A two-run homer by Dale Murphy highlighted a five-run first inning that triggered the Braves to a 6-2 home-opening triumph over the Astros. It was Atlanta's third consecutive victory.

The first run came on an errant pickoff throw by Astros' catcher Alan Ashby and the second tallied on a sacrifice fly by Bob Horner which was dropped by center fielder Tony Scott. Murphy's blast accounted for two more and Rafael Ramirez climaxed the outburst by delivering an RBI single following a two-bagger by Bruce Benedict. [The Sporting News]



Atlanta Braves 6, Houston Astros 2
Game Played on Friday, April     9, 1982 (Night game) at Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium
Astros       0  0  0    0  0  0    1  0  1  -   2  7  3
Braves       5  0  0    0  0  0    0  1  x  -   6  9  0


Astros               AB   R   H RBI    BB  SO    AVG      Braves               AB   R   H RBI    BB  SO    AVG
Puhl rf               4   0   2   0     0   1   .188      Butler cf             5   0   0   0     0   2   .250
Garner 2b             3   0   0   0     1   2   .071      Hubbard 2b            2   1   1   0     2   0   .222
Scott cf              4   0   0   0     0   1   .143      Washington rf         4   1   2   0     0   0   .250
Cruz lf               4   1   1   0     0   1   .167      Horner 3b             2   1   0   1     1   0   .000
Ashby c               4   0   1   0     0   0   .444      Murphy lf             4   1   2   2     0   0   .455
Knight 3b             3   1   1   1     1   1   .357      Chambliss 1b          3   1   0   0     1   0   .091
Howe 1b               3   0   1   1     1   0   .250      Benedict c            4   1   2   0     0   0   .273
Reynolds ss           4   0   1   0     0   1   .250      Ramirez ss            4   0   1   1     0   0   .455
Sutton p              1   0   0   0     0   0   .000      Boggs p               3   0   0   0     0   1   .000
  Ivie ph             1   0   0   0     0   0   .500        Hrabosky p          1   0   1   0     0   0  1.000
  LaCoss p            0   0   0   0     0   0   .000
  Heep ph             0   0   0   0     0   0  1.000
  Knicely ph          1   0   0   0     0   0   .000
  LaCorte p           0   0   0   0     0   0   .000
  Thon ph             1   0   0   0     0   0   .200

Totals               33   2   7   2     3   7             Totals               32   6   9   4     4   3

Time of Game: 2:43   Attendance: 33,133
Left on Base: Astros 7, Braves 7
DP: Astros 2, Braves 1
Errors: Garner, Scott, Ashby
Doubles: Puhl (1), Knight (2), Benedict (2)
Home Runs: Murphy (2)
Stolen Bases: Puhl (1)
Sacrifice Flies: Horner (1)
GIDP: Howe (3), Washington (1), Ramirez (1)


Astros                 IP     H   R  ER  BB  SO  HR BFP    ERA
Sutton L(0-1)           4     5   5   3   1   3   1  19   6.75
LaCoss                  2     2   0   0   0   0   0   8   4.91
LaCorte                 2     2   1   1   3   0   0  10   4.50
Totals                  8     9   6   4   4   3   1  37

Braves                 IP     H   R  ER  BB  SO  HR BFP    ERA
Boggs W(1-0)            6.2   4   1   1   3   6   0  26   1.35
Hrabosky SV(1)          2.1   3   1   1   0   1   0  10   3.86
Totals                  9     7   2   2   3   7   0  36

Umpires: HP - Satch Davidson, 1B - Terry Tata, 2B - Dave Pallone, 3B - Ed Vargo


ASTROS 1ST: Puhl singled to left; Puhl stole second; Garner
walked; Scott struck out; Cruz was called out on strikes; Ashby
popped to shortstop; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 2 LOB.  Astros 0, Braves 0.

