A three-run homer by Bruce Benedict climaxed a seven-run sixth inning that propelled the Braves to an 11-3 pasting of the Cardinals. The Braves trailed, 3-2, going into the sixth when they loaded the bases on a pinch-single by Brian Asselstine, single by Terry Harper and walk to Claudell Washington.

After Jim Kaat relieved Lary Sorensen on the mound for the Cards, pinch-hitter Rufino Linares drove in the tying run by bouncing into a forceout.  Chris Chambliss then followed with a run-scoring double and Kaat was yanked in favor of Jim Otten, who issued an intentional walk to Dale Murphy to load the bases and then was tapped for a two-run single by Glenn Hubbard before Benedict's circuit swat. [The Sporting News]



Atlanta Braves 11, St. Louis Cardinals 3
Game Played on Friday, May       15, 1981 (Night game) at Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium
Cardinals    0  1  2    0  0  0    0  0  0  -   3 11  2
Braves       2  0  0    0  0  7    2  0  x  -  11 11  1


Cardinals            AB   R   H RBI    BB  SO    AVG      Braves               AB   R   H RBI    BB  SO    AVG
Templeton ss          5   0   1   0     0   2   .263      Harper lf             4   2   1   0     0   0   .233
Scott cf              5   0   2   0     0   1   .272        Mahler p            1   0   0   0     0   1   .000
Hernandez 1b          5   1   2   0     0   0   .314      Washington rf         3   2   2   1     2   0   .288
Hendrick rf           4   2   2   0     1   0   .260      Pocoroba 3b           2   0   0   0     0   0   .262
Iorg lf               4   0   2   0     0   0   .240        Linares ph,lf       2   1   0   1     1   0   .143
Oberkfell 3b          3   0   2   1     1   0   .283      Chambliss 1b          4   2   1   1     0   0   .279
Tenace c              2   0   0   0     1   1   .229        Nahorodny 1b        0   0   0   0     0   0   .000
  Sanchez c           1   0   0   0     0   0   .333      Murphy cf             3   1   0   0     1   1   .225
Herr 2b               3   0   0   1     1   0   .244      Hubbard 2b            4   1   2   4     0   0   .268
Sorensen p            3   0   0   0     0   3   .111      Benedict c            4   1   1   3     0   0   .293
  Kaat p              0   0   0   0     0   0   .500      Ramirez ss            4   0   2   0     0   0   .216
  Otten p             0   0   0   0     0   0   .000      Walk p                0   0   0   0     0   0   .143
  Sykes p             0   0   0   0     0   0   .000        Hanna p             1   0   0   0     0   0   .000
  Porter ph           1   0   0   0     0   0   .176        Asselstine ph       1   0   1   0     0   0   .286
  Edelen p            0   0   0   0     0   0   .333        Royster pr          0   1   0   0     0   0   .167
                                                            Gomez ph,3b         2   0   1   0     0   0   .286

Totals               36   3  11   2     4   7             Totals               35  11  11  10     4   2

Time of Game: 2:39   Attendance: 13,730
Left on Base: Cardinals 10, Braves 4
DP: Cardinals 1, Braves 0
Errors: Templeton, Hernandez, Ramirez
Doubles: Hernandez (11), Hendrick (7), Washington (10), Chambliss (9), Hubbard (6)
Home Runs: Benedict (3)
Stolen Bases: Harper (2)
Caught Stealing: Scott (6), Washington (3)
GIDP: Chambliss (3)


Cardinals              IP     H   R  ER  BB  SO  HR BFP    ERA
Sorensen L(4-2)         5     4   5   3   1   0   0  20   3.02
Kaat                    0.1   1   1   1   0   0   0   2   2.84
Otten                   0.2   3   3   3   1   0   1   6   4.20
Sykes                   1     1   2   2   2   1   0   6  12.00
Edelen                  1     2   0   0   0   1   0   5   8.71
Totals                  8    11  11   9   4   2   1  39

Braves                 IP     H   R  ER  BB  SO  HR BFP    ERA
Walk                    2.1   5   3   3   2   4   0  15   4.37
Hanna W(2-0)            3.2   2   0   0   1   3   0  12   3.38
Mahler SV(2)            3     4   0   0   1   0   0  13   2.18
Totals                  9    11   3   3   4   7   0  40

Wild Pitches: Hanna (3)

Umpires: HP - Steve Fields, 1B - Bob Engel, 2B - Jerry Dale, 3B - Paul Runge


CARDINALS 1ST: Templeton struck out; Scott struck out; Hernandez
grounded out (pitcher to first); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.
Cardinals 0, Braves 0.

