Making a surprise appearance in relief, Andy Messersmith pitched two hitless innings to save the Braves' 3-0 victory over the Giants. Dick Ruthven, now 3-0, was lifted in the eighth with none out after giving up a single and a walk. The Braves scored all their runs in the second, two on a bases-loaded single by Darrel Chaney and the other on a single by Ruthven. [The Sporting News]



Atlanta Braves 3, San Francisco Giants 0
Game Played on Wednesday, April     21, 1976 (Night game) at Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium
Giants       0  0  0    0  0  0    0  0  0  -   0  6  1
Braves       0  3  0    0  0  0    0  0  x  -   3  5  2


Giants               AB   R   H RBI    BB  SO    AVG      Braves               AB   R   H RBI    BB  SO    AVG
Joshua cf             5   0   1   0     0   0   .289      Office cf             4   0   0   0     0   0   .171
Thomas 2b             3   0   1   0     0   1   .270      Royster 3b            4   0   0   0     0   1   .235
Murcer rf             3   0   0   0     1   1   .294      Wynn lf               3   0   0   0     1   0   .250
Matthews lf           4   0   1   0     0   1   .350      Evans 1b              3   0   1   0     1   0   .219
Montanez 1b           3   0   0   0     1   1   .237      Henderson rf          4   1   0   0     0   0   .406
Speier ss             3   0   1   0     1   0   .294      Lacy 2b               3   1   1   0     0   0   .263
Reitz 3b              4   0   2   0     0   0   .385      Pocoroba c            2   1   1   0     1   0   .382
Rader c               4   0   0   0     0   1   .207      Chaney ss             2   0   1   2     1   0   .269
Barr p                2   0   0   0     0   0   .000      Ruthven p             3   0   1   1     0   0   .375
  Thomasson ph        1   0   0   0     0   1   .250        Messersmith p       0   0   0   0     0   0   .000
  Moffitt p           0   0   0   0     0   0   .000
  Ontiveros ph        1   0   0   0     0   0   .143

Totals               33   0   6   0     3   6             Totals               28   3   5   3     4   1

Time of Game: 2:26   Attendance:  9,521
Left on Base: Giants 10, Braves 5
DP: Giants 1, Braves 1
Errors: Thomas, Royster, Pocoroba
Doubles: Pocoroba (3)
GIDP: Speier (2), Office (1)
Hit by Pitch: Thomas (2,by Ruthven)


Giants                 IP     H   R  ER  BB  SO  HR BFP    ERA
Barr L(1-1)             6     4   3   3   2   0   0  23   4.86
Moffitt                 2     1   0   0   2   1   0   9   3.86
Totals                  8     5   3   3   4   1   0  32

Braves                 IP     H   R  ER  BB  SO  HR BFP    ERA
Ruthven W(3-0)          7     6   0   0   3   6   0  32   1.00
Messersmith SV(1)       2     0   0   0   0   0   0   5   1.50
Totals                  9     6   0   0   3   6   0  37

Hit by Pitch: Ruthven (2)
Balks: Ruthven (1)

Umpires: HP - Ed Vargo, 1B - Andy Olsen, 2B - Satch Davidson, 3B - Dutch Rennert


GIANTS 1ST: Joshua flied out to left; Thomas grounded out
(second to first); Murcer flied out to center; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0
LOB.  Giants 0, Braves 0.

BRAVES 1ST: Office made an out to first; Royster grounded out
(shortstop to first); Wynn grounded out (shortstop to first); 0
R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Giants 0, Braves 0.

GIANTS 2ND: Matthews struck out; Montanez grounded out (second
to first); Speier walked; Reitz singled [Speier to second];
Rader grounded out (first unassisted); 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 2 LOB.
Giants 0, Braves 0.

BRAVES 2ND: Evans singled; Henderson forced Evans (second to
shortstop); Lacy singled [Henderson to second]; Pocoroba walked
[Henderson to third, Lacy to second]; Chaney singled [Henderson
scored, Lacy scored, Pocoroba to third]; Ruthven singled
[Pocoroba scored, Chaney to third]; Office grounded into a
double play (second to shortstop to first) [Ruthven out at
second]; 3 R, 4 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Giants 0, Braves 3.

GIANTS 3RD: Barr grounded out (catcher to first); Joshua flied
out to left; Thomas singled; Ruthven balked [Thomas to second];
Murcer walked; Matthews forced Thomas (third unassisted);
Derrell Thomas called for interference while Jerry Royster tried
to field the batted ball; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 2 LOB.  Giants 0,
Braves 3.

BRAVES 3RD: Royster flied out to right; Wynn grounded out
(shortstop to first); Evans grounded out (first unassisted); 0
R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Giants 0, Braves 3.

GIANTS 4TH: Montanez flied out to left; Speier grounded out
(shortstop to first); Reitz singled; Rader flied out to left; 0
R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Giants 0, Braves 3.

BRAVES 4TH: Henderson flied out to left; Lacy made an out to
first; Pocoroba made an out to shortstop; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.
Giants 0, Braves 3.

GIANTS 5TH: Barr flied out to left; Joshua singled; Joshua was
picked off first but was safe on an error by Pocoroba [Joshua to
second]; Thomas struck out; Murcer was called out on strikes; 0
R, 1 H, 1 E, 1 LOB.  Giants 0, Braves 3.

BRAVES 5TH: Chaney grounded out (second to first); Ruthven
grounded out (second to first); Office grounded out (second to
first); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Giants 0, Braves 3.

GIANTS 6TH: Matthews grounded out (third to first); Montanez
struck out; Speier singled; Reitz reached on an error by Royster
[Speier to third, Reitz to first]; Rader was called out on
strikes; 0 R, 1 H, 1 E, 2 LOB.  Giants 0, Braves 3.

BRAVES 6TH: Royster flied out to left; Wynn grounded out
(shortstop to first); Evans walked; Henderson grounded out
(first to pitcher); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Giants 0, Braves 3.

GIANTS 7TH: THOMASSON BATTED FOR BARR; Thomasson was called out
on strikes; Joshua grounded out (second to first); Thomas was
hit by a pitch; Murcer made an out to third; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 1
LOB.  Giants 0, Braves 3.

BRAVES 7TH: MOFFITT REPLACED THOMASSON (PITCHING); Lacy flied
out to center; Pocoroba doubled; Pocoroba was picked off second
but was safe on an error by Thomas [Pocoroba to third]; Chaney
walked; Ruthven reached on a fielder's choice [Pocoroba out at
home (shortstop to catcher), Chaney to second]; Office grounded
out (pitcher to first); 0 R, 1 H, 1 E, 2 LOB.  Giants 0, Braves
3.

GIANTS 8TH: Matthews singled; Montanez walked [Matthews to
second]; MESSERSMITH REPLACED RUTHVEN (PITCHING); Speier
grounded into a double play (pitcher to shortstop to second to
first) [Matthews to third, Montanez out at second]; Reitz
grounded out (third to first); 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Giants 0,
Braves 3.

BRAVES 8TH: Royster struck out; Wynn walked; Evans made an out
to third; Henderson made an out to catcher; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 1
LOB.  Giants 0, Braves 3.

GIANTS 9TH: Rader flied out to left; ONTIVEROS BATTED FOR
MOFFITT; Ontiveros grounded out (third to first); Joshua
grounded out (first to pitcher); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Giants
0, Braves 3.