Andy Messersmith tossed a six-hitter and also batted in two runs while pitching the Braves to a 7-2 victory over the Giants, winning for the sixth time in the million-dollar pitcher's last seven starts. A double by Rob Belloir and single by Messersmith accounted for the Braves' initial run in the third inning. The Braves pushed over two more tallies in the fifth and then clinched the verdict with three in the sixth with Messersmith's second single as one of the ingredients in the scoring. [The Sporting News]



Atlanta Braves 7, San Francisco Giants 2
Game Played on Friday, July      2, 1976 (Night game) at Candlestick Park
Braves       0  0  1    0  2  3    0  0  1  -   7 12  2
Giants       0  0  0    1  0  0    0  0  1  -   2  6  1


Braves               AB   R   H RBI    BB  SO    AVG      Giants               AB   R   H RBI    BB  SO    AVG
Office cf             4   1   2   0     1   0   .305      Thomasson cf          4   0   0   0     1   0   .254
Robinson 2b           5   0   1   2     0   0   .238      Thomas 2b             4   0   1   1     1   0   .244
Wynn lf               3   1   1   1     2   1   .236      Matthews lf           4   0   1   0     1   1   .267
Montanez 1b           5   0   1   1     0   2   .323      Murcer rf             4   0   0   0     0   2   .247
Henderson rf          5   1   2   0     0   1   .264      Evans 1b              3   1   1   0     1   1   .200
Williams c            4   1   0   0     0   0   .216      Reitz 3b              4   0   1   0     0   1   .285
Chaney ss             5   1   1   0     0   2   .265      Speier ss             4   1   0   0     0   0   .223
Belloir 3b            3   2   1   0     1   0   .333      Rader c               4   0   2   1     0   0   .248
Messersmith p         3   0   3   2     0   0   .200      Montefusco p          2   0   0   0     0   1   .146
                                                            Heaverlo p          0   0   0   0     0   0   .000
                                                            Perez ph            1   0   0   0     0   1   .264
                                                            Caldwell p          0   0   0   0     0   0   .154
                                                            Adams ph            1   0   0   0     0   1   .278

Totals               37   7  12   6     4   6             Totals               35   2   6   2     4   8

Time of Game: 2:31   Attendance:  6,689
Left on Base: Braves 9, Giants 10
DP: Braves 0, Giants 1
Errors: Montanez, Belloir, Reitz
Doubles: Belloir (1), Wynn (10), Matthews (12)
Stolen Bases: Reitz (3)
Sacrifice Hits: Messersmith (4), Williams (2)
GIDP: Williams (7)


Braves                 IP     H   R  ER  BB  SO  HR BFP    ERA
Messersmith W(8-6)      9     6   2   0   4   8   0  39   2.37
Totals                  9     6   2   0   4   8   0  39

Giants                 IP     H   R  ER  BB  SO  HR BFP    ERA
Montefusco L(7-8)       5.1   9   6   4   3   2   0  28   3.24
Heaverlo                1.2   0   0   0   0   1   0   5   3.88
Caldwell                2     3   1   1   1   3   0  10   4.75
Totals                  9    12   7   5   4   6   0  43

Wild Pitches: Messersmith (7), Caldwell (3)

Umpires: HP - Art Williams, 1B - Tom Gorman, 2B - Paul Pryor, 3B - John McSherry


BRAVES 1ST: Office popped to second; Robinson flied out to
right; Wynn struck out; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Braves 0, Giants
0.

GIANTS 1ST: Thomasson flied out to center; Thomas walked;
Matthews walked [Thomas to second]; Murcer struck out;
Messersmith threw a wild pitch [Thomas to third, Matthews to
second]; Evans flied out to left; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 2 LOB.  Braves
0, Giants 0.

BRAVES 2ND: Montanez flied out to left; Henderson grounded out
(pitcher to first); Williams popped to second; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0
LOB.  Braves 0, Giants 0.

GIANTS 2ND: Reitz singled to center; Reitz stole second; Speier
grounded out (shortstop to first); Rader grounded out (pitcher
to first); Montefusco flied out to center; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.
 Braves 0, Giants 0.