BRAVES 1ST: Butler grounded out (second to first); Hubbard
walked; Washington singled to left [Hubbard to second];
Washington was picked off first but was safe on an error by
Ashby [Hubbard scored, Washington to third]; Horner reached on
an error by Scott on a sacrifice fly [Washington scored, Horner
to second]; Murphy homered [Horner scored (unearned)]; Chambliss
flied out to center; Benedict doubled to center; Ramirez singled
to right [Benedict scored (unearned)]; Boggs struck out; 5 R (3
ER), 4 H, 2 E, 1 LOB.  Astros 0, Braves 5.

ASTROS 2ND: Knight walked; Howe grounded into a double play
(shortstop to second to first) [Knight out at second]; Reynolds
grounded out (first to pitcher); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Astros
0, Braves 5.

BRAVES 2ND: Butler was called out on strikes; Hubbard lined to
center; Washington singled to center; Horner forced Washington
(shortstop to second); 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Astros 0, Braves 5.

ASTROS 3RD: Sutton flied out to right; Puhl struck out; Garner
struck out; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Astros 0, Braves 5.

BRAVES 3RD: Murphy grounded out (shortstop to first); Chambliss
flied out to center; Benedict lined to left; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0
LOB.  Astros 0, Braves 5.

ASTROS 4TH: Scott grounded out (pitcher to first); Cruz grounded
out (first to pitcher); Ashby made an out to second; 0 R, 0 H, 0
E, 0 LOB.  Astros 0, Braves 5.

BRAVES 4TH: Ramirez flied out to center; Boggs made an out to
first; Butler struck out; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Astros 0,
Braves 5.

ASTROS 5TH: Knight struck out; Howe walked; Reynolds struck out;
IVIE BATTED FOR SUTTON; Ivie grounded out (second to first); 0
R, 0 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Astros 0, Braves 5.

BRAVES 5TH: LACOSS REPLACED IVIE (PITCHING); Hubbard singled to
center; Washington grounded into a double play (shortstop to
second to first) [Hubbard out at second]; Horner reached on an
error by Garner; Murphy singled to left [Horner to second];
Chambliss flied out to left; 0 R, 2 H, 1 E, 2 LOB.  Astros 0,
Braves 5.

ASTROS 6TH: Puhl grounded out (first to pitcher); Garner
grounded out (third to first); Scott popped to catcher in foul
territory; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Astros 0, Braves 5.

BRAVES 6TH: Benedict lined to left; Ramirez flied out to left;
Boggs flied out to center; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Astros 0,
Braves 5.

ASTROS 7TH: Cruz singled to right; Ashby singled to right [Cruz
to third]; Knight forced Ashby (pitcher to shortstop) [Cruz
scored]; Howe lined to right; Reynolds singled to center [Knight
to second]; HEEP BATTED FOR LACOSS; HRABOSKY REPLACED BOGGS
(PITCHING); KNICELY BATTED FOR HEEP; Knicely popped to catcher
in foul territory; 1 R, 3 H, 0 E, 2 LOB.  Astros 1, Braves 5.

BRAVES 7TH: LACORTE REPLACED KNICELY (PITCHING); Butler flied
out to left; Hubbard walked; Washington flied out to left;
Horner walked [Hubbard to second]; Murphy grounded out (third to
first); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 2 LOB.  Astros 1, Braves 5.

ASTROS 8TH: Puhl doubled to right; Garner struck out; Scott
flied out to center; Cruz grounded out (second to first); 0 R, 1
H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Astros 1, Braves 5.

BRAVES 8TH: Chambliss walked; Benedict singled to right
[Chambliss to third]; Ramirez grounded into a double play
(shortstop to second to first) [Chambliss scored, Benedict out
at second]; Hrabosky singled to center; Butler flied out to
center; 1 R, 2 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Astros 1, Braves 6.

ASTROS 9TH: Ashby flied out to left; Knight doubled to left;
Howe singled to left [Knight scored, Howe to second (on throw to
home)]; Reynolds grounded out (pitcher to first); THON BATTED
FOR LACORTE; Thon flied out to left; 1 R, 2 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.
Astros 2, Braves 6.