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.

The information used here was obtained free of charge from and is copyrighted by Retrosheet.
Interested parties may contact Retrosheet at "www.retrosheet.org".