A two-run triple by Gary Matthews in the first inning and two-run homer by Jeff Burroughs in the third enabled Andy Messersmith to return to action with a victory as the Braves defeated the Cubs, 5-2, Messersmith, who had been idled since April 30 by a pulled side muscle, pitched six innings before Jamie Easterly took over in relief. [The Sporting News]



Atlanta Braves 5, Chicago Cubs 2
Game Played on Sunday, May       22, 1977 (Day game) at Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium
Cubs         0  0  0    0  1  0    0  1  0  -   2 10  1
Braves       2  0  2    0  0  0    1  0  x  -   5  8  1


Cubs                 AB   R   H RBI    BB  SO    AVG      Braves               AB   R   H RBI    BB  SO    AVG
De Jesus ss           5   1   2   0     0   2   .324      Royster ss            4   2   2   0     0   0   .234
Gross rf              3   0   1   1     0   0   .269      Gilbreath 2b          4   1   2   1     0   0   .216
  Ontiveros ph        1   0   0   0     0   1   .313      Moore 3b              4   0   1   0     0   0   .308
  P. Reuschel p       0   0   0   0     0   0   .000      Burroughs rf          3   2   1   2     1   0   .305
Biittner 1b           4   0   1   0     0   0   .318        Asselstine rf       0   0   0   0     0   0   .220
Trillo 2b             4   1   4   0     0   0   .387      Matthews lf           4   0   1   2     0   1   .360
Clines lf             4   0   0   0     0   0   .389      Correll c             3   0   1   0     0   2   .289
Wallis cf             3   0   1   1     1   2   .229        Easterly p          1   0   0   0     0   0   .375
Mitterwald c          4   0   1   0     0   1   .271      Paciorek 1b           3   0   0   0     0   1   .242
Rosello 3b            4   0   0   0     0   1   .176      Bonnell cf            3   0   0   0     0   0   .300
Bonham p              2   0   0   0     0   0   .211      Messersmith p         2   0   0   0     0   0   .167
  Morales ph,rf       2   0   0   0     0   1   .284        Pocoroba c          1   0   0   0     0   0   .302

Totals               36   2  10   2     1   8             Totals               32   5   8   5     1   4

Time of Game: 2:26   Attendance:  7,635
Left on Base: Cubs 8, Braves 4
DP: Cubs 0, Braves 2
Errors: Rosello, Royster
Doubles: Trillo (10)
Triples: Matthews (1)
Home Runs: Burroughs (10)
Stolen Bases: De Jesus (8), Royster 2 (12)
GIDP: Clines (1), Biittner (5)


Cubs                   IP     H   R  ER  BB  SO  HR BFP    ERA
Bonham L(5-3)           6     6   4   4   1   4   1  25   3.56
P. Reuschel             2     2   1   1   0   0   0   8   1.21
Totals                  8     8   5   5   1   4   1  33

Braves                 IP     H   R  ER  BB  SO  HR BFP    ERA
Messersmith W(3-1)      6     7   1   1   1   4   0  25   3.76
Easterly SV(1)          3     3   1   1   0   4   0  12   5.91
Totals                  9    10   2   2   1   8   0  37

Umpires: HP - John Kibler, 1B - Nick Colosi, 2B - Frank Pulli, 3B - Dutch Rennert


CUBS 1ST: De Jesus struck out; Gross flied out to right;
Biittner singled to center; Trillo singled to center [Biittner
to second]; Clines flied out to left; 0 R, 2 H, 0 E, 2 LOB.
Cubs 0, Braves 0.

BRAVES 1ST: Royster singled to shortstop; Royster stole second;
Gilbreath grounded out (third to first); Moore lined to
shortstop; Burroughs walked; Matthews tripled to right [Royster
scored, Burroughs scored]; Correll struck out; 2 R, 2 H, 0 E, 1
LOB.  Cubs 0, Braves 2.

