A homer by Bob Horner and the pitching of Phil Niekro and Gene Garber enabled the Braves to defeat the Pirates, 3-2, for their sixth straight victory. Niekro gave up only two hits, including a homer by John Milner in the second inning.

The Braves came back with all their runs off Bert Blyleven in the sixth. Jerry Royster doubled and scored on a single by Rafael Ramirez ahead of Horner's homer. The Pirates scored an unearned run off Niekro in the eighth before Garber took over to gain credit for the save. [The Sporting News]



Atlanta Braves 3, Pittsburgh Pirates 2
Game Played on Saturday, September 6, 1980 (Day game) at Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium
Pirates      0  1  0    0  0  0    0  1  0  -   2  2  1
Braves       0  0  0    0  0  3    0  0  x  -   3  5  2


Pirates              AB   R   H RBI    BB  SO    AVG      Braves               AB   R   H RBI    BB  SO    AVG
Moreno cf             3   0   0   0     1   0   .255      Royster lf            3   1   1   0     1   0   .232
Foli ss               4   0   0   0     0   2   .275      Ramirez ss            4   1   2   1     0   0   .273
Madlock 3b,1b         4   0   0   0     0   1   .272      Matthews rf           3   0   0   0     0   1   .287
Parker rf             4   0   0   0     0   2   .304      Horner 3b             3   1   2   2     0   0   .262
Easler lf             4   1   1   0     0   0   .326      Chambliss 1b          3   0   0   0     0   1   .277
Milner 1b             2   1   1   1     1   0   .237      Murphy cf             3   0   0   0     0   3   .288
  Alexander pr        0   0   0   0     0   0   .333      Hubbard 2b            3   0   0   0     0   1   .261
  Berra 3b            0   0   0   0     0   0   .237      Benedict c            3   0   0   0     0   1   .252
Ott c                 3   0   0   0     0   0   .273      Niekro p              2   0   0   0     0   1   .145
Garner 2b             3   0   0   0     0   0   .255        Garber p            1   0   0   0     0   1   .500
Blyleven p            2   0   0   0     0   0   .057
  Beall ph            1   0   0   0     0   0   .000
  Romo p              0   0   0   0     0   0   .444

Totals               30   2   2   1     2   5             Totals               28   3   5   3     1   9

Time of Game: 2:08   Attendance: 17,821
Left on Base: Pirates 3, Braves 2
DP: Pirates 0, Braves 1
Errors: Parker, Ramirez 2
Doubles: Royster (17)
Home Runs: Milner (7), Horner (29)
Stolen Bases: Royster (17)
GIDP: Blyleven (1)


Pirates                IP     H   R  ER  BB  SO  HR BFP    ERA
Blyleven L(7-11)        7     5   3   3   1   8   1  26   3.85
Romo                    1     0   0   0   0   1   0   3   3.05
Totals                  8     5   3   3   1   9   1  29

Braves                 IP     H   R  ER  BB  SO  HR BFP    ERA
Niekro W(13-14)         7     2   2   1   1   5   1  24   3.74
Garber SV(7)            2     0   0   0   1   0   0   8   3.97
Totals                  9     2   2   1   2   5   1  32

Umpires: HP - Joe West, 1B - Lanny Harris, 2B - Paul Pryor, 3B - John McSherry


PIRATES 1ST: Moreno flied out to right; Foli struck out; Madlock
flied out to center; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Pirates 0, Braves 0.

BRAVES 1ST: Royster walked; Royster stole second; Ramirez
singled to third [Royster to third]; Royster was picked off
third (pitcher to third); Matthews flied out to right; Horner
grounded out (shortstop to first); 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.
Pirates 0, Braves 0.

PIRATES 2ND: Parker struck out; Easler flied out to center;
Milner homered; Ott grounded out (second to first); 1 R, 1 H, 0
E, 0 LOB.  Pirates 1, Braves 0.

BRAVES 2ND: Chambliss was called out on strikes; Murphy struck
out; Hubbard grounded out (shortstop to first); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0
LOB.  Pirates 1, Braves 0.

PIRATES 3RD: Garner grounded out (second to first); Blyleven
popped to third; Moreno flied out to center; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0
LOB.  Pirates 1, Braves 0.

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

PIRATES 4TH: Foli struck out; Madlock was called out on strikes;
Parker struck out; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Pirates 1, Braves 0.

BRAVES 4TH: Ramirez flied out to center; Matthews grounded out
(second to first); Horner singled to left; Chambliss flied out
to left; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Pirates 1, Braves 0.

PIRATES 5TH: Easler popped to first in foul territory; Milner
made an out to first; Ott grounded out (third to first); 0 R, 0
H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Pirates 1, Braves 0.

BRAVES 5TH: Murphy struck out; Hubbard struck out; Benedict
grounded out (third to first); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Pirates 1,
Braves 0.

PIRATES 6TH: Garner reached on an error by Ramirez [Garner to
first]; On a bunt Blyleven grounded into a double play (pitcher
to shortstop to second) [Garner out at second]; Moreno grounded
out (first to pitcher); 0 R, 0 H, 1 E, 0 LOB.  Pirates 1, Braves
0.

BRAVES 6TH: Niekro popped to catcher in foul territory; Royster
doubled to right [Royster to third (error by Parker)]; Ramirez
singled to left [Royster scored]; Matthews struck out; Horner
homered [Ramirez scored]; Chambliss grounded out (first to
pitcher); 3 R, 3 H, 1 E, 0 LOB.  Pirates 1, Braves 3.

PIRATES 7TH: Foli flied out to right; Madlock grounded out
(shortstop to first); Parker grounded out (second to first); 0
R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Pirates 1, Braves 3.

BRAVES 7TH: Murphy was called out on strikes; Hubbard grounded
out (second to first); Benedict was called out on strikes; 0 R,
0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Pirates 1, Braves 3.

PIRATES 8TH: Easler singled to left; Milner walked [Easler to
second]; ALEXANDER RAN FOR MILNER; GARBER REPLACED NIEKRO
(PITCHING); Ott forced Alexander (pitcher to shortstop) [Easler
to third]; Garner reached on an error by Ramirez [Easler scored
(unearned) (no RBI), Ott to second]; BEALL BATTED FOR BLYLEVEN;
Beall grounded out (second to first) [Ott to third, Garner to
second]; Moreno was walked intentionally; Foli made an out to
first; 1 R (0 ER), 1 H, 1 E, 3 LOB.  Pirates 2, Braves 3.

BRAVES 8TH: ROMO REPLACED BEALL (PITCHING); BERRA REPLACED
ALEXANDER (PLAYING 3B); MADLOCK CHANGED POSITIONS (PLAYING 1B);
Garber struck out; Royster popped to first; Ramirez grounded out
(third to first); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Pirates 2, Braves 3.

PIRATES 9TH: Madlock grounded out (shortstop to first); Parker
grounded out (second to first); Easler grounded out (shortstop
to first); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Pirates 2, Braves 3.