded into a double play
(shortstop to second to first) [Chaney out at second]; Ruthven
struck out; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Braves 1, Astros 1.

ASTROS 5TH: Gross grounded out (shortstop to first); Cabell
grounded out (shortstop to first); Cedeno grounded out (second
to first); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Braves 1, Astros 1.

BRAVES 6TH: Royster made an out to second; Gilbreath struck out;
Wynn walked; Montanez grounded out (shortstop to first); 0 R, 0
H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Braves 1, Astros 1.

ASTROS 6TH: Watson made an out to second; Cruz doubled; Ruthven
threw a wild pitch [Cruz to third]; Herrmann reached on a
fielder's choice [Cruz scored]; Andrews grounded into a double
play (third to second to first) [Herrmann out at second]; 1 R, 1
H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Braves 1, Astros 2.

BRAVES 7TH: Henderson walked; May forced Henderson (second to
shortstop); Chaney singled to left [May out at third (left to
third)]; Pocoroba grounded out (second to first); 0 R, 1 H, 0 E,
1 LOB.  Braves 1, Astros 2.

ASTROS 7TH: Metzger grounded out (pitcher to first); Richard
grounded out (second to first); Gross flied out to right; 0 R, 0
H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Braves 1, Astros 2.

BRAVES 8TH: OFFICE BATTED FOR RUTHVEN; Office singled; ROBINSON
RAN FOR OFFICE; On a bunt Royster hit into a double play
(catcher to second) [Robinson out at second]; Gilbreath flied
out to center; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Braves 1, Astros 2.

ASTROS 8TH: MARSHALL REPLACED ROBINSON (PITCHING); Cabell
grounded out (third to first); Cedeno made an out to catcher;
Watson doubled; Cruz grounded out (second to first); 0 R, 1 H, 0
E, 1 LOB.  Braves 1, Astros 2.

BRAVES 9TH: Wynn walked; Montanez grounded into a double play
(second to shortstop to first) [Wynn out at second]; Henderson
struck out; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Braves 1, Astros 2.