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.