The Braves and Mets split a pair of games, Atlanta winning the first, 2-1, and Mets taking the second, 3-1. In the lidlifter, Jerry Royster's single with two out in the 10th inning drove across the winning run as Phil Niekro went all the way on a four-hitter. Biff Pocoroba led off the 10th with a single and two outs later, Niekro advanced him to second with a base hit to left. Royster then greeted reliever Skip Lockwood with a line single down the left field line that delivered Pocoroba with the winning run.

In the nightcap, Nino Espinosa's six-hit pitching stopped the Braves. The Mets got two runs in the second inning on a single by Steve Henderson, walk to Ron Hodges and singles by Doug Flynn and Lenny Randle. A single by Willie Montanez and Henderson's double added an insurance tally in the third. [The Sporting News]



Atlanta Braves 2, New York Mets 1 (Game 1)
Game Played on Wednesday, May       17, 1978 (Night game) at Shea Stadium
Braves       0  1  0    0  0  0    0  0  0    1  -   2  7  1
Mets         0  0  0    1  0  0    0  0  0    0  -   1  4  2


Braves               AB   R   H RBI    BB  SO    AVG      Mets                 AB   R   H RBI    BB  SO    AVG
Royster 2b            5   0   2   1     0   1   .305      Randle 3b             4   0   0   0     0   1   .176
Bonnell cf,lf         5   0   1   0     0   2   .234      Valentine 2b          4   0   0   0     0   0   .296
Murphy 1b             4   0   0   0     0   1   .193        Ferrer ss           0   0   0   0     0   0   .250
Burroughs lf          2   1   1   0     2   1   .392      Mazzilli cf           3   1   0   0     1   0   .299
  Office pr,cf        0   0   0   0     0   0   .267      Montanez 1b           3   0   0   0     1   1   .205
Gaston rf             4   0   1   0     0   1   .180      S. Henderson lf       3   0   0   1     0   0   .227
  Asselstine rf       0   0   0   0     0   0   .270      Boisclair rf          4   0   2   0     0   0   .215
Pocoroba c            4   1   1   0     0   2   .245      Stearns c             3   0   1   0     0   0   .243
Gilbreath 3b          4   0   0   1     0   1   .197      Flynn ss,2b           3   0   1   0     0   0   .246
Rockett ss            4   0   0   0     0   0   .134      Koosman p             3   0   0   0     0   2   .053
Niekro p              4   0   1   0     0   0   .217        Lockwood p          0   0   0   0     0   0   .000

Totals               36   2   7   2     2   9             Totals               30   1   4   1     2   4

Time of Game: 2:11
Left on Base: Braves 6, Mets 2
DP: Braves 1, Mets 1
Errors: Murphy, Montanez, S. Henderson
Doubles: Burroughs (10), Bonnell (4)
Caught Stealing: Gilbreath (2), Boisclair 2 (3)
Sacrifice Flies: S. Henderson (1)
GIDP: S. Henderson (7)


Braves                 IP     H   R  ER  BB  SO  HR BFP    ERA
Niekro W(3-6)          10     4   1   1   2   4   0  33   2.93
Totals                 10     4   1   1   2   4   0  33

Mets                   IP     H   R  ER  BB  SO  HR BFP    ERA
Koosman L(2-4)          9.2   6   2   2   2   9   0  36   2.89
Lockwood                0.1   1   0   0   0   0   0   2   3.52
Totals                 10     7   2   2   2   9   0  38

Balks: Niekro (2)

Umpires: HP - Dutch Rennert, 1B - Ed Montague, 2B - Lee Weyer, 3B - Harry Wendelstedt


BRAVES 1ST: Royster lined to second; Bonnell was called out on
strikes; Murphy grounded out (third to first); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0
LOB.  Braves 0, Mets 0.

METS 1ST: Randle grounded out (pitcher to first); Valentine
grounded out (first unassisted); Mazzilli grounded out (first
unassisted); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Braves 0, Mets 0.

BRAVES 2ND: Burroughs walked; Gaston singled to right [Burroughs
to third]; Pocoroba struck out; Gilbreath forced Gaston (second
to shortstop) [Burroughs scored]; Gilbreath was picked off and
caught stealing second but was safe at third (error by
Montanez); Rockett grounded out (third to first); 1 R, 1 H, 1 E,
1 LOB.  Braves 1, Mets 0.

