The Braves marked the return of Ron Reed by sweeping over the Astros in a twi-night doubleheader, 7-6 and 4-2. Reed, who had been out of action since suffering a fractured shoulder in spring training, pitched the last six innings of the opener in relief of Mike McQueen and received credit for the victory. Rico Carty hit a two-run homer for the Braves and Bob Watson smacked a similar blow for the Astros.

McQueen was lifted after walking two batters with none out in the fourth. Marty Martinez singled off Reed to drive in one run and Jesus Alou batted in two more with a double, sending the Astros ahead, 6-4, but Reed allowed only one more hit the rest of the way. Four walks and a grounder by Clete Boyer produced the tying run in the fifth and the Braves added the deciding run in the seventh when Orlando Cepeda walked and Boyer doubled.

In the nightcap, Boyer scored the Braves' first run and batted in the second with a single. Hank Aaron then provided the winning blow, hitting a homer with a man on base in the fifth. Doug Rader accounted for the Astros' runs with a pair of homers. [The Sporting News]



Atlanta Braves 7, Houston Astros 6 (Game 1)
Game Played on Friday, June      19, 1970 (Night game) at Atlanta Stadium
Astros       0  2  1    3  0  0    0  0  0  -   6  9  1
Braves       2  1  1    0  2  0    1  0  x  -   7 10  0


Astros               AB   R   H RBI    BB  SO    AVG      Braves               AB   R   H RBI    BB  SO    AVG
Torres ss             2   0   0   0     0   0   .229      Garrido ss            5   1   1   1     0   0   .336
  Martinez ph,ss      3   1   1   1     0   0   .282      Millan 2b             4   1   1   0     1   0   .295
Alou rf               5   1   3   2     0   1   .277      H. Aaron rf           4   1   1   0     0   0   .307
Wynn cf               4   0   1   0     0   2   .288      Carty lf              4   2   1   2     1   0   .393
Davis lf              4   0   1   1     0   0   .294      Cepeda 1b             2   1   1   0     2   0   .296
Menke 2b              4   1   1   0     0   0   .328      Gonzalez cf           3   0   2   2     1   0   .240
Watson 1b             4   1   1   2     0   0   .200      Boyer 3b              4   0   1   2     0   0   .190
Rader 3b              2   1   0   0     2   0   .233      Didier c              4   1   1   0     0   2   .156
Bryant c              2   1   1   0     1   0   .235      McQueen p             1   0   1   0     0   0   .500
  Lampard ph          1   0   0   0     0   0   .234        Reed p              3   0   0   0     0   0   .000
  Edwards c           0   0   0   0     0   0   .167
Billingham p          0   0   0   0     0   0   .063
  Cook p              0   0   0   0     0   0   .500
  Ray p               1   0   0   0     0   1   .231
  Gladding p          0   0   0   0     0   0   .000
  Miller ph           1   0   0   0     0   0   .280

Totals               33   6   9   6     3   4             Totals               34   7  10   7     5   2

Time of Game: 2:50
Left on Base: Astros 5, Braves 9
DP: Astros 1, Braves 0
Errors: Menke
Doubles: Menke (14), Davis (12), Alou (9), Didier (1), Boyer (7)
Home Runs: Watson (1), Carty (16)
Stolen Bases: Gonzalez (2)
Caught Stealing: Davis (3)
Sacrifice Hits: Billingham 2 (2)
GIDP: Millan (10)
Hit by Pitch: H. Aaron (1,by Billingham)


Astros                 IP     H   R  ER  BB  SO  HR BFP    ERA
Billingham              4.1   6   6   4   3   1   1  23   3.65
Cook                    0     0   0   0   1   0   0   1   3.44
Ray L(3-3)              2     3   1   1   1   1   0  10   4.47
Gladding                1.2   1   0   0   0   0   0   6   3.19
Totals                  8    10   7   5   5   2   1  40

Braves                 IP     H   R  ER  BB  SO  HR BFP    ERA
McQueen                 3     6   5   5   2   1   1  17  10.13
Reed W(1-0)             6     3   1   1   1   3   0  21   1.50
Totals                  9     9   6   6   3   4   1  38

Hit by Pitch: Billingham (2)

Umpires: HP - Paul Pryor, 1B - Dick Stello, 2B - Al Barlick, 3B - Ed Vargo


ASTROS 1ST: Torres made an out to catcher; Alou singled to left;
Wynn forced Alou (third to second); Davis grounded out (third to
first); 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Astros 0, Braves 0.

