Two outs away from the second no-hitter of his career, Phil Niekro suffered disappointment when Cesar Geronimo doubled for the Reds in a 3-0 loss to the Braves. After Geronimo's spoiler, Niekro retired Dave Concepcion on a grounder and struck out Doug Flynn to complete his victory. The knuckleball righthander's no-hitter came on August 5, 1973, against the Padres. [The Sporting News]



Atlanta Braves 3, Cincinnati Reds 0
Game Played on Saturday, October   2, 1976 (Day game) at Riverfront Stadium
Braves       0  1  0    0  0  0    0  2  0  -   3 10  2
Reds         0  0  0    0  0  0    0  0  0  -   0  1  1


Braves               AB   R   H RBI    BB  SO    AVG      Reds                 AB   R   H RBI    BB  SO    AVG
Royster 3b            3   1   2   0     0   0   .250      Rose 3b               4   0   0   0     0   0   .322
Gilbreath 2b          4   0   0   0     0   0   .251      Griffey rf            3   0   0   0     1   0   .338
Montanez 1b           4   1   1   2     0   1   .316      Driessen lf           3   0   0   0     1   2   .244
Gaston lf             4   1   2   0     0   0   .292      Perez 1b              3   0   0   0     1   1   .259
Asselstine cf         4   0   1   0     0   0   .219      Bench c               3   0   0   0     1   1   .235
Paciorek rf           4   0   1   0     0   1   .294      Geronimo cf           4   0   1   0     0   1   .307
Murphy c              4   0   2   1     0   0   .242      Concepcion ss         3   0   0   0     1   2   .282
Chaney ss             3   0   0   0     1   1   .252      Flynn 2b              4   0   0   0     0   1   .279
Niekro p              4   0   1   0     0   1   .191      Zachry p              3   0   0   0     0   1   .113
                                                            Borbon p            0   0   0   0     0   0   .222

Totals               34   3  10   3     1   4             Totals               30   0   1   0     5   9

Time of Game: 2:06   Attendance: 30,091
Left on Base: Braves 6, Reds 8
DP: Braves 0, Reds 3
Errors: Montanez 2, Zachry
Doubles: Murphy (5), Geronimo (24)
Home Runs: Montanez (11)
Stolen Bases: Royster (24), Geronimo (22), Driessen (13)
Caught Stealing: Royster (13), Gilbreath (7)
Sacrifice Hits: Royster (14)
GIDP: Paciorek (8), Niekro (3)


Braves                 IP     H   R  ER  BB  SO  HR BFP    ERA
Niekro W(17-11)         9     1   0   0   5   9   0  35   3.29
Totals                  9     1   0   0   5   9   0  35

Reds                   IP     H   R  ER  BB  SO  HR BFP    ERA
Zachry L(14-7)          8     9   3   3   1   4   1  32   2.74
Borbon                  1     1   0   0   0   0   0   4   3.30
Totals                  9    10   3   3   1   4   1  36

Wild Pitches: Niekro (14)

Umpires: HP - Satch Davidson, 1B - Lee Weyer, 2B - Paul Pryor, 3B - Andy Olsen


BRAVES 1ST: Royster grounded out (second to first); Gilbreath
flied out to left; Montanez grounded out (first unassisted); 0
R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Braves 0, Reds 0.

REDS 1ST: Rose flied out to center; Griffey walked; Driessen
struck out; Perez struck out; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Braves 0,
Reds 0.

BRAVES 2ND: Gaston singled; Asselstine singled [Gaston to
second]; Paciorek grounded into a double play (third to second
to first) [Gaston to third, Asselstine out at second]; Murphy
doubled [Gaston scored]; Chaney was walked intentionally; Niekro
struck out; 1 R, 3 H, 0 E, 2 LOB.  Braves 1, Reds 0.

REDS 2ND: Bench struck out; Geronimo struck out; Concepcion
struck out; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Braves 1, Reds 0.

BRAVES 3RD: Royster singled; Royster was caught stealing second
(catcher to shortstop to first); Gilbreath grounded out
(shortstop to first); Montanez grounded out (second to first); 0
R, 1 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Braves 1, Reds 0.

REDS 3RD: Flynn grounded out (shortstop to first); Zachry struck
out; Rose grounded out (second to first); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.
Braves 1, Reds 0.

BRAVES 4TH: Gaston singled; Asselstine forced Gaston (second to
shortstop) [Asselstine to first]; Paciorek struck out; Murphy
singled [Asselstine to second]; Chaney struck out; 0 R, 2 H, 0
E, 2 LOB.  Braves 1, Reds 0.

REDS 4TH: Griffey made an out to shortstop; Driessen struck out;
Perez grounded out (shortstop to first); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.
Braves 1, Reds 0.

BRAVES 5TH: Niekro singled; Royster reached on a fielder's
choice on a sacrifice bunt [Niekro to second]; Gilbreath forced
Niekro (catcher to third) [Royster to second, Gilbreath to
first]; Montanez struck out while Gilbreath was caught stealing
second (catcher to third to first to second); 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1
LOB.  Braves 1, Reds 0.

REDS 5TH: Bench grounded out (third to first); Geronimo reached
on an error by Montanez [Geronimo to first]; Geronimo stole
second; Concepcion walked; Flynn flied out to center; Zachry
forced Concepcion (third to second); 0 R, 0 H, 1 E, 2 LOB.
Braves 1, Reds 0.

BRAVES 6TH: Gaston flied out to center; Asselstine popped to
catcher in foul territory; Paciorek grounded out (first to
pitcher); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Braves 1, Reds 0.

REDS 6TH: Rose grounded out (second to first); Griffey grounded
out (first unassisted); Driessen walked; Driessen stole second;
Perez walked; Bench walked [Driessen to third, Perez to second];
Geronimo grounded out (pitcher to first); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 3 LOB.
Braves 1, Reds 0.

BRAVES 7TH: Murphy grounded out (shortstop to first); Chaney
reached on an error by Zachry [Chaney to first]; Niekro grounded
into a double play (third to shortstop to first) [Chaney out at
second]; 0 R, 0 H, 1 E, 0 LOB.  Braves 1, Reds 0.

REDS 7TH: Concepcion struck out; Flynn grounded out (second to
first); Zachry reached on an error by Montanez [Zachry to
first]; Niekro threw a wild pitch [Zachry to second]; Rose flied
out to left; 0 R, 0 H, 1 E, 1 LOB.  Braves 1, Reds 0.

BRAVES 8TH: Royster singled; Royster stole second; Gilbreath
flied out to center; Montanez homered [Royster scored]; Gaston
grounded out (pitcher to first); Asselstine grounded out
(shortstop to first); 2 R, 2 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Braves 3, Reds 0.

REDS 8TH: Griffey grounded out (second to first); Driessen flied
out to center; Perez flied out to right; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.
Braves 3, Reds 0.

BRAVES 9TH: BORBON REPLACED ZACHRY (PITCHING); Paciorek singled;
Murphy flied out to right; Chaney made an out to third; Niekro
made an out to shortstop; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Braves 3, Reds
0.

REDS 9TH: Bench popped to shortstop; Geronimo doubled to left;
Concepcion grounded out (shortstop to first); Flynn struck out;
0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Braves 3, Reds 0.