For the first time this season the Astros hit two homers in one game in the Astrodome, but they lost nevertheless to the Braves, 5-4. The Braves scored three runs in the first inning, two counting on a double by Zoilo Versalles. Oscar Brown batted in their other pair with a single in the fifth.

The Astros had an inside-the-park homer by Cesar Cedeno in the first and a drive into the seats by Bob Watson in the fourth. After adding two runs in the seventh, the Astros were stopped by the relief pitching of Cecil Upshaw, who saved the victory for Phil Niekro, allowing one hit in the last 2 1/3 innings. [The Sporting News]



Atlanta Braves 5, Houston Astros 4
Game Played on Tuesday, June      29, 1971 (Night game) at Astrodome
Braves       3  0  0    0  2  0    0  0  0  -   5  9  0
Astros       1  0  0    1  0  0    2  0  0  -   4  8  0


Braves               AB   R   H RBI    BB  SO    AVG      Astros               AB   R   H RBI    BB  SO    AVG
Millan 2b             2   0   1   0     0   0   .310      Metzger ss            3   0   0   0     0   1   .216
  Garrido 2b          2   0   0   0     0   0   .159        Edwards ph,c        1   0   0   0     0   0   .215
Jackson cf            4   1   1   0     1   2   .266      Morgan 2b             3   0   0   0     1   0   .246
H. Aaron 1b           4   1   2   0     0   1   .308      Cedeno cf             4   1   1   1     0   1   .241
Evans 3b              4   1   2   1     0   0   .284      Watson lf,1b          4   1   1   1     0   1   .290
Lum rf                3   2   1   0     1   1   .253      Menke 1b,ss           4   1   1   0     0   0   .253
Brown lf              4   0   1   2     0   0   .182      Rader 3b              4   0   2   0     0   0   .229
Versalles ss          4   0   1   2     0   1   .275      Wynn rf               4   1   1   1     0   0   .203
Didier c              4   0   0   0     0   0   .224      Hiatt c               2   0   1   0     1   0   .367
Niekro p              3   0   0   0     0   1   .111        Geronimo pr,lf      1   0   0   0     0   1   .238
  Upshaw p            1   0   0   0     0   0   .000      Billingham p          1   0   0   0     0   0   .121
                                                            Harris p            0   0   0   0     0   0   .000
                                                            Mayberry ph         1   0   0   0     0   0   .197
                                                            Lemaster p          0   0   0   0     0   0   .000
                                                            Chiles ph           1   0   1   1     0   0   .391
                                                            Gladding p          0   0   0   0     0   0   .000
                                                            Miller ph           1   0   0   0     0   1   .250

Totals               35   5   9   5     2   6             Totals               34   4   8   4     2   5

Time of Game: 2:26   Attendance: 14,855
Left on Base: Braves 6, Astros 5
DP: Braves 1, Astros 0
Doubles: Versalles (8), Evans (2), Lum (8), Menke (11), Rader (14)
Home Runs: Cedeno (5), Watson (5)
Stolen Bases: Millan (7), Wynn (6), Morgan (18)
GIDP: Wynn (5)
Hit by Pitch: Millan (2,by Billingham)


Braves                 IP     H   R  ER  BB  SO  HR BFP    ERA
Niekro W(7-7)           6.2   7   4   4   1   3   2  27   3.21
Upshaw SV(9)            2.1   1   0   0   1   2   0   9   4.26
Totals                  9     8   4   4   2   5   2  36

Astros                 IP     H   R  ER  BB  SO  HR BFP    ERA
Billingham L(3-8)       4.1   9   5   5   2   4   0  24   3.45
Harris                  0.2   0   0   0   0   0   0   2   5.23
Lemaster                2     0   0   0   0   2   0   6   1.88
Gladding                2     0   0   0   0   0   0   6   1.35
Totals                  9     9   5   5   2   6   0  38

Hit by Pitch: Billingham (8)

Umpires: HP - John McSherry, 1B - Ken Burkhart, 2B - Lee Weyer, 3B - Nick Colosi


BRAVES 1ST: Millan made an out to first; Jackson singled; H.
Aaron singled [Jackson to second]; Evans singled [Jackson
scored, H. Aaron to third, Evans to second (on throw)]; Lum was
walked intentionally; Brown forced H. Aaron (pitcher to catcher)
[Evans to third, Lum to second]; Versalles doubled to left
[Evans scored, Lum scored, Brown out at home (left to third to
catcher)]; 3 R, 4 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Braves 3, Astros 0.

