A ninth-inning leadoff homer by Gary Matthews ignited a three-run outburst that lifted the Braves to a 5-2 triumph over the Pirates and gave Phil Niekro his 200th career victory. Matthews' tie-breaking blast was an inside-the-park affair. Previously, he clouted a solo homer in the third inning. [The Sporting News]



Atlanta Braves 5, Pittsburgh Pirates 2
Game Played on Tuesday, May       1, 1979 (Night game) at Three Rivers Stadium
Braves       0  0  1    0  0  1    0  0  3  -   5  7  1
Pirates      0  0  1    0  1  0    0  0  0  -   2  7  0


Braves               AB   R   H RBI    BB  SO    AVG      Pirates              AB   R   H RBI    BB  SO    AVG
Royster 3b            4   1   1   0     0   2   .353      Moreno cf             5   0   1   0     0   2   .333
Matthews rf           3   2   2   2     1   0   .289      Foli ss               4   2   3   0     1   0   .216
Burroughs lf          2   0   1   0     2   0   .282      Parker rf             4   0   2   1     1   0   .338
  Office pr,cf        0   1   0   0     0   0   .235      Stargell 1b           1   0   0   0     2   1   .321
Murphy c              3   0   1   1     0   1   .320        Milner 1b           2   0   0   0     0   1   .441
Lum 1b                3   0   0   1     0   1   .232      B. Robinson lf        4   0   0   0     0   0   .232
Bonnell cf,lf         4   1   1   0     0   2   .338      Garner 3b             2   0   0   0     1   1   .236
Hubbard 2b            4   0   1   1     0   0   .207      Ott c                 4   0   1   0     0   0   .302
Frias ss              3   0   0   0     1   0   .254      Stennett 2b           3   0   0   0     1   0   .206
Niekro p              4   0   0   0     0   0   .100      Blyleven p            3   0   0   0     0   0   .154
                                                            Easler ph           1   0   0   0     0   1   .000
                                                            Tekulve p           0   0   0   0     0   0   .000
                                                            Jackson p           0   0   0   0     0   0   .000
                                                            Romo p              0   0   0   0     0   0   .000

Totals               30   5   7   5     4   6             Totals               33   2   7   1     6   6

Time of Game: 2:37   Attendance:  5,122
Left on Base: Braves 4, Pirates 11
DP: Braves 1, Pirates 0
Errors: Lum
Doubles: Royster (3), Moreno (2), Foli 3 (3)
Home Runs: Matthews 2 (6)
Stolen Bases: Matthews (2), Bonnell (1), Garner (1)
Caught Stealing: Burroughs (1), Murphy (1)
Sacrifice Flies: Murphy (2), Lum (1)
GIDP: B. Robinson (4)
Hit by Pitch: Garner (1,by Niekro)


Braves                 IP     H   R  ER  BB  SO  HR BFP    ERA
Niekro W(3-4)           9     7   2   1   6   6   0  40   2.59
Totals                  9     7   2   1   6   6   0  40

Pirates                IP     H   R  ER  BB  SO  HR BFP    ERA
Blyleven                8     2   2   2   3   6   1  28   5.21
Tekulve L(1-4)          0     3   2   2   0   0   1   3   5.60
Jackson                 0.1   0   0   0   0   0   0   1   1.74
Romo                    0.2   2   1   1   1   0   0   4   4.82
Totals                  9     7   5   5   4   6   2  36

Passed Balls: Murphy (6)
Hit by Pitch: Niekro (1)

Umpires: HP - Fred Brocklander, 1B - Ron Hutson, 2B - Bob Beck, 3B - Harry Smail


BRAVES 1ST: Royster was called out on strikes; Matthews walked;
Matthews stole second; Burroughs walked; Murphy struck out; Lum
struck out; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 2 LOB.  Braves 0, Pirates 0.

PIRATES 1ST: Moreno doubled to center; Foli grounded out
(shortstop to first) [Moreno to third]; Parker popped to third;
Stargell walked; B. Robinson lined to center; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 2
LOB.  Braves 0, Pirates 0.

BRAVES 2ND: Bonnell struck out; Hubbard lined to left; Frias
flied out to center; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Braves 0, Pirates 0.

