Continuing his comeback, Phil Niekro pitched the Braves to a 3-2 victory over the Cubs. The triumph was the second in successive complete games for the knuckleballer, who lost his first four decisions of season. Hank Aaron started the Braves' scoring with a homer in the first inning.

Sonny Jackson singled in the fifth, took the third on a wild pickoff throw by Joe Decker and counted on a sacrifice fly by Tony Gonzalez. The Braves added what proved to be winning run in the fifth when Rico Carty singled and scored on a double by Felix Millan. The Cubs' runs off Niekro came on homers by Decker and Billy Williams. [The Sporting News]



Atlanta Braves 3, Chicago Cubs 2
Game Played on Friday, May       1, 1970 (Night game) at Atlanta Stadium
Cubs         0  0  1    0  0  0    0  0  1  -   2  6  2
Braves       2  0  0    0  1  0    0  0  x  -   3  4  1


Cubs                 AB   R   H RBI    BB  SO    AVG      Braves               AB   R   H RBI    BB  SO    AVG
Kessinger ss          4   0   1   0     0   2   .300      Jackson ss            2   1   1   0     2   0   .319
Beckert 2b            4   0   1   0     0   0   .342      Gonzalez cf           3   0   0   1     0   1   .326
Williams lf           3   1   1   1     1   0   .276      H. Aaron rf           2   1   1   1     2   0   .341
Smith 1b              4   0   0   0     0   2   .250      Carty lf              3   1   1   0     1   0   .420
Callison rf           4   0   1   0     0   1   .310      Cepeda 1b             3   0   0   0     0   0   .358
Santo 3b              4   0   0   0     0   0   .214      Millan 2b             3   0   1   1     1   0   .304
Hall cf               3   0   1   0     0   2   .125      Boyer 3b              3   0   0   0     0   0   .176
Martin c              3   0   0   0     0   1   .135      Didier c              1   0   0   0     0   0   .192
Decker p              2   1   1   1     0   1   .286        Tillman c           2   0   0   0     0   2   .237
  Popovich ph         0   0   0   0     1   0   .250      Niekro p              2   0   0   0     0   1   .000
  James pr            0   0   0   0     0   0   .200
  Regan p             0   0   0   0     0   0   .000

Totals               31   2   6   2     2   9             Totals               24   3   4   3     6   4

Time of Game: 2:20   Attendance: 16,741
Left on Base: Cubs 4, Braves 6
DP: Cubs 2, Braves 1
Errors: Kessinger, Decker, Gonzalez
Doubles: Millan (2)
Home Runs: Decker (1), Williams (8), H. Aaron (9)
Stolen Bases: H. Aaron (2)
Caught Stealing: Callison (1)
Sacrifice Hits: Niekro (2)
Sacrifice Flies: Gonzalez (2)
GIDP: Beckert (1), Gonzalez (3), Millan (5)
Hit by Pitch: Cepeda (3,by Decker)


Cubs                   IP     H   R  ER  BB  SO  HR BFP    ERA
Decker L(1-1)           7     3   3   2   6   4   1  30   2.66
Regan                   1     1   0   0   0   0   0   3   3.00
Totals                  8     4   3   2   6   4   1  33

Braves                 IP     H   R  ER  BB  SO  HR BFP    ERA
Niekro W(2-4)           9     6   2   2   2   9   2  33   4.89
Totals                  9     6   2   2   2   9   2  33

Hit by Pitch: Decker (1)

Umpires: HP - Bob Engel, 1B - Harry Wendelstedt, 2B - Tony Venzon, 3B - Frank Secory


CUBS 1ST: Kessinger was called out on strikes; Beckert grounded
out (second to first); Williams walked; Smith flied out to
center; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Cubs 0, Braves 0.

