Phil Niekro turned in his 15th complete game of the season and improved his record to 13-11 by pitching the Braves to a 7-2 victory over the Astros. The Braves decided the outcome in the first inning when Jerry Royster singled, Rowland Office walked and Jeff Burroughs homered. [The Sporting News]

Atlanta Braves 7, Houston Astros 2

Game Played on Friday, August 4, 1978 (Night game) at Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium

Astros 0 0 0 1 0 0 1 0 0 - 2 10 1 Braves 3 1 1 0 1 0 0 1 x - 7 12 0 Astros AB R H RBI BB SO AVG Braves AB R H RBI BB SO AVG Puhl cf 3 1 2 0 2 0 .292 Royster ss 5 2 4 1 0 0 .279 Gonzalez 2b 5 0 1 0 0 2 .268 Office cf 3 1 1 0 2 2 .262 Cabell 3b 4 0 0 0 0 2 .289 Matthews rf 5 1 2 1 0 1 .292 Cruz rf 4 1 1 0 0 0 .296 Burroughs lf 3 1 1 3 1 1 .322 Watson 1b 4 0 1 0 0 1 .290 Bonnell lf 1 0 0 0 0 0 .235 Bergman lf 4 0 2 1 0 2 .241 Horner 3b 3 0 2 2 0 0 .284 Bochy c 4 0 1 0 0 1 .276 Pocoroba c 4 0 0 0 0 0 .239 Fischlin ss 3 0 0 0 0 1 .132 Murphy 1b 2 1 0 0 2 0 .243 Howard ph 1 0 0 0 0 1 .240 Gilbreath 2b 4 1 1 0 0 1 .246 Lemongello p 0 0 0 0 0 0 .170 Niekro p 4 0 1 0 0 0 .228 Bannister p 1 0 1 0 0 0 .167 Walling ph 1 0 0 0 0 1 .225 Andujar p 0 0 0 0 0 0 .130 Williams p 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000 Landestoy ph 1 0 0 0 0 1 .256 Forsch p 0 0 0 0 0 0 .200 Alou ph 1 0 1 0 0 0 .351 Totals 36 2 10 1 2 12 Totals 34 7 12 7 5 5 Time of Game: 2:30 Attendance: 11,282 Left on Base: Astros 9, Braves 9 DP: Astros 1, Braves 1 Errors: Fischlin Doubles: Matthews (13), Horner (11) Home Runs: Burroughs (16) Stolen Bases: Bergman (2), Royster (20) Sacrifice Flies: Horner (4) GIDP: Gonzalez (2), Niekro (1) Astros IP H R ER BB SO HR BFP ERA Lemongello L(7-10) 1 3 4 4 2 0 1 8 3.97 Bannister 2 3 1 1 0 1 0 7 4.33 Andujar 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 3 2.90 Williams 2 3 1 1 1 2 0 11 4.85 Forsch 2 3 1 1 2 2 0 11 3.03 Totals 8 12 7 7 5 5 1 40 Braves IP H R ER BB SO HR BFP ERA Niekro W(13-11) 9 10 2 1 2 12 0 38 2.89 Totals 9 10 2 1 2 12 0 38 Passed Balls: Pocoroba (12) Wild Pitches: Niekro (5) Umpires: HP - Paul Runge, 1B - Jerry Dale, 3B - John McSherry ASTROS 1ST: Puhl flied out to left; Gonzalez grounded out (second to first); Cabell struck out; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB. Astros 0, Braves 0. BRAVES 1ST: Royster singled; Royster stole second; Office walked; Matthews flied out to left; Burroughs homered [Royster scored, Office scored]; Horner flied out to center; Pocoroba made an out to shortstop; 3 R, 2 H, 0 E, 0 LOB. Astros 0, Braves 3. ASTROS 2ND: Cruz made an out to first; Watson grounded out (third to first); Bergman struck out; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB. Astros 0, Braves 3. BRAVES 2ND: Murphy walked; Gilbreath singled [Murphy to second]; BANNISTER REPLACED LEMONGELLO (PITCHING); On a bunt Niekro grounded into a double play (pitcher to third to first) [Gilbreath to second, Murphy out at third]; Royster singled to right [Gilbreath scored, Royster out at third (right to third)]; 1 R, 2 H, 0 E, 0 LOB. Astros 0, Braves 4. ASTROS 3RD: Bochy singled; Fischlin grounded out (first unassisted) [Bochy to second]; Bannister singled [Bochy to third]; Puhl