Playing before 52,147, fourth largest regular-season crowd in their history, the Reds swept a doubleheader with the Braves, winning the first game, 4-2, and then taking the second game, 2-1, on a homer by Tony Perez in the 12th inning. The Reds launched their scoring in the first inning of the opener, posting three runs on a single by Pete Rose, triple by Cesar Geronimo and homer by Joe Morgan. Their other run came in the second. Rose singled and was forced by Geronimo, who took third on a single by Morgan and scored when Braves' catcher Johnny Oates threw wild in an attempt to flag down Morgan on a theft of second. Roger Nelson, with help from Clay Carroll, gained the victory. Roric Harrison, who was the Braves' loser, accounted for one of their runs with a homer.

In the nightcap, the Reds scored on consecutive doubles by Perez and Terry Crowley in the second inning and the Braves matched it in the third. Craig Robinson led off with a single, advanced to third when Clay Kirby threw wildly on a bunt by Lew Krausse and scored when Rowland Office grounded into a double play. Joe Niekro was on the mound for the Braves in the 12th when Perez hit his homer to give the victory to Pedro Borbon. [The Sporting News]



Cincinnati Reds 4, Atlanta Braves 2 (Game 1)
Game Played on Sunday, June      23, 1974 (Day game) at Riverfront Stadium
Braves       0  0  0    0  1  0    1  0  0  -   2  7  1
Reds         3  1  0    0  0  0    0  0  x  -   4  9  0


Braves               AB   R   H RBI    BB  SO    AVG      Reds                 AB   R   H RBI    BB  SO    AVG
Office cf             4   0   1   0     0   0   .263      Rose lf               3   1   3   0     1   0   .288
Evans 3b              3   0   0   0     1   0   .255      Geronimo cf           4   2   1   1     0   1   .355
Baker rf              4   0   0   0     0   0   .260      Morgan 2b             4   1   3   2     0   1   .321
Aaron lf              4   0   0   0     0   0   .256      Bench 3b              4   0   0   0     0   2   .280
Lum 1b                3   0   0   0     1   0   .227      Perez 1b              3   0   0   0     1   1   .276
Johnson 2b            4   0   0   0     0   2   .248        Driessen 1b         0   0   0   0     0   0   .284
Oates c               4   1   2   0     0   0   .246      Concepcion ss         4   0   0   0     0   0   .265
Robinson ss           3   0   0   0     0   2   .203      Rettenmund rf         3   0   2   0     1   0   .242
  Garr ph             1   0   1   0     0   0   .373      Plummer c             4   0   0   0     0   1   .209
  Foster pr           0   0   0   0     0   0   .222      Nelson p              3   0   0   0     0   1   .179
Harrison p            2   1   2   1     0   0   .188        C. Carroll p        1   0   0   0     0   1   .167
  Tepedino ph         1   0   1   1     0   0   .217
  Leon p              0   0   0   0     0   0   .000
  Murrell ph          1   0   0   0     0   0   .250

Totals               34   2   7   2     2   4             Totals               33   4   9   3     3   8

Time of Game: 2:15
Left on Base: Braves 7, Reds 8
DP: Braves 0, Reds 0
Errors: Oates
Doubles: Oates (7), Tepedino (3), Rettenmund (3)
Triples: Geronimo (6)
Home Runs: Harrison (3), Morgan (8)
Stolen Bases: Morgan 2 (31), Rettenmund (5)


Braves                 IP     H   R  ER  BB  SO  HR BFP    ERA
Harrison L(6-8)         6     9   4   3   2   4   1  29   4.11
Leon                    2     0   0   0   1   4   0   7   0.00
Totals                  8     9   4   3   3   8   1  36

Reds                   IP     H   R  ER  BB  SO  HR BFP    ERA
Nelson W(4-4)           7     6   2   2   2   3   1  29   3.38
C. Carroll              2     1   0   0   0   1   0   7   2.25
Totals                  9     7   2   2   2   4   1  36

Passed Balls: Plummer (2)
Balks: Harrison (2)

Umpires: HP - Jerry Dale, 1B - Chris Pelekoudas, 2B - Paul Pryor, 3B - Bob Engel


BRAVES 1ST: Office singled to center; Evans walked [Office to
second]; Plummer allowed a passed ball [Office to third]; Baker
reached on a fielder's choice [Office out at home (third to
catcher), Evans to second]; Aaron flied out to left; Lum walked
[Evans to third, Baker to second]; Johnson struck out; 0 R, 1 H,
0 E, 3 LOB.  Braves 0, Reds 0.