ASTROS 1ST: Metzger grounded out (third to first); Morgan flied
out to right; Cedeno homered; Watson flied out to right; 1 R, 1
H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Braves 3, Astros 1.

BRAVES 2ND: Didier made an out to shortstop; Niekro grounded out
(shortstop to first); Millan singled; Millan stole second;
Jackson walked; H. Aaron was called out on strikes; 0 R, 1 H, 0
E, 2 LOB.  Braves 3, Astros 1.

ASTROS 2ND: Menke made an out to shortstop; Rader singled; Wynn
grounded into a double play (third to second to first) [Rader
out at second]; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Braves 3, Astros 1.

BRAVES 3RD: Evans doubled; Lum flied out to right [Evans to
third]; Brown flied out to right; Versalles was called out on
strikes; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Braves 3, Astros 1.

ASTROS 3RD: Hiatt grounded out (third to first); Billingham
grounded out (third to first); Metzger grounded out (first
unassisted); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Braves 3, Astros 1.

BRAVES 4TH: Didier flied out to right; Niekro struck out; Millan
was hit by a pitch; Jackson was called out on strikes; 0 R, 0 H,
0 E, 1 LOB.  Braves 3, Astros 1.

ASTROS 4TH: GARRIDO REPLACED MILLAN (PLAYING 2B); Morgan popped
to catcher in foul territory; Cedeno struck out; Watson homered;
Menke grounded out (shortstop to first); 1 R, 1 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.
Braves 3, Astros 2.

BRAVES 5TH: H. Aaron singled; Evans made an out to shortstop;
Lum doubled [H. Aaron to third]; Brown singled [H. Aaron scored,
Lum scored, Brown to second (on throw to home)]; HARRIS REPLACED
BILLINGHAM (PITCHING); Versalles grounded out (shortstop to
first); Didier made an out to shortstop; 2 R, 3 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.
Braves 5, Astros 2.

ASTROS 5TH: Rader flied out to left; Wynn flied out to center;
Hiatt singled; MAYBERRY BATTED FOR HARRIS; Mayberry grounded out
(second to first); 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Braves 5, Astros 2.

BRAVES 6TH: LEMASTER REPLACED MAYBERRY (PITCHING); Niekro
grounded out (shortstop to first); Garrido flied out to left;
Jackson was called out on strikes; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Braves
5, Astros 2.

ASTROS 6TH: Metzger struck out; Morgan grounded out (pitcher to
first); Cedeno grounded out (second to first); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0
LOB.  Braves 5, Astros 2.

BRAVES 7TH: H. Aaron made an out to third; Evans grounded out
(second to first); Lum struck out; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Braves
5, Astros 2.

ASTROS 7TH: Watson struck out; Menke doubled; Rader made an out
to second; Wynn singled [Menke scored]; Wynn stole second; Hiatt
walked; GERONIMO RAN FOR HIATT; CHILES BATTED FOR LEMASTER;
Chiles singled [Wynn scored, Geronimo to third]; EDWARDS BATTED
FOR METZGER; UPSHAW REPLACED NIEKRO (PITCHING); Edwards grounded
out (shortstop to first); 2 R, 3 H, 0 E, 2 LOB.  Braves 5,
Astros 4.

BRAVES 8TH: GLADDING REPLACED CHILES (PITCHING); GERONIMO STAYED
IN GAME (PLAYING LF); EDWARDS STAYED IN GAME (PLAYING C );
WATSON CHANGED POSITIONS (PLAYING 1B); MENKE CHANGED POSITIONS
(PLAYING SS); Brown grounded out (pitcher to first); Versalles
grounded out (third to first); Didier grounded out (shortstop to
first); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Braves 5, Astros 4.

ASTROS 8TH: Morgan walked; Morgan stole second; Cedeno flied out
to right; Watson grounded out (third to first); Menke grounded
out (pitcher to first); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Braves 5, Astros
4.

BRAVES 9TH: Upshaw grounded out (shortstop to first); Garrido
grounded out (third to first); Jackson grounded out (second to
first); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Braves 5, Astros 4.

ASTROS 9TH: Rader doubled; Wynn flied out to left; Geronimo
struck out; MILLER BATTED FOR GLADDING; Miller struck out; 0 R,
1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Braves 5, Astros 4.