Atlanta Braves 5, Houston Astros 4
Regular Season Game 9
Played on Sunday, April 17, 1977 (D) at Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium

HOU N    0  0  1    2  0  0    1  0  0  -   4  8  2
ATL N    0  0  0    1  0  2    1  1  x  -   5  7  0
Houston Astros               AB   R   H RBI      BB  SO      PO   A
Sperring 2b                   5   0   1   0       0   1       4   2
Cabell 3b                     5   0   0   0       0   0       1   1
Cedeno cf                     3   1   0   0       1   1       3   0
Watson 1b                     4   1   2   0       0   1       8   0
Cruz rf                       4   0   2   1       0   2       1   0
Ferguson c                    3   0   1   0       1   1       5   1
  Gardner pr,lf               0   0   0   0       0   0       1   0
Johnson lf                    2   1   1   1       2   0       1   0
  Herrmann c                  0   0   0   0       0   0       0   0
Metzger ss                    3   1   1   0       1   0       0   1
Richard p                     2   0   0   0       0   0       0   1
  Crawford ph                 0   0   0   0       1   0       0   0
  Niekro p                    0   0   0   0       0   0       0   1
  Forsch p                    0   0   0   0       0   0       0   1
  Boswell ph                  1   0   0   0       0   0       0   0
Totals                       32   4   8   2       6   6      24   8

FIELDING - 
DP: 2. Sperring-Watson, Cabell-Watson.
E: Cabell (1), Ferguson (1).
PB: Ferguson 2 (4).

BATTING - 
2B: Metzger (2,off Niekro).
HR: Johnson (3,3rd inning off Niekro 0 on 0 out).
GDP: Cabell (3,off Niekro).
Team LOB: 7.

BASERUNNING - 
SB: Cruz (2,2nd base off Niekro/Pocoroba).
CS: Cruz (1,2nd base by Niekro/Pocoroba).

Atlanta Braves               AB   R   H RBI      BB  SO      PO   A
Office cf                     4   0   1   0       0   0       5   0
Royster 3b                    2   1   0   1       1   0       0   1
Montanez 1b                   4   2   2   0       0   1       7   0
Burroughs rf                  3   0   1   1       1   1       0   0
  Camp p                      0   0   0   0       0   0       0   0
Matthews lf                   3   1   1   0       1   2       1   0
Pocoroba c                    1   0   0   1       1   0       6   1
Gilbreath 2b                  3   0   1   1       1   0       4   3
Rockett ss                    3   1   0   0       1   0       1   4
Niekro p                      2   0   1   0       0   0       1   0
  Moore ph                    0   0   0   0       0   0       0   0
  Marshall p                  0   0   0   0       0   0       0   0
  Asselstine ph,rf            1   0   0   0       0   0       2   0
Totals                       26   5   7   4       6   4      27   9

FIELDING - 
DP: 2. Rockett-Gilbreath, Gilbreath-Montanez.
PB: Pocoroba 2 (2).

BATTING - 
2B: Montanez (1,off Richard); Gilbreath (1,off Forsch).
SH: Moore (1,off Niekro); Pocoroba (1,off Forsch).
SF: Pocoroba (1,off Richard); Royster (1,off Niekro).
GDP: Office (2,off Richard); Gilbreath (2,off Richard).
Team LOB: 7.

PITCHING
Houston Astros               IP     H   R  ER  BB  SO  HR BFP
Richard                       6     3   3   1   5   4   0  25
Niekro                        0.2   2   1   1   1   0   0   5
Forsch L(2-1)                 1.1   2   1   1   0   0   0   6
Totals                        8     7   5   3   6   4   0  36

WP: Richard (1).
Inherited Runners - Scored: Forsch 2-0.
.

Atlanta Braves               IP     H   R  ER  BB  SO  HR BFP
Niekro                        7     7   4   4   5   4   1  30
Marshall W(1-0)               1     1   0   0   1   1   0   5
Camp SV(3)                    1     0   0   0   0   1   0   3
Totals                        9     8   4   4   6   6   1  38


Umpires: HP - Terry Tata, 1B - Ed Sudol, 2B - Dick Stello, 3B - Bruce Froemming
Time of Game: 2:42   Attendance: 11024


Starting Lineups:

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

ASTROS 1ST: Sperring grounded out (third to first); Cabell
grounded out (second to first); Cedeno grounded out (shortstop
to first); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Astros 0, Braves 0.

BRAVES 1ST: Office flied out to left; Royster grounded out
(shortstop to first); Montanez struck out; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.
 Astros 0, Braves 0.

ASTROS 2ND: Watson struck out; Cruz singled; Cruz was caught
stealing second (catcher to second); Ferguson flied out to left;
0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Astros 0, Braves 0.

BRAVES 2ND: Burroughs walked; Ferguson allowed a passed ball
[Burroughs to second]; Matthews struck out (catcher to first);
Pocoroba grounded out (second to first) [Burroughs to third];
Gilbreath grounded out (pitcher to first); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.
 Astros 0, Braves 0.

