Andy Messersmith, who allowed only one hit while defeating the Expos in his last previous start June 4, came back with a three-hitter and pitched the Braves to a 2-0 victory over the Cubs. Joe Coleman, obtained by the Cubs from the Tigers, made his N. L. debut and was the loser, although giving up only two hits in six innings.

A walk to Jerry Royster, a stolen base and single by Rowland Office in the sixth accounted for the only run off Coleman. The Braves' other tally against Darold Knowles in the eighth was unearned as they extended their winning streak to six games. [The Sporting News]



Atlanta Braves 2, Chicago Cubs 0
Game Played on Wednesday, June      9, 1976 (Day game) at Wrigley Field
Braves       0  0  0    0  0  1    0  1  0  -   2  5  0
Cubs         0  0  0    0  0  0    0  0  0  -   0  3  4


Braves               AB   R   H RBI    BB  SO    AVG      Cubs                 AB   R   H RBI    BB  SO    AVG
Office cf             4   0   1   1     0   1   .282      Monday cf             4   0   1   0     0   1   .290
Gilbreath 2b          3   0   0   1     0   0   .354      Cardenal lf           4   0   0   0     0   0   .295
Wynn lf               4   0   0   0     0   3   .241      Madlock 3b            4   0   0   0     0   0   .299
Henderson rf          3   0   0   0     1   0   .275      Morales rf            4   0   0   0     0   0   .253
Williams c            3   0   1   0     0   1   .233      LaCock 1b             2   0   0   0     1   1   .143
Paciorek 1b           3   0   1   0     0   1   .259      Trillo 2b             3   0   0   0     0   1   .276
Chaney ss             3   0   1   0     0   1   .246      Swisher c             3   0   2   0     0   1   .273
Royster 3b            2   2   1   0     1   0   .227        Kelleher pr,ss      0   0   0   0     0   0   .239
Messersmith p         3   0   0   0     0   1   .067      Rosello ss            2   0   0   0     0   0   .244
                                                            Summers ph          1   0   0   0     0   1   .232
                                                            Mitterwald c        0   0   0   0     0   0   .204
                                                          Coleman p             1   0   0   0     0   0   .000
                                                            Wallis ph           1   0   0   0     0   1   .250
                                                            Knowles p           0   0   0   0     0   0   .333
                                                            Biittner ph         1   0   0   0     0   0   .202
                                                            P. Reuschel p       0   0   0   0     0   0   .000

Totals               28   2   5   2     2   8             Totals               30   0   3   0     1   6

Time of Game: 2:07   Attendance:  9,452
Left on Base: Braves 3, Cubs 4
DP: Braves 0, Cubs 2
Errors: Madlock, Swisher, Rosello, Knowles
Stolen Bases: Royster (3)
Caught Stealing: Gilbreath (1)
Sacrifice Hits: Williams (1)
Sacrifice Flies: Gilbreath (1)
GIDP: Williams (4)


Braves                 IP     H   R  ER  BB  SO  HR BFP    ERA
Messersmith W(4-5)      9     3   0   0   1   6   0  31   2.66
Totals                  9     3   0   0   1   6   0  31

Cubs                   IP     H   R  ER  BB  SO  HR BFP    ERA
Coleman L(0-1)          6     2   1   1   2   6   0  21   4.58
Knowles                 2     3   1   0   0   1   0   8   3.21
P. Reuschel             1     0   0   0   0   1   0   3   5.55
Totals                  9     5   2   1   2   8   0  32

Umpires: HP - John McSherry, 1B - Frank Pulli, 2B - Art Williams, 3B - Paul Pryor


BRAVES 1ST: Office struck out; Gilbreath reached on an error by
Rosello; Gilbreath was caught stealing second (catcher to
second); Wynn was called out on strikes; 0 R, 0 H, 1 E, 0 LOB.
Braves 0, Cubs 0.

CUBS 1ST: Monday grounded out (pitcher unassisted); Cardenal
grounded out (second to first); Madlock grounded out (shortstop
to first); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Braves 0, Cubs 0.

