Playing for the first time under Connie Ryan as manager, succeeding Clyde King, the Braves won the opener of a doubleheader, 3-1, but lost the nightcap to the Cubs, 9-8, in 10 innings. Phil Niekro was the Braves' winner, scattering eight hits. Singles by Dave May and Vic Correll, plus an infield out by Rod Gilbreath, accounted for the Braves' initial run in the fourth inning. A single by Niekro, double by Ralph Garr and sacrifice flies by Darrell Evans and Dusty Baker produced the winning margin in the fifth. The Cubs counted in the ninth on doubles by Bill Madlock and Jose Cardenal.

In the second game, Mike Lum, May and Evans hit homers to escort the Braves to an 8-6 lead before the Cubs rallied to tie the score in the ninth on a single by Madlock, double by Cardenal and single by Jerry Morales. Don Kessinger walked in the 10th and, after a sacrifice by Gene Hiser and intentional pass to Madlock, Cardenal singled for his fourth hit of the game to drive in the Cubs' winning run. [The Sporting News]



Atlanta Braves 3, Chicago Cubs 1 (Game 1)
Game Played on Sunday, August    31, 1975 (Day game) at Wrigley Field
Braves       0  0  0    1  2  0    0  0  0  -   3 11  0
Cubs         0  0  0    0  0  0    0  0  1  -   1  8  0


Braves               AB   R   H RBI    BB  SO    AVG      Cubs                 AB   R   H RBI    BB  SO    AVG
Garr lf               4   1   1   0     0   0   .269      Kessinger ss          4   0   1   0     0   0   .239
Evans 3b              3   0   1   1     0   0   .240      Monday cf             3   0   1   0     1   0   .276
Baker cf,rf           3   0   3   1     0   0   .254        Zamora p            0   0   0   0     0   0   .167
Goodson 1b            4   0   0   0     0   0   .201      Madlock 3b            4   1   2   0     0   1   .363
May rf                3   1   1   0     0   0   .264      Cardenal lf           4   0   1   1     0   0   .310
  Office cf           1   0   0   0     0   0   .275      Morales rf            4   0   1   0     0   0   .267
Correll c             4   0   3   0     0   0   .213      Thornton 1b           4   0   1   0     0   2   .281
Gilbreath 2b          3   0   0   1     0   0   .247      Sperring 2b           2   0   0   0     0   1   .226
Belloir ss            4   0   1   0     0   0   .270        Harris ph,2b        1   0   0   0     0   0   .192
Niekro p              2   1   1   0     0   1   .172        LaCock ph           1   0   0   0     0   0   .233
                                                          Swisher c             2   0   1   0     0   0   .195
                                                            Hiser ph,cf         1   0   0   0     0   0   .250
                                                          R. Reuschel p         2   0   0   0     0   0   .179
                                                            Summers ph          1   0   0   0     0   0   .229
                                                            Hosley c            0   0   0   0     0   0   .260

Totals               31   3  11   3     0   1             Totals               33   1   8   1     1   4

Time of Game: 2:01
Left on Base: Braves 5, Cubs 6
DP: Braves 2, Cubs 3
Doubles: Garr (23), Madlock (27), Cardenal (24)
Sacrifice Hits: Gilbreath (6), Niekro (4)
Sacrifice Flies: Evans (4), Baker (5)
GIDP: Goodson 2 (8), Belloir (3), R. Reuschel (2)


Braves                 IP     H   R  ER  BB  SO  HR BFP    ERA
Niekro W(14-12)         9     8   1   1   1   4   0  34   3.12
Totals                  9     8   1   1   1   4   0  34

Cubs                   IP     H   R  ER  BB  SO  HR BFP    ERA
R. Reuschel L(10-15)    8    11   3   3   0   1   0  32   3.37
Zamora                  1     0   0   0   0   0   0   3   4.92
Totals                  9    11   3   3   0   1   0  35

Wild Pitches: Niekro (11)

Umpires: HP - Andy Olsen, 1B - Terry Tata, 2B - Ed Sudol, 3B - Bill Williams


BRAVES 1ST: Garr lined to center; Evans singled to right; Baker
singled to third [Evans to second]; Goodson flied out to center;
May forced Baker (second to shortstop); 0 R, 2 H, 0 E, 2 LOB.
Braves 0, Cubs 0.

