Houston Astros 3, Atlanta Braves 2 (11 innings)
Regular Season Game 1
Played on Friday, April 8, 1977 (N) at Astrodome

ATL N    2  0  0    0  0  0    0  0  0    0  0  -   2  8  2
HOU N    1  0  0    0  0  1    0  0  0    0  1  -   3  8  0
Atlanta Braves               AB   R   H RBI      BB  SO      PO   A
Office cf                     5   1   1   0       0   1       2   0
Royster 3b                    5   0   1   0       0   1       0   1
Montanez 1b                   5   0   1   0       0   0      11   0
Burroughs rf                  5   1   2   2       0   2       4   0
Matthews lf                   5   0   1   0       0   2       0   0
Pocoroba c                    4   0   0   0       0   1       9   1
Gilbreath 2b                  3   0   2   0       1   1       3   2
Rockett ss                    4   0   0   0       0   0       1   3
Messersmith p                 2   0   0   0       1   0       0   3
  Asselstine ph               1   0   0   0       0   0       0   0
  Johnson p                   0   0   0   0       0   0       0   0
Totals                       39   2   8   2       2   8      30  10

FIELDING - 
DP: 1. Montanez.
E: Gilbreath (1), Messersmith (1).

BATTING - 
2B: Office (1,off Richard).
HR: Burroughs (1,1st inning off Richard 1 on 2 out).
GDP: Rockett (1,off Richard); Matthews (1,off Forsch).
Team LOB: 6.

BASERUNNING - 
SB: Royster (1,2nd base off Richard/Ferguson); Matthews (1,2nd base off Richard/Ferguson).

Houston Astros               AB   R   H RBI      BB  SO      PO   A
Gonzalez 2b                   5   1   2   0       0   0       1   4
Cabell 3b                     4   0   1   0       1   0       0   3
Cruz rf                       3   0   0   1       1   1       3   0
Watson 1b                     4   1   1   0       1   0       9   1
Crawford lf                   5   0   1   1       0   1       2   0
  Howard lf                   0   0   0   0       0   0       0   0
Ferguson c                    5   1   2   1       0   0       9   0
Gardner cf                    3   0   0   0       1   2       5   0
Metzger ss                    3   0   1   0       0   2       2   1
  Forsch p                    0   0   0   0       0   0       0   0
Richard p                     2   0   0   0       0   1       2   2
  Sperring ss                 1   0   0   0       0   1       0   0
Totals                       35   3   8   3       4   8      33  11

FIELDING - 
DP: 2. Gonzalez-Metzger-Watson, Cabell-Gonzalez-Watson.

BATTING - 
2B: Crawford (1,off Messersmith).
3B: Watson (1,off Messersmith).
HR: Ferguson (1,11th inning off Johnson 0 on 0 out).
SH: Richard (1,off Messersmith); Metzger (1,off Messersmith).
SF: Cruz (1,off Messersmith).
Team LOB: 9.

BASERUNNING - 
SB: Gonzalez (1,2nd base off Messersmith/Pocoroba).
CS: Cabell (1,2nd base by Messersmith/Pocoroba).

PITCHING
Atlanta Braves               IP     H   R  ER  BB  SO  HR BFP
Messersmith                   9     6   2   2   2   7   0  35
Johnson L(0-1)                1     2   1   1   2   1   1   7
Totals                       10     8   3   3   4   8   1  42

Johnson faced 1 batter in the 11th inning

Houston Astros               IP     H   R  ER  BB  SO  HR BFP
Richard                       9     7   2   2   2   7   1  35
Forsch W(1-0)                 2     1   0   0   0   1   0   6
Totals                       11     8   2   2   2   8   1  41


Umpires: HP - Lee Weyer, 1B - Art Williams, 2B - Paul Runge, 3B - Ed Montague
Time of Game: 2:56   Attendance: 25781


Starting Lineups:

   Atlanta Braves                Houston Astros           
1. Office              cf        Gonzalez            2b
2. Royster             3b        Cabell              3b
3. Montanez            1b        Cruz                rf
4. Burroughs           rf        Watson              1b
5. Matthews            lf        Crawford            lf
6. Pocoroba            c         Ferguson            c
7. Gilbreath           2b        Gardner             cf
8. Rockett             ss        Metzger             ss
9. Messersmith         p         Richard             p

BRAVES 1ST: Office doubled to left; Royster flied out to center;
Montanez flied out to center; Burroughs homered [Office scored];
Matthews grounded out (third to first); 2 R, 2 H, 0 E, 0 LOB. 
Braves 2, Astros 0.

ASTROS 1ST: Gonzalez singled; Debut game for Julio
Gonzalez; Cabell singled [Gonzalez to third]; Cabell was
caught stealing second (catcher to shortstop); Cruz hit a
sacrifice fly to right [Gonzalez scored]; Watson grounded out
(pitcher to first); 1 R, 2 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Braves 2, Astros 1.

