Phil Niekro not only pitched a four-hitter and recorded his fifth shutout of the season, but the Braves' righthander also drove in the only run of the game with a sacrifice fly to beat the Astros, 1-0. J.R. Richard, pitching for the Astros, allowed only two hits in eight innings.

However, with one out in the fifth, Richard hit Vic Correll with a pitch. Craig Robinson doubled, Correll stopping at third. Niekro followed with a line drive to left field, Correll scoring after the catch. [The Sporting News]



Atlanta Braves 1, Houston Astros 0
Game Played on Friday, September 20, 1974 (Night game) at Astrodome
Braves       0  0  0    0  1  0    0  0  0  -   1  3  0
Astros       0  0  0    0  0  0    0  0  0  -   0  4  0


Braves               AB   R   H RBI    BB  SO    AVG      Astros               AB   R   H RBI    BB  SO    AVG
Office cf             4   0   0   0     0   1   .240      Howard lf             4   0   1   0     0   2   .247
Perez 2b              3   0   0   0     1   0   .252      Gross rf              4   0   1   0     0   0   .309
Evans 3b              2   0   0   0     2   1   .242      Cedeno cf             4   0   1   0     0   2   .274
Baker rf              4   0   0   0     0   1   .250      L. May 1b             4   0   0   0     0   2   .268
Lum lf                3   0   0   0     1   0   .230      M. May c              3   0   1   0     0   0   .297
Tepedino 1b           4   0   2   0     0   1   .238        Jutze pr,c          0   0   0   0     0   0   .286
Correll c             3   1   0   0     0   2   .232        Edwards ph          1   0   0   0     0   1   .217
Robinson ss           4   0   1   0     0   0   .215      Rader 3b              3   0   0   0     0   1   .255
P. Niekro p           1   0   0   1     1   0   .209      Helms 2b              2   0   0   0     1   0   .279
                                                            Milbourne pr,2b     0   0   0   0     0   0   .283
                                                          Metzger ss            3   0   0   0     0   1   .259
                                                          Richard p             2   0   0   0     0   0   .176
                                                            Watson ph           1   0   0   0     0   0   .297
                                                            de los Santos p     0   0   0   0     0   0   .000

Totals               28   1   3   1     5   6             Totals               31   0   4   0     1   9

Time of Game: 1:58   Attendance:  7,524
Left on Base: Braves 7, Astros 5
DP: Braves 0, Astros 1
Doubles: Robinson (3), Gross (16), M. May (16), Cedeno (29)
Stolen Bases: Cedeno (53)
Caught Stealing: Milbourne (2), Howard (5)
Sacrifice Flies: P. Niekro (1)
GIDP: Robinson (14)
Hit by Pitch: Correll (4,by Richard)


Braves                 IP     H   R  ER  BB  SO  HR BFP    ERA
P. Niekro W(18-12)      9     4   0   0   1   9   0  32   2.52
Totals                  9     4   0   0   1   9   0  32

Astros                 IP     H   R  ER  BB  SO  HR BFP    ERA
Richard L(2-2)          8     2   1   1   5   6   0  32   3.40
de los Santos           1     1   0   0   0   0   0   3   1.00
Totals                  9     3   1   1   5   6   0  35

Passed Balls: Correll 2 (12), M. May (8)
Hit by Pitch: Richard (1)
Wild Pitches: Richard (7)

Umpires: HP - Ed Sudol, 1B - Lee Weyer, 2B - Bob Engel, 3B - Frank Pulli


BRAVES 1ST: Office struck out; Perez flied out to right; Evans
walked; Richard threw a wild pitch [Evans to second]; Baker was
called out on strikes; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Braves 0, Astros 0.

ASTROS 1ST: Howard struck out; Gross grounded out (pitcher to
first); Cedeno struck out but advanced to first on a passed
ball; Cedeno stole second; L. May struck out (catcher to first);
0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Braves 0, Astros 0.

BRAVES 2ND: Lum walked; M. May allowed a passed ball [Lum to
second]; Tepedino struck out; Correll struck out; Robinson flied
to right in foul territory; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Braves 0,
Astros 0.

ASTROS 2ND: M. May flied out to center; Rader made an out to
pitcher; Helms walked; Metzger struck out but Helms advanced to
second and Metzger advanced to first on a passed ball; Richard
forced Helms (third unassisted); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 2 LOB.  Braves
0, Astros 0.

BRAVES 3RD: P. Niekro flied out to center; Office lined to left;
Perez grounded out (second to first); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.
Braves 0, Astros 0.

ASTROS 3RD: Howard struck out; Gross made an out to third;
Cedeno struck out; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Braves 0, Astros 0.

BRAVES 4TH: Evans struck out; Baker grounded out (first
unassisted); Lum grounded out (second to first); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E,
0 LOB.  Braves 0, Astros 0.

ASTROS 4TH: L. May flied out to center; M. May lined to center;
Rader grounded out (first unassisted); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.
Braves 0, Astros 0.

BRAVES 5TH: Tepedino grounded out (second to first); Correll was
hit by a pitch; Robinson doubled [Correll to third]; P. Niekro
hit a sacrifice fly to left [Correll scored, Robinson to third];
Office made an out to shortstop; 1 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Braves
1, Astros 0.

ASTROS 5TH: Helms made an out to shortstop; Metzger flied out to
center; Richard grounded out (shortstop to first); 0 R, 0 H, 0
E, 0 LOB.  Braves 1, Astros 0.

BRAVES 6TH: Perez grounded out (shortstop to first); Evans
walked; Baker flied out to center; Lum forced Evans (shortstop
unassisted); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Braves 1, Astros 0.

ASTROS 6TH: On a bunt Howard grounded out (pitcher to first);
Gross doubled; Cedeno flied out to left; L. May flied out to
center; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Braves 1, Astros 0.

BRAVES 7TH: Tepedino singled; Correll struck out; Robinson made
an out to third; P. Niekro walked [Tepedino to second]; Office
grounded out (second to first); 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 2 LOB.  Braves 1,
Astros 0.

ASTROS 7TH: M. May doubled to right; JUTZE RAN FOR M. MAY; Rader
struck out; Helms reached on a fielder's choice [Jutze out at
third (shortstop to third to second)]; MILBOURNE RAN FOR HELMS;
Milbourne was caught stealing second (catcher to shortstop); 0
R, 1 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Braves 1, Astros 0.

BRAVES 8TH: JUTZE STAYED IN GAME (PLAYING C ); MILBOURNE STAYED
IN GAME (PLAYING 2B); Perez walked; Evans grounded out (second
to first) [Perez to second]; Baker grounded out (third to
first); Lum grounded out (third to first); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.
 Braves 1, Astros 0.

ASTROS 8TH: Metzger grounded out (pitcher to first); WATSON
BATTED FOR RICHARD; Watson lined to left; Howard singled; Howard
was caught stealing second (catcher to shortstop to first to
second); 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Braves 1, Astros 0.

BRAVES 9TH: DE LOS SANTOS REPLACED WATSON (PITCHING); Tepedino
singled to center; Correll forced Tepedino (shortstop to
second); Robinson grounded into a double play (shortstop to
second to first) [Correll out at second]; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.
Braves 1, Astros 0.

ASTROS 9TH: Gross grounded out (shortstop to first); Cedeno
doubled to center; L. May struck out; EDWARDS BATTED FOR JUTZE;
Edwards struck out; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Braves 1, Astros 0.