ASTROS 3RD: Johnson homered; Metzger grounded out (second to
first); Richard grounded out (shortstop to first); Sperring made
an out to second; 1 R, 1 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Astros 1, Braves 0.

BRAVES 3RD: Rockett made an out to catcher; Niekro flied out to
right; Office made an out to second; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB. 
Astros 1, Braves 0.

ASTROS 4TH: Cabell flied out to center; Cedeno walked; Watson
singled [Cedeno to second]; Cruz singled [Cedeno scored, Watson
to third]; Cruz stole second; Pocoroba allowed a passed ball
[Watson scored, Cruz to third]; Bob Watson scored on close
play that was rerun on the scoreboard causing a storm of boos;
the umpires left the field and returned after assurance that no
more close plays would be shown; Ferguson struck out;
Johnson walked; Metzger walked [Johnson to second]; Richard made
an out to pitcher; 2 R, 2 H, 0 E, 3 LOB.  Astros 3, Braves 0.

BRAVES 4TH: Royster made an out to first; Montanez doubled;
Richard threw a wild pitch [Montanez to third]; Ferguson allowed
a passed ball [Montanez scored (unearned)]; Burroughs struck
out; Matthews was called out on strikes; 1 R (0 ER), 1 H, 0 E, 0
LOB.  Astros 3, Braves 1.

ASTROS 5TH: Sperring flied out to center; Cabell grounded out
(shortstop to first); Cedeno flied out to center; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E,
0 LOB.  Astros 3, Braves 1.

BRAVES 5TH: Pocoroba walked; Gilbreath walked [Pocoroba to
second]; Rockett made an out to catcher; Niekro singled
[Pocoroba to third, Gilbreath to second]; Office grounded into a
double play (second to first) [Niekro out at second]; 0 R, 1 H,
0 E, 2 LOB.  Astros 3, Braves 1.

ASTROS 6TH: Watson singled; Pocoroba allowed a passed ball
[Watson to second]; Cruz struck out; Ferguson walked; Johnson
hit into a double play (shortstop to second) [Watson out at
third]; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Astros 3, Braves 1.

BRAVES 6TH: Royster walked; Montanez reached on an error by
Ferguson [Royster to second, Montanez to first]; Burroughs
singled [Royster scored (unearned), Montanez to second];
Matthews walked [Montanez to third, Burroughs to second];
Pocoroba hit a sacrifice fly to center [Montanez scored];
Gilbreath grounded into a double play (third to first)
[Burroughs out at third]; 2 R (1 ER), 1 H, 1 E, 1 LOB.  Astros
3, Braves 3.

ASTROS 7TH: Metzger doubled; CRAWFORD BATTED FOR RICHARD;
Crawford walked; Sperring singled [Metzger to third, Crawford to
second]; Cabell grounded into a double play (second to first)
[Metzger scored (no RBI), Crawford to third, Sperring out at
second]; Cedeno struck out; 1 R, 2 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Astros 4,
Braves 3.

BRAVES 7TH: NIEKRO REPLACED CRAWFORD (PITCHING); Rockett walked;
MOORE BATTED FOR NIEKRO; Moore out on a sacrifice bunt (pitcher
to second) [Rockett to second]; Office singled [Rockett to
third]; Royster hit a sacrifice fly to center [Rockett scored];
Montanez singled [Office to third]; FORSCH REPLACED NIEKRO
(PITCHING); Burroughs flied out to center; 1 R, 2 H, 0 E, 2 LOB.
 Astros 4, Braves 4.

ASTROS 8TH: MARSHALL REPLACED MOORE (PITCHING); Watson flied out
to center; Cruz was called out on strikes; Ferguson singled;
GARDNER RAN FOR FERGUSON; Johnson walked [Gardner to second];
Metzger flied out to center; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 2 LOB.  Astros 4,
Braves 4.

BRAVES 8TH: GARDNER STAYED IN GAME (PLAYING LF); HERRMANN
REPLACED JOHNSON (PLAYING C ); Matthews singled; Pocoroba out on
a sacrifice bunt (pitcher to second) [Matthews to second];
Gilbreath doubled [Matthews scored]; Rockett reached on an error
by Cabell [Gilbreath stayed at second, Rockett to first];
Rockett was out trying to advance to second (first
unassisted); Bob Watson caught Pat Rockett with the hidden
ball trick; ASSELSTINE BATTED FOR MARSHALL; Asselstine flied
out to left; 1 R, 2 H, 1 E, 1 LOB.  Astros 4, Braves 5.

ASTROS 9TH: ASSELSTINE STAYED IN GAME (PLAYING RF); CAMP
REPLACED BURROUGHS (PITCHING); BOSWELL BATTED FOR FORSCH;
Boswell flied out to right; Sperring was called out on strikes;
Cabell flied out to right; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Astros 4,
Braves 5.

Final Totals      R   H   E  LOB
 Astros           4   8   2    7
 Braves           5   7   0    7


Data courtesy of Retrosheet