walked [Bannister to second]; Gonzalez struck out; Cabell grounded out (shortstop to first); 0 R, 2 H, 0 E, 3 LOB. Astros 0, Braves 4. BRAVES 3RD: Office struck out; Matthews doubled; Burroughs flied out to center; Horner doubled [Matthews scored]; Pocoroba grounded out (second to first); 1 R, 2 H, 0 E, 1 LOB. Astros 0, Braves 5. ASTROS 4TH: Cruz singled; Niekro threw a wild pitch [Cruz to second]; Watson singled [Cruz to third]; Bergman singled [Cruz scored, Watson to second]; Bochy flied out to left; Fischlin made an out to catcher; WALLING BATTED FOR BANNISTER; Walling struck out; 1 R, 3 H, 0 E, 2 LOB. Astros 1, Braves 5. BRAVES 4TH: ANDUJAR REPLACED WALLING (PITCHING); Murphy flied out to right; Gilbreath flied out to left; Niekro flied out to left; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB. Astros 1, Braves 5. ASTROS 5TH: Puhl walked; Gonzalez struck out; Cabell flied out to center; Cruz made an out to second; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 1 LOB. Astros 1, Braves 5. BRAVES 5TH: WILLIAMS REPLACED ANDUJAR (PITCHING); Royster singled; Office singled [Royster to second]; Matthews struck out; Burroughs walked [Royster to third, Office to second]; Horner hit a sacrifice fly to center [Royster scored, Office to third]; Pocoroba grounded out (first unassisted); 1 R, 2 H, 0 E, 2 LOB. Astros 1, Braves 6. ASTROS 6TH: Watson grounded out (second to first); Bergman singled; Bergman stole second; Bochy struck out; Fischlin was called out on strikes; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB. Astros 1, Braves 6. BRAVES 6TH: Murphy grounded out (third to first); Gilbreath reached on an error by Fischlin [Gilbreath to first]; Niekro flied out to right; Royster singled [Gilbreath to second]; Office struck out; 0 R, 1 H, 1 E, 2 LOB. Astros 1, Braves 6. ASTROS 7TH: LANDESTOY BATTED FOR WILLIAMS; Landestoy struck out; Puhl singled; Gonzalez singled [Puhl to third, Gonzalez to second (on throw to 3b)]; Pocoroba allowed a passed ball [Puhl scored (unearned), Gonzalez to third]; Cabell struck out; Cruz grounded out (second to first); 1 R (0 ER), 2 H, 0 E, 1 LOB. Astros 2, Braves 6. BRAVES 7TH: FORSCH REPLACED LANDESTOY (PITCHING); Matthews flied out to left; Burroughs struck out; Horner singled; Pocoroba grounded out (first unassisted); 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB. Astros 2, Braves 6. ASTROS 8TH: BONNELL REPLACED BURROUGHS (PLAYING LF); Watson struck out (catcher to first); Bergman struck out; Bochy flied out to center; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB. Astros 2, Braves 6. BRAVES 8TH: Murphy walked; Gilbreath struck out; Niekro singled [Murphy to second]; Royster made an out to shortstop; Office walked [Murphy to third, Niekro to second]; Matthews singled [Murphy scored, Niekro to third, Office to second]; Bonnell made an out to shortstop; 1 R, 2 H, 0 E, 3 LOB. Astros 2, Braves 7. ASTROS 9TH: HOWARD BATTED FOR FISCHLIN; Howard struck out; ALOU BATTED FOR FORSCH; Alou singled; Puhl singled [Alou to second]; Gonzalez grounded into a double play (third to first) [Alou out at third]; 0 R, 2 H, 0 E, 1 LOB. Astros 2, Braves 7.

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