Phil Niekro, the Braves' 41-year-old knuckleballer, scattered seven hits and posted a 6-2 victory over the Cardinals, whose runs came on a homer by George Hendrick with a man on base in the fourth inning. The Braves, who had a homer by Dale Murphy, tied the score at 2-2 when Niekro doubled and Jerry Royster singled in the fifth. Then in the sixth, Bob Horner singled, stole second and scored the Braves' deciding run on a double by Chris Chambliss. [The Sporting News]



Atlanta Braves 6, St. Louis Cardinals 2
Game Played on Sunday, August    31, 1980 (Day game) at Busch Stadium II
Braves       0  1  0    0  1  1    0  3  0  -   6 11  0
Cardinals    0  0  0    2  0  0    0  0  0  -   2  7  0


Braves               AB   R   H RBI    BB  SO    AVG      Cardinals            AB   R   H RBI    BB  SO    AVG
Royster lf,3b         5   0   2   1     0   0   .231      Oberkfell 2b          4   0   0   0     0   0   .305
Ramirez ss            5   0   1   0     0   0   .283      Scott cf              4   1   1   0     0   0   .227
Matthews rf           4   1   1   0     1   0   .283      Durham 1b             4   0   0   0     0   1   .239
Horner 3b             4   1   1   0     0   0   .254      Hendrick rf           4   1   3   2     0   0   .328
  Cooper lf           0   0   0   0     0   0   .000      Iorg lf               4   0   1   0     0   0   .316
Chambliss 1b          4   1   2   2     0   0   .280      Kennedy c             3   0   1   0     0   1   .246
Murphy cf             2   2   1   1     2   0   .290      Reitz 3b              2   0   1   0     1   0   .268
Hubbard 2b            4   0   0   0     0   0   .260      Phillips ss           3   0   0   0     0   1   .217
Benedict c            4   0   1   2     0   1   .265      Sykes p               1   0   0   0     0   0   .103
Niekro p              4   1   2   0     0   0   .149        Hernandez ph        1   0   0   0     0   0   .321
                                                            Otten p             0   0   0   0     0   0   .200
                                                            Littlefield p       0   0   0   0     0   0   .000
                                                            Simmons ph          1   0   0   0     0   0   .304
                                                            Martin p            0   0   0   0     0   0   .500

Totals               36   6  11   6     3   1             Totals               31   2   7   2     1   3

Time of Game: 2:16   Attendance: 27,821
Left on Base: Braves 6, Cardinals 3
DP: Braves 2, Cardinals 2
Doubles: Niekro 2 (5), Chambliss 2 (31), Royster (15), Benedict (12)
Home Runs: Murphy (25), Hendrick (23)
Stolen Bases: Matthews (9), Horner (2)
Caught Stealing: Iorg (1)
GIDP: Hubbard (7), Iorg (3), Sykes (1)


Braves                 IP     H   R  ER  BB  SO  HR BFP    ERA
Niekro W(12-14)         9     7   2   2   1   3   1  32   3.82
Totals                  9     7   2   2   1   3   1  32

Cardinals              IP     H   R  ER  BB  SO  HR BFP    ERA
Sykes                   5     5   2   2   1   1   1  20   4.28
Otten L(0-5)            2.1   5   4   4   2   0   0  13   6.54
Littlefield             0.2   1   0   0   0   0   0   3   2.94
Martin                  1     0   0   0   0   0   0   3   1.13
Totals                  9    11   6   6   3   1   1  39

Passed Balls: Benedict (10), Kennedy (3)

Umpires: HP - Nick Colosi, 1B - Doug Harvey, 2B - Andy Olsen, 3B - Jerry Crawford


BRAVES 1ST: Royster grounded out (first to pitcher); Ramirez
singled to center; Matthews lined into a double play (shortstop
to first) [Ramirez out at first]; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Braves
0, Cardinals 0.

CARDINALS 1ST: Oberkfell grounded out (second to first); Scott
grounded out (second to first); Durham struck out; 0 R, 0 H, 0
E, 0 LOB.  Braves 0, Cardinals 0.