CUBS 2ND: Wallis was called out on strikes; Mitterwald struck
out; Rosello reached on an error by Royster [Rosello to first];
Bonham grounded out (second to first); 0 R, 0 H, 1 E, 1 LOB.
Cubs 0, Braves 2.

BRAVES 2ND: Paciorek grounded out (second to first); Bonnell
grounded out (first to pitcher); Messersmith grounded out (third
to first); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Cubs 0, Braves 2.

CUBS 3RD: De Jesus flied out to right; Gross grounded out (first
unassisted); Biittner grounded out (second to first); 0 R, 0 H,
0 E, 0 LOB.  Cubs 0, Braves 2.

BRAVES 3RD: Royster grounded out (shortstop to first); Gilbreath
singled to right; Moore grounded out (third to first) [Gilbreath
to second]; Burroughs homered [Gilbreath scored]; Matthews
struck out; 2 R, 2 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Cubs 0, Braves 4.

CUBS 4TH: Trillo singled to shortstop; Clines grounded into a
double play (third to second to first) [Trillo out at second];
Wallis walked; Mitterwald singled to right [Wallis to third];
Rosello popped to right; 0 R, 2 H, 0 E, 2 LOB.  Cubs 0, Braves 4.

BRAVES 4TH: Correll singled to third [Correll to second (error
by Rosello)]; Paciorek struck out; Bonnell grounded out (third
to first); Messersmith popped to first in foul territory; 0 R, 1
H, 1 E, 1 LOB.  Cubs 0, Braves 4.

CUBS 5TH: Bonham flied out to center; De Jesus singled to left;
De Jesus stole second; Gross singled to center [De Jesus
scored]; Biittner grounded into a double play (second to
shortstop to first) [Gross out at second]; 1 R, 2 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.
 Cubs 1, Braves 4.

BRAVES 5TH: Royster grounded out (second to first); Gilbreath
grounded out (second to first); Moore singled to second;
Burroughs forced Moore (shortstop to second); 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1
LOB.  Cubs 1, Braves 4.

CUBS 6TH: Trillo singled to left; Clines lined to center; Wallis
struck out; Mitterwald popped to third in foul territory; 0 R, 1
H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Cubs 1, Braves 4.

BRAVES 6TH: Matthews popped to second; Correll struck out;
Paciorek grounded out (pitcher to first); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.
Cubs 1, Braves 4.

CUBS 7TH: EASTERLY REPLACED CORRELL (PITCHING); POCOROBA
REPLACED MESSERSMITH (PLAYING C ); Rosello was called out on
strikes; MORALES BATTED FOR BONHAM; Morales was called out on
strikes; De Jesus singled to right; ONTIVEROS BATTED FOR GROSS;
Ontiveros struck out; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Cubs 1, Braves 4.

BRAVES 7TH: P. REUSCHEL REPLACED ONTIVEROS (PITCHING); MORALES
STAYED IN GAME (PLAYING RF); Bonnell grounded out (shortstop to
first); Pocoroba flied out to center; Royster singled to right;
Royster stole second; Gilbreath singled to right [Royster
scored, Gilbreath to second (on throw to home)]; Moore grounded
out (second to first); 1 R, 2 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Cubs 1, Braves 5.

CUBS 8TH: Biittner grounded out (pitcher unassisted); Trillo
doubled to right; Clines lined to shortstop; Wallis singled to
right [Trillo scored]; Mitterwald grounded out (first to
pitcher); 1 R, 2 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Cubs 2, Braves 5.

BRAVES 8TH: Burroughs flied out to center; Matthews grounded out
(second to first); Easterly popped to first in foul territory; 0
R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Cubs 2, Braves 5.

CUBS 9TH: ASSELSTINE REPLACED BURROUGHS (PLAYING RF); Rosello
flied out to right; Morales lined to center; De Jesus struck
out; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Cubs 2, Braves 5.