Hank Aaron hit his 44th homer of the season and drove in the 1,954th run of his career, tying him with Ty Cobb for third place on the majors' list of RBI leaders, to feature the Braves' 4-2 victory over the Astros. [The Sporting News]



Atlanta Braves 4, Houston Astros 2
Game Played on Wednesday, September 15, 1971 (Night game) at Astrodome
Braves       0  1  0    2  1  0    0  0  0  -   4  9  2
Astros       1  0  0    0  0  0    0  0  1  -   2  4  0


Braves               AB   R   H RBI    BB  SO    AVG      Astros               AB   R   H RBI    BB  SO    AVG
Millan 2b             4   0   1   0     1   0   .292      Metzger ss            4   1   0   0     0   1   .241
Garr lf               5   0   1   0     0   0   .331      Morgan 2b             4   0   2   0     0   0   .257
H. Aaron 1b           5   1   1   1     0   1   .325      Cedeno cf             3   1   1   0     0   0   .262
Williams c            5   0   0   0     0   2   .267      Watson lf             3   0   0   1     1   0   .292
Lum rf                3   1   0   0     1   1   .274      Mayberry 1b           4   0   0   1     0   1   .188
Evans 3b              3   1   2   0     1   0   .245      Geronimo rf           4   0   0   0     0   1   .236
  T. Aaron 3b         0   0   0   0     0   0   .224      Menke 3b              3   0   0   0     0   1   .256
Jackson cf            4   1   1   1     0   0   .261      Edwards c             3   0   1   0     0   0   .232
Perez ss              3   0   2   1     1   1   .231      Billingham p          1   0   0   0     0   0   .123
Niekro p              4   0   1   1     0   1   .141        Martinez ph         1   0   0   0     0   0   .200
                                                            Guinn p             0   0   0   0     0   0   .000
                                                            Chiles ph           1   0   0   0     0   0   .225
                                                            Yount p             0   0   0   0     0   0   .000
                                                            Ray p               0   0   0   0     0   0   .176

Totals               36   4   9   4     4   6             Totals               31   2   4   2     1   4

Time of Game: 2:10   Attendance:  6,513
Left on Base: Braves 9, Astros 4
DP: Braves 0, Astros 0
Errors: Millan, Perez
Doubles: Evans (11), Millan (16), Cedeno (37)
Home Runs: H. Aaron (44)
Stolen Bases: Morgan (35)
Sacrifice Hits: Cedeno (2)


Braves                 IP     H   R  ER  BB  SO  HR BFP    ERA
Niekro W(14-12)         9     4   2   1   1   4   0  33   2.93
Totals                  9     4   2   1   1   4   0  33

Astros                 IP     H   R  ER  BB  SO  HR BFP    ERA
Billingham L(8-15)      5     7   4   4   1   5   1  23   3.69
Guinn                   3     1   0   0   3   1   0  13   0.00
Yount                   0     0   0   0   0   0   0   0   0.00
Ray                     1     1   0   0   0   0   0   4   2.34
Totals                  9     9   4   4   4   6   1  40

Umpires: HP - Ed Sudol, 1B - Bill Williams, 2B - Nick Colosi, 3B - Dick Stello


BRAVES 1ST: Millan made an out to shortstop; Garr grounded out
(first to pitcher); H. Aaron was called out on strikes; 0 R, 0
H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Braves 0, Astros 0.

ASTROS 1ST: Metzger reached on an error by Perez [Metzger to
first]; Morgan singled [Metzger to second]; Cedeno out on a
sacrifice bunt (pitcher to first) [Metzger to third, Morgan to
second]; Watson grounded out (shortstop to first) [Metzger
scored (unearned), Morgan to third]; Mayberry was called out on
strikes; 1 R (0 ER), 1 H, 1 E, 1 LOB.  Braves 0, Astros 1.

BRAVES 2ND: Williams grounded out (first unassisted); Lum
walked; Evans doubled [Lum to third]; Jackson grounded out
(second to first) [Lum scored, Evans to third]; Perez was called
out on strikes; 1 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Braves 1, Astros 1.

ASTROS 2ND: Geronimo grounded out (shortstop to first); Menke
grounded out (third to first); Edwards singled; Billingham
grounded out (third to first); 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Braves 1,
Astros 1.

BRAVES 3RD: Niekro struck out; Millan doubled; Garr grounded out
(shortstop to first); H. Aaron grounded out (third to first); 0
R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Braves 1, Astros 1.

ASTROS 3RD: Metzger flied out to center; Morgan singled; Morgan
stole second; Cedeno grounded out (pitcher to first); Watson
walked; Mayberry reached on an error by Millan [Morgan out at
home (second to catcher), Watson to second, Mayberry to first];
0 R, 1 H, 1 E, 2 LOB.  Braves 1, Astros 1.

BRAVES 4TH: Williams struck out; Lum grounded out (second to
first); Evans singled; Jackson singled [Evans to second]; Perez
singled [Evans scored, Jackson to second]; Niekro singled
[Jackson scored, Perez to third]; Millan forced Niekro
(shortstop to second); 2 R, 4 H, 0 E, 2 LOB.  Braves 3, Astros 1.

ASTROS 4TH: Geronimo grounded out (pitcher to first); Menke
flied out to left; Edwards grounded out (pitcher to first); 0 R,
0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Braves 3, Astros 1.

BRAVES 5TH: Garr grounded out (first unassisted); H. Aaron
homered; Williams struck out; Lum grounded out (second to
first); 1 R, 1 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Braves 4, Astros 1.

ASTROS 5TH: MARTINEZ BATTED FOR BILLINGHAM; Martinez grounded
out (second to first); Metzger struck out; Morgan grounded out
(first unassisted); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Braves 4, Astros 1.

BRAVES 6TH: GUINN REPLACED MARTINEZ (PITCHING); Evans flied out
to left; Jackson flied out to right; Perez singled; Niekro
popped to first in foul territory; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Braves
4, Astros 1.

ASTROS 6TH: Cedeno grounded out (shortstop to first); Watson
grounded out (shortstop to first); Mayberry flied out to center;
0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Braves 4, Astros 1.

BRAVES 7TH: Millan walked; Garr forced Millan (shortstop to
second); H. Aaron flied out to center; Williams made an out to
second; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Braves 4, Astros 1.

ASTROS 7TH: Geronimo flied out to left; Menke was called out on
strikes; Edwards flied out to left; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.
Braves 4, Astros 1.

BRAVES 8TH: Lum struck out; Evans walked; Jackson grounded out
(first to pitcher) [Evans to second]; Perez was walked
intentionally; Niekro forced Evans (third unassisted); 0 R, 0 H,
0 E, 2 LOB.  Braves 4, Astros 1.

ASTROS 8TH: T. AARON REPLACED EVANS (PLAYING 3B); CHILES BATTED
FOR GUINN; Chiles flied out to center; Metzger flied out to
right; Morgan grounded out (first unassisted); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0
LOB.  Braves 4, Astros 1.

BRAVES 9TH: YOUNT REPLACED CHILES (PITCHING); RAY REPLACED YOUNT
(PITCHING); Millan grounded out (shortstop to first); Larry
Yount injured warming up; this is his entire big league career;
Debut game for Larry Yount; Garr singled; H. Aaron flied out
to center; Williams flied out to right; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.
Braves 4, Astros 1.

ASTROS 9TH: Cedeno doubled; Watson flied out to right [Cedeno to
third]; Mayberry grounded out (second to first) [Cedeno scored];
Geronimo struck out; 1 R, 1 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Braves 4, Astros 2.