BRAVES 2ND: Horner popped to second; Chambliss flied out to
right; Murphy homered; Hubbard flied out to left; 1 R, 1 H, 0 E,
0 LOB.  Braves 1, Cardinals 0.

CARDINALS 2ND: Hendrick singled to center; Iorg grounded into a
double play (pitcher to shortstop to first) [Hendrick out at
second]; Kennedy struck out; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Braves 1,
Cardinals 0.

BRAVES 3RD: Benedict flied out to left; Niekro doubled to left;
Royster popped to second; Ramirez grounded out (shortstop to
first); 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Braves 1, Cardinals 0.

CARDINALS 3RD: Reitz walked; Phillips flied out to center; On a
bunt Sykes grounded into a double play (pitcher to shortstop to
second) [Reitz out at second]; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Braves 1,
Cardinals 0.

BRAVES 4TH: Matthews walked; Matthews stole second; Horner
grounded out (third to first) [Matthews to third]; Chambliss
flied out to center; Murphy grounded out (first unassisted); 0
R, 0 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Braves 1, Cardinals 0.

CARDINALS 4TH: Oberkfell grounded out (second to first); Scott
singled to center; Durham grounded out (third to first) [Scott
to second]; Hendrick homered [Scott scored]; Iorg singled to
left; Iorg was caught stealing second (catcher to shortstop); 2
R, 3 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Braves 1, Cardinals 2.

BRAVES 5TH: Hubbard popped to second; Benedict was called out on
strikes; Niekro doubled to left; Royster singled to left [Niekro
scored, Royster to second (on throw to home)]; Ramirez popped to
first; 1 R, 2 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Braves 2, Cardinals 2.

CARDINALS 5TH: Kennedy singled to left; Benedict allowed a
passed ball [Kennedy to second]; Reitz flied out to center;
Phillips struck out; HERNANDEZ BATTED FOR SYKES; Hernandez
grounded out (first unassisted); 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Braves
2, Cardinals 2.

BRAVES 6TH: OTTEN REPLACED HERNANDEZ (PITCHING); Matthews popped
to first in foul territory; Horner singled to center; Horner
stole second; Chambliss doubled to center [Horner scored];
Murphy was walked intentionally; Hubbard grounded into a double
play (second to first) [Murphy out at second]; 1 R, 2 H, 0 E, 1
LOB.  Braves 3, Cardinals 2.

CARDINALS 6TH: Oberkfell grounded out (pitcher to second to
first); Scott grounded out (pitcher to first); Durham flied out
to center; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Braves 3, Cardinals 2.

BRAVES 7TH: Benedict grounded out (third to first); Niekro
grounded out (shortstop to first); Royster doubled to right;
Kennedy allowed a passed ball [Royster to third]; Ramirez
grounded out (pitcher to first); 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Braves
3, Cardinals 2.

CARDINALS 7TH: Hendrick popped to shortstop; Iorg lined to
pitcher; Kennedy grounded out (second to first); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E,
0 LOB.  Braves 3, Cardinals 2.

BRAVES 8TH: Matthews singled to center; Horner flied out to
right; Chambliss doubled to right [Matthews scored]; Murphy was
walked intentionally; LITTLEFIELD REPLACED OTTEN (PITCHING);
Hubbard popped to second; Benedict doubled to left [Chambliss
scored, Murphy scored]; Niekro grounded out (second to first); 3
R, 3 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Braves 6, Cardinals 2.

CARDINALS 8TH: COOPER REPLACED HORNER (PLAYING LF); ROYSTER
CHANGED POSITIONS (PLAYING 3B); Reitz singled to right; Phillips
lined to second; SIMMONS BATTED FOR LITTLEFIELD; Simmons lined
to right; Oberkfell flied out to center; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.
Braves 6, Cardinals 2.

BRAVES 9TH: MARTIN REPLACED SIMMONS (PITCHING); Royster popped
to first in foul territory; Ramirez flied out to left; Matthews
popped to catcher in foul territory; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.
Braves 6, Cardinals 2.

CARDINALS 9TH: Scott grounded out (pitcher to first); Durham
grounded out (second to first); Hendrick singled to right; Iorg
popped to first in foul territory; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Braves
6, Cardinals 2.