A bases-loaded homer by Biff Pocoroba capped a five-run first inning, triggering the Braves to an easy 6-0 conquest of the Cardinals. The attack began when Rod Gilbreath walked with one out, stole second and scored on a single by Jeff Burroughs. Gary Matthews also singled and Dale Murphy walked before Pocoroba belted his second career grand slam. Phil Niekro posted the shutout on a four-hitter. [The Sporting News]



Atlanta Braves 6, St. Louis Cardinals 0
Game Played on Wednesday, June      7, 1978 (Night game) at Busch Stadium II
Braves       5  0  0    0  0  0    0  1  0  -   6  9  0
Cardinals    0  0  0    0  0  0    0  0  0  -   0  4  1


Braves               AB   R   H RBI    BB  SO    AVG      Cardinals            AB   R   H RBI    BB  SO    AVG
Bonnell cf,lf         5   0   0   0     0   1   .222      Brock lf              4   0   0   0     0   1   .224
Gilbreath 2b          3   1   0   0     2   1   .215      Phillips ss           4   0   0   0     0   0   .240
Burroughs lf          5   2   4   1     0   0   .339      Hendrick cf           3   0   0   0     1   0   .214
  Office pr,cf        0   0   0   0     0   0   .245      Simmons c             4   0   0   0     0   0   .323
Matthews rf           5   1   2   0     0   2   .277      Hernandez 1b          4   0   1   0     0   1   .282
Murphy 1b             2   1   0   0     2   1   .200      Morales rf            4   0   1   0     0   0   .220
Pocoroba c            3   1   1   4     1   0   .260      Reitz 3b              3   0   0   0     0   0   .246
Maddox 3b             3   0   0   0     1   0   .000      Tyson 2b              3   0   2   0     0   0   .269
Rockett ss            3   0   1   0     1   0   .137      Falcone p             0   0   0   0     0   0   .300
Niekro p              4   0   1   0     0   2   .237        Urrea p             0   0   0   0     1   0   .067
                                                            Freed ph            1   0   0   0     0   0   .231
                                                            Frazier p           0   0   0   0     0   0   .000
                                                            Littell p           0   0   0   0     0   0   .000

Totals               33   6   9   5     7   7             Totals               30   0   4   0     2   2

Time of Game: 2:11   Attendance: 10,756
Left on Base: Braves 7, Cardinals 6
DP: Braves 0, Cardinals 3
Errors: Reitz
Doubles: Rockett (2)
Home Runs: Pocoroba (2)
Stolen Bases: Gilbreath (3)
Sacrifice Hits: Urrea (2)
GIDP: Maddox (1), Pocoroba (6), Bonnell (6)


Braves                 IP     H   R  ER  BB  SO  HR BFP    ERA
Niekro W(6-6)           9     4   0   0   2   2   0  33   3.02
Totals                  9     4   0   0   2   2   0  33

Cardinals              IP     H   R  ER  BB  SO  HR BFP    ERA
Falcone L(0-5)          0.2   4   5   5   2   0   1   8   6.46
Urrea                   6.1   2   0   0   4   3   0  21   4.80
Frazier                 1     2   1   0   1   2   0   7   0.00
Littell                 1     1   0   0   0   2   0   4   2.86
Totals                  9     9   6   5   7   7   1  40

Umpires: HP - Terry Tata, 1B - Paul Pryor, 2B - Ed Vargo, 3B - Charlie Williams


BRAVES 1ST: Bonnell grounded out (third to first); Gilbreath
walked; Gilbreath stole second; Burroughs singled to right
[Gilbreath scored]; Matthews singled to left [Burroughs to
second]; Murphy walked [Burroughs to third, Matthews to second];
Pocoroba homered [Burroughs scored, Matthews scored, Murphy
scored]; Maddox flied out to center; Rockett doubled to left;
URREA REPLACED FALCONE (PITCHING); Niekro struck out (catcher to
first); 5 R, 4 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Braves 5, Cardinals 0.