REDS 1ST: Rose singled to left; Geronimo tripled to center [Rose
scored]; Morgan homered [Geronimo scored]; Bench struck out;
Perez walked; Concepcion flied out to center; Rettenmund singled
to shortstop [Perez to second]; Plummer flied out to center; 3
R, 4 H, 0 E, 2 LOB.  Braves 0, Reds 3.

BRAVES 2ND: Oates flied out to right; Robinson grounded out
(third to first); Harrison singled to shortstop; Office popped
to shortstop; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Braves 0, Reds 3.

REDS 2ND: Nelson was called out on strikes; Rose singled to
left; Geronimo forced Rose (second to shortstop) [Geronimo to
first]; Morgan singled to right [Geronimo to third]; Morgan
stole second [Geronimo scored (error by Oates) (unearned)];
Bench flied out to left; 1 R (0 ER), 2 H, 1 E, 1 LOB.  Braves 0,
Reds 4.

BRAVES 3RD: Evans flied out to center; Baker flied out to left;
Aaron grounded out (shortstop to first); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.
Braves 0, Reds 4.

REDS 3RD: Perez flied out to left; Concepcion popped to
shortstop; Rettenmund flied out to left; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.
Braves 0, Reds 4.

BRAVES 4TH: Lum popped to shortstop in foul territory; Johnson
grounded out (third to first); Oates doubled to right; Robinson
struck out; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Braves 0, Reds 4.

REDS 4TH: Plummer grounded out (second to first); Nelson
grounded out (first unassisted); Rose singled to shortstop;
Harrison balked [Rose to second]; Geronimo grounded out (second
to first); 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Braves 0, Reds 4.

BRAVES 5TH: Harrison homered; Office grounded out (first
unassisted); Evans flied out to right; Baker popped to catcher
in foul territory; 1 R, 1 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Braves 1, Reds 4.

REDS 5TH: Morgan singled to center; Morgan stole second; Bench
flied out to center; Perez flied out to center; Concepcion flied
out to center; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Braves 1, Reds 4.

BRAVES 6TH: Aaron grounded out (shortstop to first); Lum flied
out to center; Johnson flied out to right; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.
 Braves 1, Reds 4.

REDS 6TH: Rettenmund doubled to left; Plummer struck out; Nelson
grounded out (shortstop to first); Rose was walked
intentionally; Geronimo was called out on strikes; 0 R, 1 H, 0
E, 2 LOB.  Braves 1, Reds 4.

BRAVES 7TH: Oates singled to center; Robinson struck out;
TEPEDINO BATTED FOR HARRISON; Tepedino doubled [Oates scored];
Office grounded out (first unassisted) [Tepedino to third];
Evans grounded out (second to first); 1 R, 2 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.
Braves 2, Reds 4.

REDS 7TH: LEON REPLACED TEPEDINO (PITCHING); Morgan struck out;
Bench was called out on strikes; Perez struck out; 0 R, 0 H, 0
E, 0 LOB.  Braves 2, Reds 4.

BRAVES 8TH: C. CARROLL REPLACED NELSON (PITCHING); Baker
grounded out (third to first); Aaron flied out to left; Lum
grounded out (second to first); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Braves 2,
Reds 4.

REDS 8TH: Concepcion lined to third; Rettenmund walked;
Rettenmund stole second; Plummer grounded out (third to first);
C. Carroll struck out; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Braves 2, Reds 4.

BRAVES 9TH: DRIESSEN REPLACED PEREZ (PLAYING 1B); Johnson struck
out; Oates grounded out (shortstop to first); GARR BATTED FOR
ROBINSON; Garr singled to center; FOSTER RAN FOR GARR; MURRELL
BATTED FOR LEON; Murrell popped to second; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.
 Braves 2, Reds 4.