Phil Niekro registered his 40th career shutout and 235th career victory with a two-hitter in the Braves' 2-0 victory over the Pirates. The veteran knuckleballer gave up a single to Phil Garner in the second inning and another to Tony Pena in the fifth, and did not allow a runner past second base in lowering his ERA to 1.84.

Atlanta's first run came in the fifth when Dale Murphy cracked a leadoff double, advance to third on a single by Glenn Hubbard and raced home during a rundown when plate umpire Steve Fields ruled that third baseman Dale Berra had failed to tag Murphy. In the sixth, Claudell Washington led off with a single, went all the way to third on a sacrifice bunt by Biff Pocoroba and scored on a wild pitch. [The Sporting News]



Atlanta Braves 2, Pittsburgh Pirates 0
Game Played on Tuesday, May       12, 1981 (Night game) at Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium
Pirates      0  0  0    0  0  0    0  0  0  -   0  2  0
Braves       0  0  0    0  1  1    0  0  x  -   2  4  0


Pirates              AB   R   H RBI    BB  SO    AVG      Braves               AB   R   H RBI    BB  SO    AVG
Moreno cf             4   0   0   0     0   1   .206      Miller lf             2   0   0   0     0   1   .232
Foli ss               4   0   0   0     0   0   .233        Harper lf           2   0   0   0     0   1   .263
Parker rf             3   0   0   0     1   0   .264      Washington rf         4   1   1   0     0   0   .259
Milner 1b             2   0   0   0     2   0   .227      Pocoroba 3b           2   0   0   0     0   0   .314
Lacy lf               4   0   0   0     0   2   .302      Chambliss 1b          2   0   0   0     1   0   .279
Garner 2b             4   0   1   0     0   0   .417      Murphy cf             3   1   2   0     0   0   .240
Pena c                3   0   1   0     0   0   .345      Hubbard 2b            3   0   1   0     0   1   .275
Berra 3b              3   0   0   0     0   2   .275      Benedict c            3   0   0   0     0   0   .282
Solomon p             2   0   0   0     0   0   .000      Ramirez ss            2   0   0   0     1   0   .200
  Bevacqua ph         1   0   0   0     0   0   .286      Niekro p              3   0   0   0     0   0   .067
  Jackson p           0   0   0   0     0   0   .000

Totals               30   0   2   0     3   5             Totals               26   2   4   0     2   3

Time of Game: 2:04   Attendance:  9,711
Left on Base: Pirates 6, Braves 3
DP: Pirates 1, Braves 0
Doubles: Murphy (5)
Stolen Bases: Parker (2)
Caught Stealing: Murphy (3)
Sacrifice Hits: Pocoroba (1)
GIDP: Murphy (4)


Pirates                IP     H   R  ER  BB  SO  HR BFP    ERA
Solomon L(2-2)          7     4   2   2   2   3   0  26   1.57
Jackson                 1     0   0   0   0   0   0   3   1.38
Totals                  8     4   2   2   2   3   0  29

Braves                 IP     H   R  ER  BB  SO  HR BFP    ERA
Niekro W(2-1)           9     2   0   0   3   5   0  33   1.84
Totals                  9     2   0   0   3   5   0  33

Passed Balls: Benedict (3)
Wild Pitches: Solomon (2)

Umpires: HP - Steve Fields, 1B - Satch Davidson, 2B - Terry Tata, 3B - Jerry Crawford


PIRATES 1ST: Moreno grounded out (second to first); Foli popped
to center; Parker flied to right; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Pirates
0, Braves 0.

BRAVES 1ST: Miller struck out; Washington grounded out (second
to first); Pocoroba grounded out (pitcher to first); 0 R, 0 H, 0
E, 0 LOB.  Pirates 0, Braves 0.

PIRATES 2ND: Milner grounded out (first to pitcher); Lacy struck
out but advanced to first on a passed ball; Garner singled to
left [Lacy to second]; Pena flied to left; Berra struck out; 0
R, 1 H, 0 E, 2 LOB.  Pirates 0, Braves 0.

BRAVES 2ND: Chambliss flied to center; Murphy singled to center;
Hubbard popped to second in foul territory; Murphy was caught
stealing second (catcher to second); 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.
Pirates 0, Braves 0.

PIRATES 3RD: Solomon grounded out (shortstop to first); Moreno
flied to right; Foli flied to center; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.
Pirates 0, Braves 0.

BRAVES 3RD: Benedict grounded out (shortstop to first); Ramirez
walked; Niekro grounded out (third to first) [Ramirez to
second]; Miller grounded out (second to pitcher); Eddie
Miller injured left hamstring running to 1B; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E,
1 LOB.  Pirates 0, Braves 0.

PIRATES 4TH: HARPER REPLACED MILLER (PLAYING LF); Parker flied
to center; Milner grounded out (second to first); Lacy grounded
out (shortstop to first); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Pirates 0,
Braves 0.

BRAVES 4TH: Washington flied to center; Pocoroba grounded out
(pitcher to first); Chambliss flied to center; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0
LOB.  Pirates 0, Braves 0.

PIRATES 5TH: Garner popped to third; Pena singled to left; Berra
popped to second; Solomon forced Pena (shortstop to second); 0
R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Pirates 0, Braves 0.

BRAVES 5TH: Murphy doubled to center; Hubbard singled to pitcher
[Murphy to third]; Benedict reached on a fielder's choice
[Murphy scored (no RBI), Hubbard to second]; Ramirez forced
Hubbard (third to shortstop) [Benedict to second]; Niekro popped
to shortstop; Harper struck out; 1 R, 2 H, 0 E, 2 LOB.  Pirates
0, Braves 1.

PIRATES 6TH: Moreno struck out; Foli grounded out (pitcher to
first); Parker walked; Parker stole second; Milner walked; Lacy
popped to second; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 2 LOB.  Pirates 0, Braves 1.

BRAVES 6TH: Washington singled to right; Pocoroba out on a
sacrifice bunt (pitcher to first) [Washington to third]; Solomon
threw a wild pitch [Washington scored]; Chambliss walked; Murphy
grounded into a double play (shortstop to second to first)
[Chambliss out at second]; 1 R, 1 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Pirates 0,
Braves 2.

PIRATES 7TH: Garner popped to left; Pena flied to center; Berra
struck out; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Pirates 0, Braves 2.

BRAVES 7TH: Hubbard was called out on strikes; Benedict grounded
out (third to first); Ramirez flied to center; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0
LOB.  Pirates 0, Braves 2.

PIRATES 8TH: BEVACQUA BATTED FOR SOLOMON; Bevacqua flied to
center; Moreno grounded out (second to first); Foli grounded out
(shortstop to first); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Pirates 0, Braves 2.

BRAVES 8TH: JACKSON REPLACED BEVACQUA (PITCHING); Niekro
grounded out (third to first); Harper popped to first;
Washington grounded out (second to first); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.
 Pirates 0, Braves 2.

PIRATES 9TH: Parker grounded out (second to first); Milner
walked; Lacy was called out on strikes; Garner forced Milner
(shortstop to second); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Pirates 0, Braves
2.