Trading two-hitters, the Astros won the first game of a twi-night doubleheader, 5-0, before the Braves gained a spilt with a 6-2 victory in the second game. Don Wilson pitched the shutout for the Astros and got his principal batting support from Tommy Helms, who hit a three-run homer.

Darrell Evans and Vic Correll homered for the Braves in the nightcap and Hank Aaron drove in two runs with a double to back up the pitching of Phil Niekro. Milt May accounted for both Astros' runs with a circuit clout. [The Sporting News]



Houston Astros 5, Atlanta Braves 0 (Game 1)
Game Played on Saturday, September 28, 1974 (Night game) at Atlanta Stadium
Astros       0  0  0    3  0  0    0  0  2  -   5 10  1
Braves       0  0  0    0  0  0    0  0  0  -   0  2  0


Astros               AB   R   H RBI    BB  SO    AVG      Braves               AB   R   H RBI    BB  SO    AVG
Gross rf              4   0   2   0     0   0   .312      Garr lf               4   0   0   0     0   0   .352
Metzger ss            4   0   0   0     0   1   .255      Gilbreath 2b          3   0   1   0     1   0   .333
Cedeno cf             4   0   1   0     0   0   .270      Evans 3b              2   0   0   0     2   0   .238
Watson lf             4   0   0   0     0   0   .295      Lum rf                4   0   0   0     0   0   .231
  Howard lf           0   0   0   0     0   0   .250      Pierce 1b             3   0   0   0     0   0   .167
C. Johnson 1b         4   1   1   0     0   0   .211      Office cf             3   0   1   0     0   0   .243
  Gallagher 1b        0   0   0   0     0   0   .181      Oates c               3   0   0   0     0   0   .226
Rader 3b              4   2   3   0     0   0   .256      Blanks ss             3   0   0   0     0   0   .250
Helms 2b              4   1   2   3     0   0   .283      Reed p                1   0   0   0     0   0   .105
  Milbourne pr,2b     0   1   0   0     0   0   .294        Perez ph            1   0   0   0     0   0   .257
Jutze c               3   0   1   1     0   0   .250        Beard p             0   0   0   0     0   0   .000
Wilson p              3   0   0   0     0   0   .206        Tepedino ph         1   0   0   0     0   0   .231
                                                            J. Niekro p         0   0   0   0     0   0   .000

Totals               34   5  10   4     0   1             Totals               28   0   2   0     3   0

Time of Game: 1:42
Left on Base: Astros 4, Braves 4
DP: Astros 1, Braves 1
Errors: Metzger
Doubles: Gross (19), C. Johnson (4), Helms (21)
Home Runs: Helms (5)
Stolen Bases: Cedeno (56)
Caught Stealing: Garr (16)
Sacrifice Hits: Wilson (9)
Sacrifice Flies: Jutze (1)
GIDP: Metzger (13), Evans (11)


Astros                 IP     H   R  ER  BB  SO  HR BFP    ERA
Wilson W(11-13)         9     2   0   0   3   0   0  31   3.08
Totals                  9     2   0   0   3   0   0  31

Braves                 IP     H   R  ER  BB  SO  HR BFP    ERA
Reed L(10-11)           6     8   3   3   0   0   1  25   3.39
Beard                   2     0   0   0   0   1   0   6   3.24
J. Niekro               1     2   2   1   0   0   0   5   3.56
Totals                  9    10   5   4   0   1   1  36

Passed Balls: Oates (15)

Umpires: HP - Shag Crawford, 1B - John Kibler, 2B - Terry Tata, 3B - Dutch Rennert


ASTROS 1ST: Gross doubled; Metzger made an out to shortstop;
Cedeno flied out to right; Watson grounded out (pitcher to
first); 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Astros 0, Braves 0.

BRAVES 1ST: Garr grounded out (second to first); Gilbreath flied
out to center; Evans walked; Lum popped to first in foul
territory; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Astros 0, Braves 0.

ASTROS 2ND: C. Johnson made an out to third; Rader flied out to
center; Helms grounded out (third to first); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0
LOB.  Astros 0, Braves 0.

BRAVES 2ND: Pierce flied out to center; Office flied out to
left; Oates lined to right; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Astros 0,
Braves 0.

ASTROS 3RD: Jutze singled; Wilson out on a sacrifice bunt
(pitcher to second) [Jutze to second]; Gross grounded out (first
unassisted) [Jutze stayed at second]; Metzger flied out to left;
0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Astros 0, Braves 0.

BRAVES 3RD: Blanks flied out to left; Reed flied out to right;
Garr reached on an error by Metzger; Garr was caught stealing
second (catcher to second); 0 R, 0 H, 1 E, 0 LOB.  Astros 0,
Braves 0.

ASTROS 4TH: Cedeno grounded out (third to first); Watson flied
out to right; C. Johnson doubled; Rader singled [C. Johnson to
third]; Helms homered [C. Johnson scored, Rader scored]; Jutze
made an out to third; 3 R, 3 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Astros 3, Braves 0.

BRAVES 4TH: Gilbreath singled to left; Evans grounded into a
double play (pitcher to shortstop to first) [Gilbreath out at
second]; Lum flied out to center; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Astros
3, Braves 0.

ASTROS 5TH: Wilson grounded out (third to first); Gross singled;
Metzger grounded into a double play (second to first) [Gross out
at second]; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Astros 3, Braves 0.

BRAVES 5TH: Pierce grounded out (second to first); Office
singled to center; Oates flied out to left; Blanks lined to
right; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Astros 3, Braves 0.

ASTROS 6TH: Cedeno singled; Cedeno stole second; Watson flied
out to right; C. Johnson grounded out (third to first); Rader
singled [Cedeno to third]; Helms flied out to right; 0 R, 2 H, 0
E, 2 LOB.  Astros 3, Braves 0.

BRAVES 6TH: PEREZ BATTED FOR REED; Perez popped to first in foul
territory; Garr lined to left; Gilbreath walked; Evans walked
[Gilbreath to second]; Lum made an out to third; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E,
2 LOB.  Astros 3, Braves 0.

ASTROS 7TH: BEARD REPLACED PEREZ (PITCHING); Jutze grounded out
(first to pitcher); Wilson made an out to second; Gross grounded
out (third to first); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Astros 3, Braves 0.

BRAVES 7TH: Pierce grounded out (shortstop to first); Office
flied out to center; Oates grounded out (first unassisted); 0 R,
0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Astros 3, Braves 0.

ASTROS 8TH: Metzger struck out; Cedeno grounded out (third to
first); Watson grounded out (third to first); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0
LOB.  Astros 3, Braves 0.

BRAVES 8TH: HOWARD REPLACED WATSON (PLAYING LF); Blanks made an
out to second; TEPEDINO BATTED FOR BEARD; Tepedino grounded out
(shortstop to first); Garr grounded out (shortstop to first); 0
R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Astros 3, Braves 0.

ASTROS 9TH: J. NIEKRO REPLACED TEPEDINO (PITCHING); C. Johnson
flied out to center; Rader singled; Helms doubled [Rader to
third]; MILBOURNE RAN FOR HELMS; Oates allowed a passed ball
[Rader scored, Milbourne to third]; Jutze hit a sacrifice fly to
center [Milbourne scored (unearned)]; Wilson flied out to
center; 2 R (1 ER), 2 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Astros 5, Braves 0.

BRAVES 9TH: MILBOURNE STAYED IN GAME (PLAYING 2B); GALLAGHER
REPLACED C. JOHNSON (PLAYING 1B); Gilbreath popped to first in
foul territory; Evans grounded out (first to pitcher); Lum made
an out to second; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Astros 5, Braves 0.