BRAVES 3RD: Chaney flied out to left; Belloir doubled to left;
Messersmith singled to center [Belloir scored]; Office flied out
to center; Robinson grounded out (pitcher to first); 1 R, 2 H, 0
E, 1 LOB.  Braves 1, Giants 0.

GIANTS 3RD: Thomasson made an out to first; Thomas grounded out
(second to pitcher); Matthews flied out to right; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E,
0 LOB.  Braves 1, Giants 0.

BRAVES 4TH: Wynn walked; Montanez lined to first; Henderson
singled to center [Wynn to second]; Williams grounded into a
double play (third to second to first) [Henderson out at
second]; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Braves 1, Giants 0.

GIANTS 4TH: Murcer reached on an error by Montanez; Evans
singled to right [Murcer to third]; Reitz struck out; Speier
reached on a fielder's choice [Murcer out at home (pitcher to
third to catcher), Evans to second]; Rader singled to center
[Evans scored (unearned), Speier to second]; Montefusco struck
out; 1 R (0 ER), 2 H, 1 E, 2 LOB.  Braves 1, Giants 1.

BRAVES 5TH: Chaney singled to second; Belloir popped to first;
Messersmith out on a sacrifice bunt (first to second) [Chaney to
second]; Office was walked intentionally; Robinson singled to
right [Chaney scored, Office to third]; Wynn doubled to center
[Office scored, Robinson to third]; Montanez struck out; 2 R, 3
H, 0 E, 2 LOB.  Braves 3, Giants 1.

GIANTS 5TH: Thomasson flied out to center; Thomas flied out to
left; Matthews doubled to center; Murcer struck out; 0 R, 1 H, 0
E, 1 LOB.  Braves 3, Giants 1.

BRAVES 6TH: Henderson singled to right; Williams reached on an
error by Reitz on a sacrifice bunt [Henderson scored, Williams
to third]; Chaney grounded out (first unassisted); Belloir
walked; Messersmith singled to right [Williams scored
(unearned), Belloir to second]; Office singled to second
[Belloir to third, Messersmith to second]; HEAVERLO REPLACED
MONTEFUSCO (PITCHING); Robinson forced Messersmith (third
unassisted) [Belloir scored (unearned), Office to second]; Wynn
popped to first in foul territory; 3 R (1 ER), 3 H, 1 E, 2 LOB.
Braves 6, Giants 1.

GIANTS 6TH: Evans walked; Reitz grounded out (third to first)
[Evans to second]; Speier flied out to left; Rader flied out to
right; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Braves 6, Giants 1.

BRAVES 7TH: Montanez struck out; Henderson flied out to center;
Williams popped to first in foul territory; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0
LOB.  Braves 6, Giants 1.

GIANTS 7TH: PEREZ BATTED FOR HEAVERLO; Perez struck out;
Thomasson grounded out (first unassisted); Thomas grounded out
(pitcher to first); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Braves 6, Giants 1.

BRAVES 8TH: CALDWELL REPLACED PEREZ (PITCHING); Chaney was
called out on strikes; Belloir grounded out (second to first);
Messersmith singled to center; Office singled to left
[Messersmith to second]; Robinson flied out to center; 0 R, 2 H,
0 E, 2 LOB.  Braves 6, Giants 1.

GIANTS 8TH: Matthews grounded out (pitcher to first); Murcer
flied out to left; Evans struck out; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.
Braves 6, Giants 1.

BRAVES 9TH: Wynn walked; Caldwell threw a wild pitch [Wynn to
second]; Montanez singled to right [Wynn scored]; Henderson
struck out; Williams flied out to left; Chaney struck out; 1 R,
1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Braves 7, Giants 1.

GIANTS 9TH: Reitz flied out to center; Speier reached on an
error by Belloir; Rader singled to center [Speier to third];
ADAMS BATTED FOR CALDWELL; Adams struck out; Thomasson walked
[Rader to second]; Thomas singled to second [Speier scored
(unearned), Rader to third, Thomasson to second]; Matthews
struck out; 1 R (0 ER), 2 H, 1 E, 3 LOB.  Braves 7, Giants 2.