Acting on orders from Commissioner Bowie Kuhn, the Braves put Hank Aaron in their starting lineup, but the superstar failed to contribute anything in a 5-3 victory over the Reds. Aaron struck out twice against Clay Kirby and grounded out on his third appearance at the plate before leaving the game after seven innings.

The Braves decided the outcome with four runs in the third. After the Braves loaded the bases, one run scored when Mike Lum grounded into a forceout at second. Darrell Evans then stepped up and smashed a three-run homer. [The Sporting News]



Atlanta Braves 5, Cincinnati Reds 3
Game Played on Sunday, April     7, 1974 (Day game) at Riverfront Stadium
Braves       0  0  4    1  0  0    0  0  0  -   5  6  0
Reds         2  0  0    0  0  1    0  0  0  -   3  9  0


Braves               AB   R   H RBI    BB  SO    AVG      Reds                 AB   R   H RBI    BB  SO    AVG
Garr rf,lf            4   0   0   0     0   0   .000      Rose lf               5   1   2   0     0   1   .400
Lum 1b                4   1   0   1     0   1   .308      Morgan 2b             4   0   2   0     0   0   .364
Evans 3b              4   1   2   3     0   1   .364      Driessen 3b           4   2   1   0     0   0   .250
Aaron lf              3   0   0   0     0   2   .167      Perez 1b              2   0   0   1     1   0   .400
  Office cf           1   0   0   0     0   1   .000      Bench c               3   0   2   0     1   0   .273
Baker cf,rf           4   1   1   0     0   1   .231      Foster rf             4   0   1   1     0   1   .400
Johnson 2b            4   0   0   0     0   2   .111      Concepcion ss         4   0   1   0     0   1   .333
Oates c               3   0   1   0     1   0   .125      Geronimo cf           4   0   0   0     0   0   .000
Robinson ss           3   1   1   1     1   0   .091      Kirby p               1   0   0   0     0   1   .000
P. Niekro p           3   1   1   0     0   1   .250        Kosco ph            1   0   0   0     0   1   .000
                                                            Norman p            0   0   0   0     0   0   .000
                                                            Griffey ph          1   0   0   0     0   0   .125
                                                            Hall p              0   0   0   0     0   0   .000
                                                            Crowley ph          1   0   0   0     0   1   .000

Totals               33   5   6   5     2   9             Totals               34   3   9   2     2   6

Time of Game: 2:00   Attendance: 35,588
Left on Base: Braves 3, Reds 7
DP: Braves 0, Reds 0
Doubles: Rose (3), Foster (1)
Home Runs: Evans (1)
Stolen Bases: Driessen (1), Concepcion (2)
Caught Stealing: Bench (1)
Sacrifice Flies: Perez (1)


Braves                 IP     H   R  ER  BB  SO  HR BFP    ERA
P. Niekro W(1-0)        9     9   3   2   2   6   0  37   4.22
Totals                  9     9   3   2   2   6   0  37

Reds                   IP     H   R  ER  BB  SO  HR BFP    ERA
Kirby L(0-1)            5     6   5   5   1   4   1  22   9.00
Norman                  2     0   0   0   0   2   0   6   0.00
Hall                    2     0   0   0   1   3   0   7   0.00
Totals                  9     6   5   5   2   9   1  35

Passed Balls: Oates (1)

Umpires: HP - John McSherry, 1B - Paul Runge, 2B - Ed Vargo, 3B - Bruce Froemming


BRAVES 1ST: Garr flied out to left; Lum grounded out (pitcher to
first); Evans grounded out (second to first); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0
LOB.  Braves 0, Reds 0.

REDS 1ST: Rose doubled to right; Morgan flied out to center;
Driessen singled to right [Rose to third]; Driessen stole
second; Oates allowed a passed ball [Rose scored, Driessen to
third]; Perez hit a sacrifice fly to left [Driessen scored
(unearned)]; Bench walked; Bench was caught stealing second
(catcher to second); 2 R (1 ER), 2 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Braves 0,
Reds 2.