CARDINALS 1ST: Brock struck out; Phillips flied out to left;
Hendrick walked; Simmons flied out to center; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 1
LOB.  Braves 5, Cardinals 0.

BRAVES 2ND: Bonnell lined to right; Gilbreath walked; Gilbreath
was picked off first (pitcher to first); Burroughs singled to
left; Matthews struck out; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Braves 5,
Cardinals 0.

CARDINALS 2ND: Hernandez struck out; Morales grounded out (third
to first); Reitz flied out to right; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.
Braves 5, Cardinals 0.

BRAVES 3RD: Murphy flied out to center; Pocoroba walked; Maddox
grounded into a double play (shortstop to second to first)
[Pocoroba out at second]; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Braves 5,
Cardinals 0.

CARDINALS 3RD: Tyson singled to center; Urrea out on a sacrifice
bunt (pitcher to second) [Tyson to second]; Brock flied out to
center; Phillips lined to second; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Braves
5, Cardinals 0.

BRAVES 4TH: Rockett grounded out (second to first); Niekro
grounded out (third to first); Bonnell flied out to left; 0 R, 0
H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Braves 5, Cardinals 0.

CARDINALS 4TH: Hendrick flied out to center; Simmons grounded
out (second to first); Hernandez singled to right; Morales
forced Hernandez (shortstop to second); 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.
Braves 5, Cardinals 0.

BRAVES 5TH: Gilbreath flied out to center; Burroughs grounded
out (third to first); Matthews popped to third in foul
territory; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Braves 5, Cardinals 0.

CARDINALS 5TH: Reitz lined to left; Tyson flied out to right;
Urrea walked; Brock flied out to left; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.
Braves 5, Cardinals 0.

BRAVES 6TH: Murphy walked; Pocoroba grounded into a double play
(first to shortstop to first) [Murphy out at second]; Maddox
flied out to center; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Braves 5, Cardinals
0.

CARDINALS 6TH: Phillips grounded out (shortstop to first);
Hendrick grounded out (third to first); Simmons grounded out
(first unassisted); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Braves 5, Cardinals 0.

BRAVES 7TH: Rockett walked; Niekro singled to left [Rockett to
second]; Bonnell grounded into a double play (second to first)
[Rockett to third, Niekro out at second]; Gilbreath struck out;
0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Braves 5, Cardinals 0.

CARDINALS 7TH: Hernandez flied out to right; Morales singled to
third; Reitz flied out to right; Tyson singled to left [Morales
to second]; FREED BATTED FOR URREA; Freed flied out to left; 0
R, 2 H, 0 E, 2 LOB.  Braves 5, Cardinals 0.

BRAVES 8TH: FRAZIER REPLACED FREED (PITCHING); Burroughs singled
to left; Matthews singled to center [Burroughs to second];
Murphy struck out; Pocoroba forced Matthews (second to
shortstop) [Burroughs to third]; Maddox walked [Pocoroba to
second]; Rockett reached on an error by Reitz [Burroughs scored
(unearned) (no RBI), Pocoroba to third, Maddox to second,
Rockett to first]; Niekro struck out; 1 R (0 ER), 2 H, 1 E, 3
LOB.  Braves 6, Cardinals 0.

CARDINALS 8TH: Brock grounded out (first to pitcher); Phillips
flied out to center; Hendrick grounded out (third to first); 0
R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Braves 6, Cardinals 0.

BRAVES 9TH: LITTELL REPLACED FRAZIER (PITCHING); Bonnell struck
out; Gilbreath grounded out (third to first); Burroughs singled
to first; OFFICE RAN FOR BURROUGHS; Matthews struck out; 0 R, 1
H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Braves 6, Cardinals 0.

CARDINALS 9TH: OFFICE STAYED IN GAME (PLAYING CF); BONNELL
CHANGED POSITIONS (PLAYING LF); Simmons flied out to center;
Hernandez flied out to right; Morales lined to second; 0 R, 0 H,
0 E, 0 LOB.  Braves 6, Cardinals 0.