BRAVES 2ND: Henderson reached on an error by Madlock; Williams
grounded into a double play (shortstop to second to first)
[Henderson out at second]; Paciorek flied out to left; 0 R, 0 H,
1 E, 0 LOB.  Braves 0, Cubs 0.

CUBS 2ND: Morales popped to catcher in foul territory; LaCock
struck out; Trillo lined to right; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Braves
0, Cubs 0.

BRAVES 3RD: Chaney flied out to center; Royster grounded out
(shortstop to first); Messersmith grounded out (third to first);
0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Braves 0, Cubs 0.

CUBS 3RD: Swisher singled to left; Rosello grounded out
(shortstop to first) [Swisher to second]; Coleman flied out to
right [Swisher to third]; Monday struck out; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1
LOB.  Braves 0, Cubs 0.

BRAVES 4TH: Office grounded out (first unassisted); Gilbreath
grounded out (third to first); Wynn struck out; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0
LOB.  Braves 0, Cubs 0.

CUBS 4TH: Cardenal flied out to left; Madlock grounded out
(third to first); Morales grounded out (pitcher to first); 0 R,
0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Braves 0, Cubs 0.

BRAVES 5TH: Henderson walked; Williams out on a sacrifice bunt
(pitcher to first) [Henderson to second]; Paciorek singled to
left [Henderson out at home (left to catcher)]; Chaney struck
out; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Braves 0, Cubs 0.

CUBS 5TH: LaCock lined to right; Trillo struck out; Swisher
struck out; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Braves 0, Cubs 0.

BRAVES 6TH: Royster walked; Messersmith struck out; Royster
stole second [Royster to third (error by Swisher)]; Office
singled to center [Royster scored]; Gilbreath forced Office
(second to shortstop); Wynn struck out; 1 R, 1 H, 1 E, 1 LOB.
Braves 1, Cubs 0.

CUBS 6TH: Rosello grounded out (shortstop to first); WALLIS
BATTED FOR COLEMAN; Wallis struck out; Monday grounded out
(pitcher unassisted); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Braves 1, Cubs 0.

BRAVES 7TH: KNOWLES REPLACED WALLIS (PITCHING); Henderson lined
to third; Williams singled; Paciorek struck out; Chaney singled
to right [Williams to second]; Chaney was picked off first
(pitcher to first); 0 R, 2 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Braves 1, Cubs 0.

CUBS 7TH: Cardenal popped to shortstop; Madlock grounded out
(third to first); Morales flied out to center; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0
LOB.  Braves 1, Cubs 0.

BRAVES 8TH: Royster singled to center; Messersmith reached on an
error by Knowles [Royster to third, Messersmith to first];
Office popped to left; Gilbreath sacrifice flied into a double
play to right [Royster scored (unearned), Messersmith out at
second (right to first to second)]; 1 R (0 ER), 1 H, 1 E, 0 LOB.
 Braves 2, Cubs 0.

CUBS 8TH: LaCock walked; Trillo popped to second; Swisher
singled to center [LaCock to second]; KELLEHER RAN FOR SWISHER;
SUMMERS BATTED FOR ROSELLO; Summers struck out; BIITTNER BATTED
FOR KNOWLES; Biittner grounded out (second to first); 0 R, 1 H,
0 E, 2 LOB.  Braves 2, Cubs 0.

BRAVES 9TH: MITTERWALD REPLACED SUMMERS (PLAYING C ); P.
REUSCHEL REPLACED BIITTNER (PITCHING); KELLEHER STAYED IN GAME
(PLAYING SS); Wynn lined to right; Henderson lined to center;
Williams struck out; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Braves 2, Cubs 0.

CUBS 9TH: On a bunt Monday singled; Cardenal forced Monday
(third to second); Madlock forced Cardenal (third to second);
Morales forced Madlock (shortstop to second); 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1
LOB.  Braves 2, Cubs 0.