BRAVES 2ND: Pocoroba grounded out (pitcher unassisted);
Gilbreath walked; Rockett grounded into a double play (second to
shortstop to first) [Gilbreath out at second]; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0
LOB.  Braves 2, Astros 1.

ASTROS 2ND: Crawford struck out; Ferguson singled; Gardner flied
out to right; Metzger struck out; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Braves
2, Astros 1.

BRAVES 3RD: Messersmith flied out to right; Office grounded out
(pitcher to first); Royster flied out to right; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0
LOB.  Braves 2, Astros 1.

ASTROS 3RD: Richard struck out; Gonzalez reached on an error by
Gilbreath [Gonzalez to first]; Gonzalez stole second; Cabell
flied out to right; Cruz grounded out (shortstop to first); 0 R,
0 H, 1 E, 1 LOB.  Braves 2, Astros 1.

BRAVES 4TH: Montanez grounded out (first to pitcher); Burroughs
was called out on strikes; Matthews was called out on strikes; 0
R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Braves 2, Astros 1.

ASTROS 4TH: Watson flied out to center; Crawford grounded out
(second to first); Ferguson grounded out (shortstop to first); 0
R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Braves 2, Astros 1.

BRAVES 5TH: Pocoroba made an out to shortstop; Gilbreath struck
out; Rockett flied out to left; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Braves 2,
Astros 1.

ASTROS 5TH: Gardner struck out; Metzger singled; Richard reached
on an error by Messersmith on a sacrifice bunt [Metzger to
second, Richard to first]; Gonzalez lined into a double play
(first unassisted) [Richard out at first]; 0 R, 1 H, 1 E, 1 LOB.
 Braves 2, Astros 1.

BRAVES 6TH: Messersmith flied out to center; Office grounded out
(pitcher to first); Royster singled; Royster stole second;
Montanez singled [Royster to third]; Burroughs grounded out
(second to first); 0 R, 2 H, 0 E, 2 LOB.  Braves 2, Astros 1.

ASTROS 6TH: Cabell lined to second; Cruz walked; Watson forced
Cruz (shortstop to second); Crawford doubled [Watson scored];
Ferguson made an out to first; 1 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Braves 2,
Astros 2.

BRAVES 7TH: Matthews singled; Matthews stole second; Pocoroba
struck out; Gilbreath singled [Matthews to third]; Rockett
reached on a fielder's choice [Matthews out at home (third to
catcher), Gilbreath to second]; Messersmith walked [Gilbreath to
third, Rockett to second]; Office struck out; 0 R, 2 H, 0 E, 3
LOB.  Braves 2, Astros 2.

ASTROS 7TH: Gardner walked; Metzger out on a sacrifice bunt
(pitcher to second) [Gardner to second]; Richard grounded out
(second to first) [Gardner to third]; Gonzalez grounded out
(third to first); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Braves 2, Astros 2.

BRAVES 8TH: Royster made an out to first; Montanez grounded out
(first unassisted); Burroughs struck out; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB. 
Braves 2, Astros 2.

ASTROS 8TH: Cabell grounded out (pitcher to first); Cruz struck
out; Watson tripled; Crawford lined to center; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1
LOB.  Braves 2, Astros 2.

BRAVES 9TH: Matthews struck out; Pocoroba flied out to center;
Gilbreath singled; Rockett flied out to left; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1
LOB.  Braves 2, Astros 2.

ASTROS 9TH: Ferguson flied out to right; Gardner struck out;
Metzger was called out on strikes; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Braves
2, Astros 2.

BRAVES 10TH: FORSCH REPLACED METZGER (PITCHING); SPERRING
REPLACED RICHARD (PLAYING SS); ASSELSTINE BATTED FOR
MESSERSMITH; Asselstine flied out to center; Office flied out to
right; Royster struck out; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Braves 2,
Astros 2.

ASTROS 10TH: JOHNSON REPLACED ASSELSTINE (PITCHING); Sperring
struck out; Gonzalez singled; Cabell walked [Gonzalez to
second]; Cruz made an out to catcher; Watson walked [Gonzalez to
third, Cabell to second]; Crawford grounded out (first
unassisted); 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 3 LOB.  Braves 2, Astros 2.

BRAVES 11TH: HOWARD REPLACED CRAWFORD (PLAYING LF); Montanez
grounded out (second to first); Burroughs singled; Matthews
grounded into a double play (third to second to first)
[Burroughs out at second]; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Braves 2,
Astros 2.

ASTROS 11TH: Ferguson homered; 1 R, 1 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Braves 2,
Astros 3.

Final Totals      R   H   E  LOB
 Braves           2   8   2    6
 Astros           3   8   0    9


Data courtesy of Retrosheet