Pinch-hitter Cito Gaston singled home the winning run in the bottom of the ninth to give the Braves a 4-3 triumph over the Mets. With one out in the ninth and the score tied, 3-3, Glenn Hubbard drew a walk and moved to second on a groundout by Biff Pocoroba.

Gaston, batting for winning pitcher Phl Niekro, then laced a 2-1 pitch into left-center. The Mets had deadlocked the game in the seventh when Willie Montanez was hit by a pitch and John Stearns followed with a home run. [The Sporting News]



Atlanta Braves 4, New York Mets 3
Game Played on Tuesday, July      18, 1978 (Night game) at Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium
Mets         0  0  0    0  1  0    2  0  0  -   3  6  0
Braves       1  0  0    0  0  2    0  0  1  -   4  6  0


Mets                 AB   R   H RBI    BB  SO    AVG      Braves               AB   R   H RBI    BB  SO    AVG
Randle 3b             4   0   1   0     0   2   .230      Royster ss            4   0   0   0     0   0   .278
Foli ss               4   0   0   0     0   0   .229      Bonnell cf            4   1   1   0     0   0   .230
Mazzilli cf           4   0   0   0     0   1   .270      Matthews rf           3   0   1   0     1   0   .299
Montanez 1b           3   1   1   0     0   1   .266      Burroughs lf          3   1   2   0     1   0   .323
Stearns c             4   2   2   2     0   1   .272      Horner 3b             3   0   0   1     0   0   .257
S. Henderson lf       4   0   1   1     0   1   .256      Murphy 1b             3   1   1   2     1   0   .239
Maddox rf             3   0   0   0     0   1   .277      Hubbard 2b            3   1   0   0     1   1   .211
Flynn 2b              3   0   1   0     0   0   .250      Pocoroba c            4   0   0   0     0   0   .246
Koosman p             3   0   0   0     0   0   .091      Niekro p              2   0   0   0     0   0   .231
                                                            Gaston ph           1   0   1   1     0   0   .213

Totals               32   3   6   3     0   7             Totals               30   4   6   4     4   1

Time of Game: 2:05   Attendance: 10,902
Left on Base: Mets 3, Braves 6
DP: Mets 1, Braves 1
Doubles: Montanez (21), Stearns (12), S. Henderson (15), Burroughs (19)
Home Runs: Stearns (10), Murphy (15)
Sacrifice Flies: Horner (3)
GIDP: Foli (6), Royster (4)
Hit by Pitch: Montanez (1,by Niekro), Niekro (1,by Koosman)


Mets                   IP     H   R  ER  BB  SO  HR BFP    ERA
Koosman L(3-10)         8.2   6   4   4   4   1   1  36   4.03
Totals                  8.2   6   4   4   4   1   1  36

Braves                 IP     H   R  ER  BB  SO  HR BFP    ERA
Niekro W(11-9)          9     6   3   3   0   7   1  33   3.02
Totals                  9     6   3   3   0   7   1  33

Hit by Pitch: Koosman (4), Niekro (7)

Umpires: HP - Dick Stello, 1B - Bruce Froemming, 2B - Eric Gregg, 3B - Bill Williams


METS 1ST: Randle struck out; Foli flied out to left; Mazzilli
grounded out (second to first); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Mets 0,
Braves 0.

BRAVES 1ST: Royster flied out to right; Bonnell singled to left;
Matthews singled to right [Bonnell to third]; Burroughs walked
[Matthews to second]; Horner hit a sacrifice fly to center
[Bonnell scored]; Murphy popped to first in foul territory; 1 R,
2 H, 0 E, 2 LOB.  Mets 0, Braves 1.

METS 2ND: Montanez doubled to right; Stearns struck out; S.
Henderson made an out to shortstop; Maddox flied out to center;
0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Mets 0, Braves 1.

BRAVES 2ND: Hubbard struck out; Pocoroba grounded out (third to
first); Niekro lined to center; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Mets 0,
Braves 1.

METS 3RD: Flynn grounded out (second to first); Koosman popped
to catcher in foul territory; Randle struck out; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E,
0 LOB.  Mets 0, Braves 1.

BRAVES 3RD: Royster grounded out (third to first); Bonnell
popped to second; Matthews walked; Burroughs doubled to center
[Matthews to third]; Horner lined to left; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 2 LOB.
 Mets 0, Braves 1.

METS 4TH: Foli flied out to center; Mazzilli grounded out
(second to first); Montanez struck out (catcher to first); 0 R,
0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Mets 0, Braves 1.

BRAVES 4TH: Murphy walked; Hubbard forced Murphy (third to
second); Pocoroba popped to shortstop; Niekro grounded out
(third to first); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Mets 0, Braves 1.

METS 5TH: Stearns doubled to left; S. Henderson doubled to left
[Stearns scored]; Maddox struck out; Flynn grounded out
(shortstop to first); Koosman flied out to left; 1 R, 2 H, 0 E,
1 LOB.  Mets 1, Braves 1.

BRAVES 5TH: Royster flied out to left; Bonnell flied out to
center; Matthews grounded out (third to first); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0
LOB.  Mets 1, Braves 1.

METS 6TH: Randle flied out to left; Foli flied out to center;
Mazzilli made an out to third; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Mets 1,
Braves 1.

BRAVES 6TH: Burroughs singled to left; Horner popped to second;
Murphy homered [Burroughs scored]; Hubbard grounded out (third
to first); Pocoroba made an out to shortstop; 2 R, 2 H, 0 E, 0
LOB.  Mets 1, Braves 3.

METS 7TH: Montanez was hit by a pitch; Stearns homered [Montanez
scored]; S. Henderson struck out; Maddox lined to shortstop;
Flynn singled to right; Koosman forced Flynn (shortstop to
second); 2 R, 2 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Mets 3, Braves 3.

BRAVES 7TH: Niekro was hit by a pitch; Royster grounded into a
double play (shortstop to second to first) [Niekro out at
second]; Bonnell made an out to third; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.
Mets 3, Braves 3.

METS 8TH: Randle singled to center; Foli grounded into a double
play (shortstop to second to first) [Randle out at second];
Mazzilli struck out; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Mets 3, Braves 3.

BRAVES 8TH: Matthews popped to first in foul territory;
Burroughs grounded out (second to first); Horner made an out to
second; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Mets 3, Braves 3.

METS 9TH: Montanez popped to catcher in foul territory; Stearns
popped to first in foul territory; S. Henderson grounded out
(shortstop to first); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Mets 3, Braves 3.

BRAVES 9TH: Murphy grounded out (shortstop to first); Hubbard
walked; Pocoroba grounded out (first unassisted) [Hubbard to
second]; GASTON BATTED FOR NIEKRO; Gaston singled to left
[Hubbard scored]; 1 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Mets 3, Braves 4.