BRAVES 1ST: Jackson walked; Gonzalez grounded into a double play
(second to shortstop to first) [Jackson out at second]; H. Aaron
homered; Carty walked; Cepeda was hit by a pitch [Carty to
second]; Millan doubled to left [Carty scored, Cepeda out at
home (left to shortstop to catcher)]; 2 R, 2 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.
Cubs 0, Braves 2.

CUBS 2ND: Callison singled to center; Callison was caught
stealing second (catcher to second); Santo flied out to right;
Hall singled to center; Martin popped to second; 0 R, 2 H, 0 E,
1 LOB.  Cubs 0, Braves 2.

BRAVES 2ND: Boyer grounded out (third to first); Didier reached
on an error by Kessinger [Didier to first]; Niekro out on a
sacrifice bunt (pitcher to second) [Didier to second]; Jackson
walked; Gonzalez struck out; 0 R, 0 H, 1 E, 2 LOB.  Cubs 0,
Braves 2.

CUBS 3RD: Decker homered; Kessinger singled to left; Beckert
grounded out (third to first) [Kessinger to second]; Williams
flied out to right [Kessinger to third]; Smith flied out to
right; Willie Smith's bat hit Bob Didier's head; 1 R, 2
H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Cubs 1, Braves 2.

BRAVES 3RD: H. Aaron walked; Carty flied to right in foul
territory; Cepeda grounded out (third to first) [H. Aaron to
second]; Millan reached on a fielder's choice [H. Aaron out at
third (shortstop to third)]; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Cubs 1,
Braves 2.

CUBS 4TH: TILLMAN REPLACED DIDIER (PLAYING C ); Callison
grounded out (pitcher to second to first); Santo popped to
shortstop; Hall struck out; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Cubs 1,
Braves 2.

BRAVES 4TH: Boyer flied out to left; Tillman was called out on
strikes; Niekro grounded out (shortstop to first); 0 R, 0 H, 0
E, 0 LOB.  Cubs 1, Braves 2.

CUBS 5TH: Martin popped to first in foul territory; Decker
struck out; Kessinger struck out; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Cubs 1,
Braves 2.

BRAVES 5TH: Jackson singled to center; Jackson was picked off
first but was safe on an error by Decker [Jackson to third];
Gonzalez hit a sacrifice fly to left [Jackson scored
(unearned)]; H. Aaron walked; H. Aaron stole second; Carty
grounded out (pitcher to first); Cepeda grounded out (pitcher to
second to first); 1 R (0 ER), 1 H, 1 E, 1 LOB.  Cubs 1, Braves 3.

CUBS 6TH: Beckert singled to center [Beckert to second (error by
Gonzalez)]; Williams grounded out (third to first); Smith struck
out; Callison struck out; 0 R, 1 H, 1 E, 1 LOB.  Cubs 1, Braves
3.

BRAVES 6TH: Millan walked; Boyer flied out to center; Tillman
struck out; Niekro was called out on strikes; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 1
LOB.  Cubs 1, Braves 3.

CUBS 7TH: Santo grounded out (third to first); Hall struck out;
Martin struck out; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Cubs 1, Braves 3.

BRAVES 7TH: Jackson flied out to left; Gonzalez grounded out
(second to first); H. Aaron popped to first in foul territory; 0
R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Cubs 1, Braves 3.

CUBS 8TH: POPOVICH BATTED FOR DECKER; Popovich walked; JAMES RAN
FOR POPOVICH; Kessinger forced James (second to shortstop);
Beckert grounded into a double play (third to second to first)
[Kessinger out at second]; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Cubs 1, Braves
3.

BRAVES 8TH: REGAN REPLACED JAMES (PITCHING); Carty singled to
third; Cepeda flied out to center; Millan grounded into a double
play (third to second to first) [Carty out at second]; 0 R, 1 H,
0 E, 0 LOB.  Cubs 1, Braves 3.

CUBS 9TH: Williams homered; Smith struck out; Callison grounded
out (second to first); Santo grounded out (third to first); 1 R,
1 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Cubs 2, Braves 3.