METS 2ND: Montanez grounded out (second to first); S. Henderson
flied out to center; Boisclair grounded out (first unassisted);
0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Braves 1, Mets 0.

BRAVES 3RD: Niekro grounded out (second to first); Royster
singled to right; Bonnell lined into a double play (first
unassisted) [Royster out at first]; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.
Braves 1, Mets 0.

METS 3RD: Stearns singled to left; Flynn singled to third
[Stearns to third (error by Murphy)]; Koosman struck out; Randle
flied out to right; Valentine grounded out (third to first); 0
R, 2 H, 1 E, 2 LOB.  Braves 1, Mets 0.

BRAVES 4TH: Murphy grounded out (shortstop to first); Burroughs
doubled to center; Gaston flied out to right [Burroughs to
third]; Pocoroba struck out; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Braves 1,
Mets 0.

METS 4TH: Mazzilli walked; Niekro balked [Mazzilli to
second]; Braves manager Bobby Cox ran onto the field to argue
the balk with 1B umpire Ed Montague; Mets manager Joe Torre
protested the game when Cox was not ejected for arguing the
balk; Montanez flied out to right [Mazzilli to third]; S.
Henderson hit a sacrifice fly to right [Mazzilli scored];
Boisclair singled to center; Boisclair was caught stealing
second (catcher to second); 1 R, 1 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Braves 1,
Mets 1.

BRAVES 5TH: Gilbreath struck out; Rockett grounded out (first
unassisted); Niekro grounded out (third to first); 0 R, 0 H, 0
E, 0 LOB.  Braves 1, Mets 1.

METS 5TH: Stearns grounded out (pitcher to first); Flynn
grounded out (pitcher to first); Koosman grounded out (second to
first); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Braves 1, Mets 1.

BRAVES 6TH: Royster flied out to center; Bonnell struck out;
Murphy flied out to right; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Braves 1, Mets
1.

METS 6TH: Randle grounded out (first unassisted); Valentine
grounded out (shortstop to first); Mazzilli flied to right in
foul territory; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Braves 1, Mets 1.

BRAVES 7TH: Burroughs was called out on strikes; Gaston flied
out to right; Pocoroba flied out to right; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.
 Braves 1, Mets 1.

METS 7TH: Montanez struck out; S. Henderson grounded out (third
to first); Boisclair singled to right; Boisclair was caught
stealing second (catcher to second); 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.
Braves 1, Mets 1.

BRAVES 8TH: Gilbreath flied out to right; Rockett made an out to
second; Niekro flied out to right; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Braves
1, Mets 1.

METS 8TH: Stearns lined to first; Flynn flied out to right;
Koosman struck out; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Braves 1, Mets 1.

BRAVES 9TH: Royster was called out on strikes; Bonnell doubled
to right; Murphy struck out; Burroughs was walked intentionally;
OFFICE RAN FOR BURROUGHS; Gaston struck out; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 2
LOB.  Braves 1, Mets 1.

METS 9TH: OFFICE STAYED IN GAME (PLAYING CF); BONNELL CHANGED
POSITIONS (PLAYING LF); ASSELSTINE REPLACED GASTON (PLAYING RF);
Randle struck out; Valentine made an out to shortstop; Mazzilli
grounded out (first unassisted); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Braves
1, Mets 1.

BRAVES 10TH: FERRER REPLACED VALENTINE (PLAYING SS); FLYNN
CHANGED POSITIONS (PLAYING 2B); Pocoroba singled to left;
Gilbreath popped to catcher in foul territory; Rockett flied out
to right; Niekro singled to left [Pocoroba to second]; LOCKWOOD
REPLACED KOOSMAN (PITCHING); Royster singled to left [Pocoroba
scored, Niekro to third (error by S. Henderson), Royster to
second]; Bonnell lined to center; 1 R, 3 H, 1 E, 2 LOB.  Braves
2, Mets 1.

METS 10TH: Montanez walked; S. Henderson grounded into a double
play (pitcher to second to first) [Montanez out at second];
Boisclair popped to second; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Braves 2,
Mets 1.