CUBS 1ST: Kessinger popped to third in foul territory; Monday
walked; On a bunt Madlock singled to third [Monday to second];
Cardenal lined into a double play (third to second) [Monday out
at second]; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Braves 0, Cubs 0.

BRAVES 2ND: On a bunt Correll singled to third; Gilbreath out on
a sacrifice bunt (pitcher to first) [Correll to second]; Belloir
singled to shortstop [Correll stayed at second]; Niekro out on a
sacrifice bunt (pitcher to first) [Correll to third, Belloir to
second]; Garr grounded out (first unassisted); 0 R, 2 H, 0 E, 2
LOB.  Braves 0, Cubs 0.

CUBS 2ND: Morales grounded out (shortstop to first); Thornton
singled to shortstop; Sperring flied out to right; Swisher
forced Thornton (third to second); 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Braves
0, Cubs 0.

BRAVES 3RD: Evans flied out to center; Baker singled to left;
Goodson grounded into a double play (shortstop to first) [Baker
out at second]; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Braves 0, Cubs 0.

CUBS 3RD: R. Reuschel popped to third; Kessinger flied out to
left; Monday singled to second; Madlock struck out; 0 R, 1 H, 0
E, 1 LOB.  Braves 0, Cubs 0.

BRAVES 4TH: May singled to right; Correll singled to left [May
to third]; Gilbreath forced Correll (shortstop to second) [May
scored]; Belloir grounded into a double play (third to second to
first) [Gilbreath out at second]; 1 R, 2 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Braves
1, Cubs 0.

CUBS 4TH: Cardenal grounded out (shortstop to first); Morales
singled to third; Thornton was called out on strikes; Sperring
struck out; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Braves 1, Cubs 0.

BRAVES 5TH: Niekro singled to center; Garr doubled to right
[Niekro to third]; Evans hit a sacrifice fly to center [Niekro
scored, Garr to third]; Baker hit a sacrifice fly to center
[Garr scored]; Goodson flied out to center; 2 R, 2 H, 0 E, 0
LOB.  Braves 3, Cubs 0.

CUBS 5TH: Swisher singled to center; R. Reuschel grounded into a
double play (third to shortstop to first) [Swisher out at
second]; Kessinger popped to second; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.
Braves 3, Cubs 0.

BRAVES 6TH: May flied out to center; Correll singled to center;
Gilbreath flied out to center; Belloir forced Correll (shortstop
to second); 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Braves 3, Cubs 0.

CUBS 6TH: OFFICE REPLACED MAY (PLAYING CF); BAKER CHANGED
POSITIONS (PLAYING RF); Monday grounded out (second to first);
Madlock popped to third in foul territory; Cardenal flied out to
right; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Braves 3, Cubs 0.

BRAVES 7TH: Niekro was called out on strikes; Garr flied out to
left; Evans grounded out (second to first); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0
LOB.  Braves 3, Cubs 0.

CUBS 7TH: Morales popped to catcher in foul territory; Thornton
struck out; HARRIS BATTED FOR SPERRING; Harris popped to second;
0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Braves 3, Cubs 0.

BRAVES 8TH: HARRIS STAYED IN GAME (PLAYING 2B); Baker singled to
third; Goodson grounded into a double play (shortstop to second
to first) [Baker out at second]; Office flied out to left; 0 R,
1 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Braves 3, Cubs 0.

CUBS 8TH: HISER BATTED FOR SWISHER; Hiser flied out to right;
SUMMERS BATTED FOR R. REUSCHEL; Summers flied out to right;
Kessinger singled to right; Niekro threw a wild pitch [Kessinger
to second]; Monday lined to left; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Braves
3, Cubs 0.

BRAVES 9TH: HOSLEY REPLACED SUMMERS (PLAYING C ); HISER STAYED
IN GAME (PLAYING CF); ZAMORA REPLACED MONDAY (PITCHING); Correll
grounded out (second to first); Gilbreath flied out to right;
Belloir flied out to center; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Braves 3,
Cubs 0.

CUBS 9TH: Madlock doubled to left; Cardenal doubled to right
[Madlock scored]; Morales flied out to center; Thornton flied
out to center; LACOCK BATTED FOR HARRIS; LaCock grounded out
(first unassisted); 1 R, 2 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Braves 3, Cubs 1.