Erupting for five runs in the sixth inning, the rampaging Braves posted their ninth straight triumph, 5-3 over the Astros. The Braves trailed, 3-0, when Bruce Benedict led off the sixth with a double and Rafael Ramirez walked. Both runners advanced on an infield out and scored on a single by Brett Butler.

Butler then stole second, reached third on an infield out and came home on a wild pitch for the tying run. Dale Murphy walked and tallied on a double by Bob Horner. Dave Smith then replaced Nolan Ryan, now 0-3, on the hill for the Astros and threw wildly to first on Chris Chambliss' slow roller, permitting Horner to score. [The Sporting News]



Atlanta Braves 5, Houston Astros 3
Game Played on Friday, April     16, 1982 (Night game) at Astrodome
Braves       0  0  0    0  0  5    0  0  0  -   5  6  0
Astros       0  0  0    3  0  0    0  0  0  -   3  9  1


Braves               AB   R   H RBI    BB  SO    AVG      Astros               AB   R   H RBI    BB  SO    AVG
Butler cf             4   1   1   2     0   1   .250      Garner 2b             5   0   1   0     0   1   .158
Hubbard 2b            4   0   0   0     0   1   .226      Puhl rf               3   0   0   0     1   0   .195
Murphy rf             2   1   0   0     2   0   .276      Scott cf              4   1   1   0     0   1   .175
Horner 3b             4   1   1   1     0   1   .233      Cruz lf               4   1   1   0     0   1   .278
Chambliss 1b          4   0   1   0     0   1   .281      Ashby c               4   1   2   2     0   2   .414
Linares lf            4   0   1   0     0   2   .538      Knight 3b             4   0   0   0     0   3   .278
Benedict c            4   1   2   0     0   0   .281      Howe 1b               3   0   2   1     1   1   .281
Ramirez ss            3   1   0   0     1   0   .382      Thon ss               3   0   1   0     1   1   .333
Mahler p              1   0   0   0     0   0   .000      Ryan p                2   0   1   0     0   0   .333
  McWilliams p        0   0   0   0     0   0   .500        Smith p             0   0   0   0     0   0   .000
  Pocoroba ph         1   0   0   0     0   0   .000        Walling ph          1   0   0   0     0   0   .000
  Bedrosian p         1   0   0   0     1   0   .000        LaCoss p            0   0   0   0     0   0   .000
  Camp p              0   0   0   0     0   0   .000        Heep ph             1   0   0   0     0   1   .250

Totals               32   5   6   3     4   6             Totals               34   3   9   3     3  11

Time of Game: 2:32   Attendance: 26,513
Left on Base: Braves 4, Astros 7
DP: Braves 1, Astros 0
Errors: Smith
Doubles: Benedict (4), Horner (3), Ashby (1)
Stolen Bases: Butler (5)
Caught Stealing: Benedict (1), Murphy (2)
GIDP: Garner (1)


Braves                 IP     H   R  ER  BB  SO  HR BFP    ERA
Mahler                  4.1   7   3   3   1   4   0  20   1.21
McWilliams W(2-0)       0.2   0   0   0   0   1   0   2   5.40
Bedrosian               3     1   0   0   2   5   0  12   4.05
Camp SV(2)              1     1   0   0   0   1   0   3   1.42
Totals                  9     9   3   3   3  11   0  37

Astros                 IP     H   R  ER  BB  SO  HR BFP    ERA
Ryan L(0-3)             5.2   4   5   4   2   6   0  22   7.90
Smith                   0.1   0   0   0   0   0   0   2   1.69
LaCoss                  3     2   0   0   2   0   0  12   3.38
Totals                  9     6   5   4   4   6   0  36

Passed Balls: Benedict (1)
Wild Pitches: Ryan (2)

Umpires: HP - Joe West, 1B - Bill Williams, 2B - John McSherry, 3B - Dutch Rennert


BRAVES 1ST: Butler was called out on strikes; Hubbard made an
out to first; Murphy made an out to third; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.
 Braves 0, Astros 0.

ASTROS 1ST: Garner flied out to center; Puhl made an out to
second; Scott grounded out (second to first); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0
LOB.  Braves 0, Astros 0.

