A bad start was enough to beat Andy Messersmith when the Pirates scored three runs in the first inning and defeated the Braves, 3-1, to extend the Atlanta club's losing streak to 11 games. With two out, Al Oliver started Messersmith's demise with a single. Willie Stargell then hit to the mound and when Messersmith threw wildly to first, Oliver scored. Dave Parker followed with a triple and Richie Zisk capped the inning with a single. [The Sporting News]



Pittsburgh Pirates 3, Atlanta Braves 1
Game Played on Friday, May       7, 1976 (Night game) at Three Rivers Stadium
Braves       0  1  0    0  0  0    0  0  0  -   1  5  2
Pirates      3  0  0    0  0  0    0  0  x  -   3  8  0


Braves               AB   R   H RBI    BB  SO    AVG      Pirates              AB   R   H RBI    BB  SO    AVG
Office cf             3   0   0   0     0   2   .197      Stennett 2b           4   0   2   0     0   0   .275
  Paciorek ph,cf      1   0   0   0     0   0   .161      Hebner 3b             2   0   0   0     2   0   .269
Perez 3b,ss           4   0   1   0     0   0   .233      Oliver cf             4   1   2   0     0   0   .370
Wynn lf               3   0   0   0     1   2   .238      Stargell 1b           4   1   1   0     0   2   .338
Henderson rf          4   1   1   0     0   1   .348      Parker rf             4   1   2   1     0   1   .303
Williams 1b           4   0   1   0     0   0   .241      Zisk lf               4   0   1   1     0   3   .272
Lacy 2b               3   0   1   0     0   0   .213      Sanguillen c          3   0   0   0     1   0   .260
Correll c             3   0   1   1     0   1   .357      Mendoza ss            3   0   0   0     0   0   .278
Chaney ss             2   0   0   0     0   2   .273        Kirkpatrick ph      0   0   0   0     1   0   .364
  Gaston ph           1   0   0   0     0   0   .267        Taveras ss          0   0   0   0     0   0   .200
  Royster 3b          0   0   0   0     0   0   .187      Candelaria p          4   0   0   0     0   3   .111
Messersmith p         2   0   0   0     0   1   .200
  Gilbreath ph        1   0   0   0     0   1   .222
  Dal Canton p        0   0   0   0     0   0   .000

Totals               31   1   5   1     1  10             Totals               32   3   8   2     4   9

Time of Game: 2:10   Attendance:  6,049
Left on Base: Braves 4, Pirates 9
DP: Braves 0, Pirates 1
Errors: Messersmith 2
Doubles: Correll (3)
Triples: Parker (3)
Stolen Bases: Stennett (1), Parker (2)
GIDP: Gaston (1)


Braves                 IP     H   R  ER  BB  SO  HR BFP    ERA
Messersmith L(0-3)      7     7   3   3   2   6   0  30   4.50
Dal Canton              1     1   0   0   2   3   0   6   0.63
Totals                  8     8   3   3   4   9   0  36

Pirates                IP     H   R  ER  BB  SO  HR BFP    ERA
Candelaria W(3-1)       9     5   1   1   1  10   0  32   1.88
Totals                  9     5   1   1   1  10   0  32

Wild Pitches: Dal Canton (2)

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


BRAVES 1ST: Office struck out; Perez flied out to center; Wynn
struck out; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Braves 0, Pirates 0.

PIRATES 1ST: Stennett grounded out (second to first); Hebner
popped to first in foul territory; Oliver singled to center;
Stargell singled to pitcher [Oliver scored (error by
Messersmith), Stargell to second]; Parker tripled to right
[Stargell scored]; Zisk singled to left [Parker scored];
Sanguillen flied out to right; 3 R, 4 H, 1 E, 1 LOB.  Braves 0,
Pirates 3.

BRAVES 2ND: Henderson singled to left; Williams flied out to
left; Lacy flied out to right; Correll doubled to left
[Henderson scored]; Chaney struck out; 1 R, 2 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.
Braves 1, Pirates 3.

PIRATES 2ND: Mendoza grounded out (third to first); Candelaria
struck out; Stennett singled to shortstop; Stennett stole
second; Hebner walked; Oliver grounded out (second to first); 0
R, 1 H, 0 E, 2 LOB.  Braves 1, Pirates 3.

BRAVES 3RD: Messersmith struck out; Office struck out; Perez
grounded out (third to first); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Braves 1,
Pirates 3.

PIRATES 3RD: Stargell grounded out (second to first); Parker
struck out; Zisk struck out; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Braves 1,
Pirates 3.

BRAVES 4TH: Wynn walked; Henderson struck out; Williams singled
to center [Wynn to second]; Lacy flied out to right; Correll
forced Williams (third to second); 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 2 LOB.  Braves
1, Pirates 3.

PIRATES 4TH: Sanguillen flied out to center; Mendoza popped to
catcher in foul territory; Candelaria struck out; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E,
0 LOB.  Braves 1, Pirates 3.

BRAVES 5TH: Chaney struck out; Messersmith grounded out (third
to first); Office grounded out (second to first); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E,
0 LOB.  Braves 1, Pirates 3.

PIRATES 5TH: Stennett grounded out (shortstop to first); Hebner
grounded out (pitcher to first); Oliver singled to right;
Stargell struck out; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Braves 1, Pirates 3.

BRAVES 6TH: Perez singled to left; Wynn struck out; Henderson
flied out to right; Williams forced Perez (shortstop to second);
0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Braves 1, Pirates 3.

PIRATES 6TH: Parker grounded out (first unassisted); Zisk struck
out; Sanguillen grounded out (third to first); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0
LOB.  Braves 1, Pirates 3.

BRAVES 7TH: Lacy singled to center; Correll struck out; GASTON
BATTED FOR CHANEY; Gaston grounded into a double play (shortstop
to second to first) [Lacy out at second]; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.
Braves 1, Pirates 3.

PIRATES 7TH: ROYSTER REPLACED GASTON (PLAYING 3B); PEREZ CHANGED
POSITIONS (PLAYING SS); Mendoza flied out to right; Candelaria
grounded out (second to first); Stennett singled to pitcher
[Stennett to second (error by Messersmith)]; Hebner walked;
Oliver grounded out (second to first); 0 R, 1 H, 1 E, 2 LOB.
Braves 1, Pirates 3.

BRAVES 8TH: GILBREATH BATTED FOR MESSERSMITH; Gilbreath was
called out on strikes; PACIOREK BATTED FOR OFFICE; Paciorek
flied out to center; Perez grounded out (second to first); 0 R,
0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Braves 1, Pirates 3.

PIRATES 8TH: PACIOREK STAYED IN GAME (PLAYING CF); DAL CANTON
REPLACED GILBREATH (PITCHING); Stargell struck out; Parker
singled to second; Parker stole second; Zisk struck out;
Sanguillen was walked intentionally; KIRKPATRICK BATTED FOR
MENDOZA; Dal Canton threw a wild pitch [Parker to third,
Sanguillen to second]; Kirkpatrick was walked intentionally;
Candelaria struck out; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 3 LOB.  Braves 1, Pirates
3.

BRAVES 9TH: TAVERAS REPLACED KIRKPATRICK (PLAYING SS); Wynn
flied out to left; Henderson grounded out (shortstop to first);
Williams grounded out (first unassisted); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.
Braves 1, Pirates 3.