Bob Welch fired a one-hitter, barely missing a perfect game, as the Dodgers blanked the Braves, 3-0. The only baserunner for Atlanta was Larvell Blanks, who lined a clean single to center in the fourth inning and was erased on a double play. Welch retired the final 15 batters in succession in facing the minimum number of batters for the game. Reggie Smith and Joe Ferguson hit homers for the Dodgers. [The Sporting News]



Los Angeles Dodgers 3, Atlanta Braves 0
Game Played on Thursday, May       29, 1980 (Night game) at Dodger Stadium
Braves       0  0  0    0  0  0    0  0  0  -   0  1  0
Dodgers      1  0  1    0  0  1    0  0  x  -   3  9  0


Braves               AB   R   H RBI    BB  SO    AVG      Dodgers              AB   R   H RBI    BB  SO    AVG
Royster 2b            3   0   0   0     0   1   .216      Lopes 2b              3   0   0   0     1   0   .241
Blanks 3b             3   0   1   0     0   1   .206      Thomas cf             4   1   1   0     0   1   .299
Chambliss 1b          3   0   0   0     0   0   .270      Smith rf              4   1   3   1     0   0   .344
Matthews rf           3   0   0   0     0   1   .276      Garvey 1b             4   0   1   0     0   0   .250
Murphy cf             3   0   0   0     0   0   .267      Baker lf              3   0   0   0     1   2   .257
Asselstine lf         3   0   0   0     0   1   .252      Cey 3b                3   0   1   0     1   0   .259
Benedict c            3   0   0   0     0   0   .267      Russell ss            4   0   1   0     0   1   .313
Gomez ss              2   0   0   0     0   0   .176      Ferguson c            4   1   1   1     0   2   .154
  Nolan ph            1   0   0   0     0   1   .286      Welch p               2   0   1   0     0   0   .200
Niekro p              2   0   0   0     0   1   .080
  Lum ph              1   0   0   0     0   1   .130

Totals               27   0   1   0     0   7             Totals               31   3   9   2     3   6

Time of Game: 1:46   Attendance: 24,630
Left on Base: Braves 0, Dodgers 8
DP: Braves 1, Dodgers 1
Doubles: Smith (7)
Home Runs: Smith (9), Ferguson (1)
Sacrifice Hits: Welch (3)
GIDP: Chambliss (5), Garvey (6)


Braves                 IP     H   R  ER  BB  SO  HR BFP    ERA
Niekro L(3-7)           8     9   3   3   3   6   2  35   3.84
Totals                  8     9   3   3   3   6   2  35

Dodgers                IP     H   R  ER  BB  SO  HR BFP    ERA
Welch W(5-1)            9     1   0   0   0   7   0  27   2.16
Totals                  9     1   0   0   0   7   0  27

Umpires: HP - Jerry Dale, 1B - Bob Engel, 2B - Paul Runge, 3B - Jim Quick


BRAVES 1ST: Royster struck out; Blanks was called out on
strikes; Chambliss grounded out (third to first); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E,
0 LOB.  Braves 0, Dodgers 0.

DODGERS 1ST: Lopes grounded out (third to first); Thomas
grounded out (third to first); Smith homered; Garvey singled to
center; Baker flied out to center; 1 R, 2 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Braves
0, Dodgers 1.

BRAVES 2ND: Matthews flied out to center; Murphy lined to
shortstop; Asselstine struck out; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Braves
0, Dodgers 1.

DODGERS 2ND: Cey singled to left; Russell singled to right [Cey
to third]; Ferguson popped to third; Welch out on a sacrifice
bunt (pitcher to first) [Russell to second]; Lopes grounded out
(shortstop to first); 0 R, 2 H, 0 E, 2 LOB.  Braves 0, Dodgers 1.

BRAVES 3RD: Benedict popped to third; Gomez flied out to center;
Niekro grounded out (shortstop to first); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.
Braves 0, Dodgers 1.

DODGERS 3RD: Thomas singled to center; Smith singled to left
[Thomas to third]; Garvey grounded into a double play (third to
second to first) [Thomas scored, Smith out at second]; Baker
walked; Cey walked [Baker to second]; Russell grounded out
(third to first); 1 R, 2 H, 0 E, 2 LOB.  Braves 0, Dodgers 2.

BRAVES 4TH: Royster flied out to left; Blanks singled to center;
Chambliss grounded into a double play (second to shortstop to
first) [Blanks out at second]; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Braves 0,
Dodgers 2.

DODGERS 4TH: Ferguson struck out; Welch grounded out (third to
first); Lopes flied out to center; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Braves
0, Dodgers 2.

BRAVES 5TH: Matthews struck out; Murphy popped to shortstop;
Asselstine flied out to left; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Braves 0,
Dodgers 2.

DODGERS 5TH: Thomas struck out; Smith doubled to right; Garvey
popped to third; Baker was called out on strikes; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E,
1 LOB.  Braves 0, Dodgers 2.

BRAVES 6TH: Benedict flied to right in foul territory; Gomez
flied out to right; Niekro struck out; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.
Braves 0, Dodgers 2.

DODGERS 6TH: Cey grounded out (shortstop to first); Russell
struck out; Ferguson homered; Welch singled to left; Lopes
walked [Welch to second]; Thomas forced Lopes (shortstop to
second); 1 R, 2 H, 0 E, 2 LOB.  Braves 0, Dodgers 3.

BRAVES 7TH: Royster popped to shortstop; Blanks flied out to
right; Chambliss popped to third in foul territory; 0 R, 0 H, 0
E, 0 LOB.  Braves 0, Dodgers 3.

DODGERS 7TH: Smith lined to first; Garvey flied out to right;
Baker struck out; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Braves 0, Dodgers 3.

BRAVES 8TH: Matthews grounded out (second to first); Murphy
flied out to left; Asselstine grounded out (first unassisted); 0
R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Braves 0, Dodgers 3.

DODGERS 8TH: Cey popped to catcher in foul territory; Russell
grounded out (shortstop to first); Ferguson struck out; 0 R, 0
H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Braves 0, Dodgers 3.

BRAVES 9TH: Benedict popped to shortstop; NOLAN BATTED FOR
GOMEZ; Nolan was called out on strikes; LUM BATTED FOR NIEKRO;
Lum struck out; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Braves 0, Dodgers 3.