BRAVES 2ND: Horner was called out on strikes; Chambliss grounded
out (pitcher to first); Linares struck out; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0
LOB.  Braves 0, Astros 0.

ASTROS 2ND: Cruz was called out on strikes; Ashby singled to
left; Knight struck out; Howe struck out; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.
Braves 0, Astros 0.

BRAVES 3RD: Benedict singled to shortstop; Benedict was caught
stealing second (catcher to shortstop); Ramirez grounded out
(pitcher to first); Mahler grounded out (pitcher to first); 0 R,
1 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Braves 0, Astros 0.

ASTROS 3RD: Thon grounded out (shortstop to first); Ryan
grounded out (second to first); Garner flied out to right; 0 R,
0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Braves 0, Astros 0.

BRAVES 4TH: Butler flied out to center; Hubbard struck out;
Murphy grounded out (third to first); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.
Braves 0, Astros 0.

ASTROS 4TH: Puhl flied out to center; Scott singled to right;
Cruz singled to right [Scott to third]; Ashby doubled to center
[Scott scored, Cruz scored]; Knight grounded out (shortstop to
first) [Ashby to third]; Howe singled to center [Ashby scored,
Howe out at second (center to second)]; 3 R, 4 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.
Braves 0, Astros 3.

BRAVES 5TH: Horner grounded out (third to first); Chambliss was
called out on strikes; Linares struck out; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.
 Braves 0, Astros 3.

ASTROS 5TH: Thon struck out; Ryan singled to pitcher; Garner
singled to left [Ryan to second]; Puhl walked [Ryan to third,
Garner to second]; MCWILLIAMS REPLACED MAHLER (PITCHING); Scott
struck out; Cruz flied out to right; 0 R, 2 H, 0 E, 3 LOB.
Braves 0, Astros 3.

BRAVES 6TH: Benedict doubled to left; Ramirez walked; POCOROBA
BATTED FOR MCWILLIAMS; Pocoroba grounded out (first unassisted)
[Benedict to third, Ramirez to second]; Butler singled to left
[Benedict scored, Ramirez scored]; Butler stole second; Hubbard
grounded out (second to first) [Butler to third]; Ryan threw a
wild pitch [Butler scored]; Murphy walked; Horner doubled to
left [Murphy scored]; SMITH REPLACED RYAN (PITCHING); Chambliss
reached on an error by Smith [Horner scored (unearned) (no RBI),
Chambliss to second]; Linares grounded out (pitcher unassisted);
5 R (4 ER), 3 H, 1 E, 1 LOB.  Braves 5, Astros 3.

ASTROS 6TH: BEDROSIAN REPLACED POCOROBA (PITCHING); Ashby was
called out on strikes; Knight struck out; Howe singled to left;
Benedict allowed a passed ball [Howe to second]; Thon walked;
WALLING BATTED FOR SMITH; Walling flied out to left; 0 R, 1 H, 0
E, 2 LOB.  Braves 5, Astros 3.

BRAVES 7TH: LACOSS REPLACED WALLING (PITCHING); Benedict
grounded out (shortstop to first); Ramirez grounded out (second
to first); Bedrosian walked; Butler forced Bedrosian (shortstop
to second); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Braves 5, Astros 3.

ASTROS 7TH: Garner struck out; Puhl flied out to center; Scott
flied out to right; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Braves 5, Astros 3.

BRAVES 8TH: Hubbard flied to right in foul territory; Murphy
walked; Murphy was caught stealing second (catcher to second);
Horner flied out to right; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Braves 5,
Astros 3.

ASTROS 8TH: Cruz flied out to left; Ashby struck out; Knight
struck out; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Braves 5, Astros 3.

BRAVES 9TH: Chambliss singled to right; Linares singled to
center [Chambliss to second]; Benedict flied out to center;
Ramirez flied out to right; Bedrosian grounded out (pitcher
unassisted); 0 R, 2 H, 0 E, 2 LOB.  Braves 5, Astros 3.

ASTROS 9TH: Howe walked; CAMP REPLACED BEDROSIAN (PITCHING);
Thon singled to center [Howe to third]; HEEP BATTED FOR LACOSS;
Heep was called out on strikes; Garner grounded into a double
play (third to second to first) [Thon out at second]; 0 R, 1 H,
0 E, 1 LOB.  Braves 5, Astros 3.