A three-run homer by Rod Gilbreath and four-hit, 13-strikeout pitching by Phil Niekro combined to give the Braves a 3-0 victory over the Phillies. Niekro's strikeouts represented a career high for the veteran knuckleball pitcher, who fanned five in a row at one stretch.

Gary Matthews drew a walk from Jim Kaat to open the Braves' fifth inning and both runners were safe when Mike Schmidt threw late to second on a grounder by Vic Correll. After Junior Moore forced Correll, Gilbreath came through with his second homer of the season. [The Sporting News]

Atlanta Braves 3, Philadelphia Phillies 0

Game Played on Thursday, June 9, 1977 (Night game) at Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium

Phillies 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 - 0 4 0 Braves 0 0 0 0 3 0 0 0 x - 3 5 0 Phillies AB R H RBI BB SO AVG Braves AB R H RBI BB SO AVG Sizemore 2b 4 0 0 0 0 2 .276 Royster ss 4 0 0 0 0 1 .228 Johnstone rf 4 0 0 0 0 2 .272 Bonnell cf 4 0 3 0 0 1 .377 Schmidt 3b 4 0 1 0 0 2 .243 Montanez 1b 4 0 0 0 0 0 .287 Luzinski lf 4 0 2 0 0 2 .328 Burroughs rf 3 0 0 0 0 0 .278 Hebner 1b 3 0 0 0 1 1 .310 Matthews lf 2 1 0 0 1 1 .283 Boone c 3 0 0 0 0 1 .288 Correll c 2 0 0 0 1 0 .263 Martin cf 3 0 1 0 0 1 .238 Moore 3b 3 1 0 0 0 0 .274 Bowa ss 3 0 0 0 0 1 .236 Gilbreath 2b 3 1 1 3 0 2 .210 Kaat p 2 0 0 0 0 1 .083 Niekro p 3 0 1 0 0 0 .171 Brusstar p 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000 McCarver ph 1 0 0 0 0 0 .308 Twitchell p 0 0 0 0 0 0 .091 Totals 31 0 4 0 1 13 Totals 28 3 5 3 2 5 Time of Game: 1:50 Attendance: 6,791 Left on Base: Phillies 5, Braves 3 DP: Phillies 2, Braves 0 Home Runs: Gilbreath (2) GIDP: Montanez 2 (7) Phillies IP H R ER BB SO HR BFP ERA Kaat L(1-4) 5.1 4 3 3 2 3 1 21 7.03 Brusstar 1.2 0 0 0 0 1 0 5 1.93 Twitchell 1 1 0 0 0 1 0 4 4.34 Totals 8 5 3 3 2 5 1 30 Braves IP H R ER BB SO HR BFP ERA Niekro W(4-8) 9 4 0 0 1 13 0 32 4.97 Totals 9 4 0 0 1 13 0 32 Passed Balls: Correll (3) Umpires: HP - Art Williams, 1B - Ed Montague, 2B - Lee Weyer, 3B - Dutch Rennert PHILLIES 1ST: Sizemore struck out; Johnstone made an out to second; Schmidt was called out on strikes; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB. Phillies 0, Braves 0. BRAVES 1ST: Royster grounded out (shortstop to first); Bonnell singled to second; Montanez grounded into a double play (second to shortstop to first) [Bonnell out at second]; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 0 LOB. Phillies 0, Braves 0. PHILLIES 2ND: Luzinski singled to left; Hebner flied out to right; Boone made an out to shortstop; Martin singled to right [Luzinski to third]; Bowa grounded out (first unassisted); 0 R, 2 H, 0 E, 2 LOB. Phillies 0, Braves 0. BRAVES 2ND: Burroughs flied out to right; Matthews was called out on strikes; Correll walked; Moore flied out to right; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 1 LOB. Phillies 0, Braves 0. PHILLIES 3RD: Kaat grounded out (second to first); Sizemore grounded out (pitcher to first); Johnstone struck out; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB. Phillies 0, Braves 0. BRAVES 3RD: Gilbreath struck out; Niekro flied out to left; Royster grounded out (second to first); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB. Phillies 0, Braves 0. PHILLIES 4TH: Schmidt lined to shortstop; Luzinski singled to left; Hebner walked [Luzinski to second]; Correll allowed a passed ball [Luzinski to third, Hebner to second]; Boone struck out; Martin struck out; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 2 LOB. Phillies 0, Braves 0. BRAVES 4TH: Bonnell singled to right; Montanez grounded into a double play (third to second to first) [Bonnell out at second]; Burroughs grounded out (shortstop to first); 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 0 LOB. Phillies 0, Braves 0. PHILLIES 5TH: Bowa struck out; Kaat struck out (catcher to first); Sizemore was called out on strikes; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB. Phillies 0, Braves 0. BRAVES 5TH: Matthews walked; Correll reached on a fielder's choice [Matthews to second]; Moore forced Correll (shortstop to second) [Matthews to third]; Gilbreath homered [Matthews scored, Moore scored]; Niekro grounded out (second to first); Royster was called out on strikes; 3 R, 1 H, 0 E, 0 LOB. Phillies 0, Braves 3. PHILLIES 6TH: Johnstone grounded out (second to first); Schmidt singled to center; Luzinski struck out; Hebner flied out to center; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB. Phillies 0, Braves 3. BRAVES 6TH: Bonnell singled to left; Montanez flied out to left; BRUSSTAR REPLACED KAAT (PITCHING); Burroughs flied out to right; Matthews grounded out (second to first); 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB. Phillies 0, Braves 3. PHILLIES 7TH: Boone flied out to center; Martin made an out to second; Bowa flied out to right; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB. Phillies 0, Braves 3. BRAVES 7TH: Correll grounded out (third to first); Moore grounded out (pitcher to first); Gilbreath was called out on strikes; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB. Phillies 0, Braves 3. PHILLIES 8TH: MCCARVER BATTED FOR BRUSSTAR; McCarver grounded out (second to first); Sizemore grounded out (shortstop to first); Johnstone struck out; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB. Phillies 0, Braves 3. BRAVES 8TH: TWITCHELL REPLACED MCCARVER (PITCHING); Niekro singled to right; Royster forced Niekro (third to second); Bonnell struck out; Montanez flied out to center; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB. Phillies 0, Braves 3. PHILLIES 9TH: Schmidt struck out; Luzinski struck out; Hebner struck out; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB. Phillies 0, Braves 3.

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