BRAVES 1ST: Garrido reached on an error by Menke [Garrido to
first]; Millan grounded out (third to first) [Garrido to
second]; H. Aaron made an out to catcher; Carty homered
(unearned) [Garrido scored (unearned)]; Cepeda singled to right;
Gonzalez made an out to pitcher; 2 R (0 ER), 2 H, 1 E, 1 LOB.
Astros 0, Braves 2.

ASTROS 2ND: Menke doubled to left; Watson homered [Menke
scored]; Rader grounded out (third to first); Bryant singled to
center; Billingham out on a sacrifice bunt (first to second)
[Bryant to second]; Torres grounded out (third to first); 2 R, 3
H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Astros 2, Braves 2.

BRAVES 2ND: Boyer grounded out (shortstop to first); Didier
doubled to center; McQueen singled to center [Didier to third];
Garrido singled to right [Didier scored, McQueen to second];
Millan grounded into a double play (third to second to first)
[Garrido out at second]; 1 R, 3 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Astros 2, Braves
3.

ASTROS 3RD: Alou singled to center; Wynn struck out; Davis
doubled to left [Alou scored]; Menke flied out to left; Watson
grounded out (third to first); 1 R, 2 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Astros 3,
Braves 3.

BRAVES 3RD: H. Aaron was hit by a pitch; Carty grounded out
(shortstop to first) [H. Aaron to second]; Cepeda grounded out
(second to first) [H. Aaron to third]; Gonzalez singled [H.
Aaron scored]; Gonzalez stole second; Boyer flied out to center;
1 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Astros 3, Braves 4.

ASTROS 4TH: Rader walked; Bryant walked [Rader to second]; REED
REPLACED MCQUEEN (PITCHING); Billingham out on a sacrifice bunt
(pitcher to second) [Rader to third, Bryant to second]; MARTINEZ
BATTED FOR TORRES; Martinez singled to left [Rader scored,
Bryant to third]; Alou doubled to left [Bryant scored, Martinez
scored]; Wynn struck out; Davis grounded out (pitcher to first);
3 R, 2 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Astros 6, Braves 4.

BRAVES 4TH: MARTINEZ STAYED IN GAME (PLAYING SS); Didier struck
out; Reed grounded out (third to first); Garrido grounded out
(shortstop to first); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Astros 6, Braves 4.

ASTROS 5TH: Menke grounded out (third to first); Watson grounded
out (pitcher to first); Rader walked; Bryant flied out to right;
0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Astros 6, Braves 4.

BRAVES 5TH: Millan walked; H. Aaron grounded out (shortstop to
first) [Millan to second]; Carty walked; Cepeda walked [Millan
to third, Carty to second]; COOK REPLACED BILLINGHAM (PITCHING);
Gonzalez walked [Millan scored, Carty to third, Cepeda to
second]; RAY REPLACED COOK (PITCHING); Boyer forced Gonzalez
(second to shortstop) [Carty scored, Cepeda to third]; Didier
struck out; 2 R, 0 H, 0 E, 2 LOB.  Astros 6, Braves 6.

ASTROS 6TH: Ray struck out; Martinez grounded out (shortstop to
first); Alou made an out to third; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Astros
6, Braves 6.

BRAVES 6TH: Reed grounded out (third to first); Garrido grounded
out (third to first); Millan singled to left; H. Aaron flied out
to center; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Astros 6, Braves 6.

ASTROS 7TH: Wynn singled to left; Davis forced Wynn (shortstop
to second); Davis was caught stealing second (catcher to
shortstop); Menke grounded out (shortstop to first); 0 R, 1 H, 0
E, 0 LOB.  Astros 6, Braves 6.

BRAVES 7TH: Carty made an out to shortstop; Cepeda walked;
Gonzalez singled to center [Cepeda to third]; Boyer doubled to
right [Cepeda scored, Gonzalez to third]; GLADDING REPLACED RAY
(PITCHING); Didier reached on a fielder's choice [Gonzalez out
at home (second to catcher), Boyer to third]; Reed flied out to
right; 1 R, 2 H, 0 E, 2 LOB.  Astros 6, Braves 7.

ASTROS 8TH: Watson made an out to second; Rader grounded out
(third to first); LAMPARD BATTED FOR BRYANT; Lampard grounded
out (second to first); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Astros 6, Braves 7.

BRAVES 8TH: EDWARDS REPLACED LAMPARD (PLAYING C ); Garrido
grounded out (second to first); Millan flied out to left; H.
Aaron singled to center; Carty grounded out (third to first); 0
R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Astros 6, Braves 7.

ASTROS 9TH: MILLER BATTED FOR GLADDING; Miller grounded out
(second to first); Martinez grounded out (shortstop to first);
Alou struck out; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Astros 6, Braves 7.