BRAVES 2ND: Aaron was called out on strikes; Baker struck out;
Johnson popped to catcher in foul territory; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0
LOB.  Braves 0, Reds 2.

REDS 2ND: Foster grounded out (shortstop to first); Concepcion
flied out to left; Geronimo flied out to center; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E,
0 LOB.  Braves 0, Reds 2.

BRAVES 3RD: Oates singled to right; Robinson walked [Oates to
second]; On a bunt P. Niekro singled [Oates to third, Robinson
to second]; Garr forced Oates (shortstop to catcher) [Robinson
to third, P. Niekro to second]; Lum forced Garr (second to
shortstop) [Robinson scored, P. Niekro to third]; Evans homered
[P. Niekro scored, Lum scored]; Aaron was called out on strikes;
4 R, 3 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Braves 4, Reds 2.

REDS 3RD: Kirby struck out; Rose singled; Morgan singled [Rose
to second]; Driessen flied out to center; Perez forced Morgan
(third to second); 0 R, 2 H, 0 E, 2 LOB.  Braves 4, Reds 2.

BRAVES 4TH: Baker singled to left; Johnson struck out; Oates
grounded out (third to first) [Baker to second]; Robinson
singled to center [Baker scored]; P. Niekro forced Robinson
(third to second); 1 R, 2 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Braves 5, Reds 2.

REDS 4TH: Bench popped to catcher in foul territory; Foster
struck out; Concepcion grounded out (third to first); 0 R, 0 H,
0 E, 0 LOB.  Braves 5, Reds 2.

BRAVES 5TH: Garr popped to third in foul territory; Lum flied
out to center; Evans singled to right; Aaron grounded out (third
to first); 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Braves 5, Reds 2.

REDS 5TH: Geronimo flied out to left; KOSCO BATTED FOR KIRBY;
Kosco was called out on strikes; Rose grounded out (shortstop to
first); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Braves 5, Reds 2.

BRAVES 6TH: NORMAN REPLACED KOSCO (PITCHING); Baker popped to
second; Johnson struck out; Oates grounded out (pitcher to
first); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Braves 5, Reds 2.

REDS 6TH: Morgan singled; Driessen forced Morgan (second to
shortstop); Perez flied out to right; Bench singled [Driessen to
second]; Foster doubled [Driessen scored, Bench to third];
Concepcion struck out; 1 R, 3 H, 0 E, 2 LOB.  Braves 5, Reds 3.

BRAVES 7TH: Robinson popped to catcher in foul territory; P.
Niekro struck out; Garr grounded out (pitcher to first); 0 R, 0
H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Braves 5, Reds 3.

REDS 7TH: GARR CHANGED POSITIONS (PLAYING LF); OFFICE REPLACED
AARON (PLAYING CF); BAKER CHANGED POSITIONS (PLAYING RF);
Geronimo flied out to right; GRIFFEY BATTED FOR NORMAN; Griffey
grounded out (first unassisted); Rose lined to shortstop; 0 R, 0
H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Braves 5, Reds 3.

BRAVES 8TH: HALL REPLACED GRIFFEY (PITCHING); Lum struck out;
Evans struck out; Office struck out; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.
Braves 5, Reds 3.

REDS 8TH: Morgan flied out to center; Driessen popped to third
in foul territory; Perez walked; Bench singled [Perez to
second]; Foster flied out to left; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 2 LOB.  Braves
5, Reds 3.

BRAVES 9TH: Baker flied out to center; Johnson popped to second;
Oates walked; Robinson flied out to center; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 1
LOB.  Braves 5, Reds 3.

REDS 9TH: Concepcion singled; Concepcion stole second; Geronimo
flied out to left; CROWLEY BATTED FOR HALL; Crowley struck out;
Rose struck out; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Braves 5, Reds 3.