PIRATES 2ND: Garner was hit by a pitch; Ott lined to right;
Stennett grounded out (first unassisted) [Garner to second];
Blyleven flied out to left; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Braves 0,
Pirates 0.

BRAVES 3RD: Niekro grounded out (shortstop to first); Royster
grounded out (shortstop to first); Matthews homered; Burroughs
grounded out (third to first); 1 R, 1 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Braves 1,
Pirates 0.

PIRATES 3RD: Moreno flied out to right; Foli doubled to left;
Parker singled to right [Foli to third]; Murphy allowed a passed
ball [Foli scored (unearned), Parker to second]; Stargell struck
out; B. Robinson popped to shortstop; 1 R (0 ER), 2 H, 0 E, 1
LOB.  Braves 1, Pirates 1.

BRAVES 4TH: Murphy flied out to left; Lum popped to first;
Bonnell flied out to right; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Braves 1,
Pirates 1.

PIRATES 4TH: Garner struck out; Ott singled to center; Stennett
flied out to left; Blyleven popped to second; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1
LOB.  Braves 1, Pirates 1.

BRAVES 5TH: Hubbard flied out to left; Frias flied out to left;
Niekro flied out to center; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Braves 1,
Pirates 1.

PIRATES 5TH: Moreno struck out; Foli doubled to left; Parker
singled to right [Foli scored, Parker to third (error by Lum)];
Stargell was walked intentionally; B. Robinson grounded into a
double play (shortstop to second to first) [Stargell out at
second]; 1 R, 2 H, 1 E, 1 LOB.  Braves 1, Pirates 2.

BRAVES 6TH: MILNER REPLACED STARGELL (PLAYING 1B); Royster
doubled to center; Willie Stargell left with bruised right
hip; Matthews flied out to right [Royster to third];
Burroughs walked; Murphy hit a sacrifice fly to left [Royster
scored]; Burroughs was caught stealing second (catcher to
shortstop); 1 R, 1 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Braves 2, Pirates 2.

PIRATES 6TH: Garner flied out to left; Ott popped to first in
foul territory; Stennett flied out to right; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0
LOB.  Braves 2, Pirates 2.

BRAVES 7TH: Lum grounded out (first to pitcher); Bonnell struck
out (catcher to first); Hubbard popped to second; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E,
0 LOB.  Braves 2, Pirates 2.

PIRATES 7TH: Blyleven grounded out (shortstop to first); Moreno
lined to center; Foli doubled to center; Parker was walked
intentionally; Milner grounded out (first unassisted); 0 R, 1 H,
0 E, 2 LOB.  Braves 2, Pirates 2.

BRAVES 8TH: Frias grounded out (shortstop to first); Niekro
grounded out (shortstop to first); Royster was called out on
strikes; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Braves 2, Pirates 2.

PIRATES 8TH: B. Robinson popped to catcher in foul territory;
Garner walked; Garner stole second; Ott flied out to right;
Stennett was walked intentionally; EASLER BATTED FOR BLYLEVEN;
Easler struck out; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 2 LOB.  Braves 2, Pirates 2.

BRAVES 9TH: TEKULVE REPLACED EASLER (PITCHING); Matthews hit an
inside the park homer to right; Burroughs singled to center;
OFFICE RAN FOR BURROUGHS; Murphy singled to right [Office to
third]; JACKSON REPLACED TEKULVE (PITCHING); Lum hit a sacrifice
fly to right [Office scored]; ROMO REPLACED JACKSON (PITCHING);
Murphy was caught stealing second (catcher to shortstop);
Bonnell singled to right; Bonnell stole second; Hubbard singled
to right [Bonnell scored, Hubbard to second (on throw to home)];
Frias was walked intentionally; Niekro grounded out (shortstop
to first); 3 R, 5 H, 0 E, 2 LOB.  Braves 5, Pirates 2.

PIRATES 9TH: OFFICE STAYED IN GAME (PLAYING CF); BONNELL CHANGED
POSITIONS (PLAYING LF); Moreno was called out on strikes; Foli
walked; Parker flied out to right; Milner struck out; 0 R, 0 H,
0 E, 1 LOB.  Braves 5, Pirates 2.