BRAVES 1ST: Harper reached on an error by Templeton; Harper
stole second; Washington doubled [Harper scored (unearned)];
Pocoroba reached on an error by Hernandez [Washington scored
(unearned) (no RBI)]; Chambliss grounded into a double play
(second to shortstop to first) [Pocoroba out at second]; Murphy
grounded out (shortstop to first); 2 R (0 ER), 1 H, 2 E, 0 LOB.
Cardinals 0, Braves 2.

CARDINALS 2ND: Hendrick singled to shortstop; Iorg flied to
right; Oberkfell singled to right [Hendrick to second]; Tenace
walked [Hendrick to third, Oberkfell to second]; Herr reached on
an error by Ramirez [Hendrick scored, Oberkfell to third, Tenace
to second]; Sorensen struck out; Templeton struck out; 1 R, 2 H,
1 E, 3 LOB.  Cardinals 1, Braves 2.

BRAVES 2ND: Hubbard grounded out (shortstop to first); Benedict
popped to second; Ramirez flied to center; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.
 Cardinals 1, Braves 2.

CARDINALS 3RD: Scott lined to left; Hernandez doubled to center;
Hendrick walked; Iorg singled to left [Hernandez to third,
Hendrick to second]; Oberkfell singled to center [Hernandez
scored, Hendrick to third, Iorg to second]; HANNA REPLACED WALK
(PITCHING); Hanna threw a wild pitch [Hendrick scored, Iorg to
third, Oberkfell to second]; Tenace struck out; Herr was walked
intentionally; Sorensen was called out on strikes; 2 R, 3 H, 0
E, 3 LOB.  Cardinals 3, Braves 2.

BRAVES 3RD: Hanna grounded out (third to first); Harper grounded
out (third to first); Washington singled to left; Washington was
caught stealing second (catcher to shortstop); 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 0
LOB.  Cardinals 3, Braves 2.

CARDINALS 4TH: Templeton singled to shortstop; Scott singled to
left [Templeton to third]; Templeton was picked off third
(pitcher to third); Scott was caught stealing second (catcher to
shortstop); Hernandez flied to left; 0 R, 2 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.
Cardinals 3, Braves 2.

BRAVES 4TH: Pocoroba grounded out (shortstop to first);
Chambliss popped to third in foul territory; Murphy grounded out
(second to first); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Cardinals 3, Braves 2.

CARDINALS 5TH: Hendrick grounded out (shortstop to first); Iorg
flied to right; Oberkfell grounded out (shortstop to first); 0
R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Cardinals 3, Braves 2.

BRAVES 5TH: Hubbard grounded out (second to first); Benedict
lined to left; Ramirez lined to shortstop; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.
 Cardinals 3, Braves 2.

CARDINALS 6TH: Tenace popped to first; Herr grounded out
(shortstop to first); Sorensen struck out; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.
 Cardinals 3, Braves 2.

BRAVES 6TH: ASSELSTINE BATTED FOR HANNA; Asselstine singled to
center; ROYSTER RAN FOR ASSELSTINE; Harper singled to left
[Royster to second]; Washington walked [Royster to third, Harper
to second]; KAAT REPLACED SORENSEN (PITCHING); LINARES BATTED
FOR POCOROBA; Linares forced Washington (shortstop to second)
[Royster scored, Harper to third]; Chambliss doubled [Harper
scored, Linares to third]; OTTEN REPLACED KAAT (PITCHING);
Murphy was walked intentionally; Hubbard singled to center
[Linares scored, Chambliss scored, Murphy to second]; Benedict
homered [Murphy scored, Hubbard scored]; Ramirez singled to
left; GOMEZ BATTED FOR ROYSTER; Gomez flied to right; Harper
grounded out (third to first); 7 R, 6 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Cardinals
3, Braves 9.

CARDINALS 7TH: GOMEZ STAYED IN GAME (PLAYING 3B); LINARES STAYED
IN GAME (PLAYING LF); MAHLER REPLACED HARPER (PITCHING);
Templeton flied to left; Scott grounded out (second to first);
Hernandez singled to center; Hendrick grounded out (third to
first); 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Cardinals 3, Braves 9.

BRAVES 7TH: SYKES REPLACED OTTEN (PITCHING); SANCHEZ REPLACED
TENACE (PLAYING C ); Washington walked; Linares walked
[Washington to second]; Chambliss forced Linares (second to
shortstop) [Washington to third]; Murphy struck out; Hubbard
doubled to center [Washington scored, Chambliss scored];
Benedict flied to right; 2 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Cardinals 3,
Braves 11.

CARDINALS 8TH: NAHORODNY REPLACED CHAMBLISS (PLAYING 1B); Iorg
singled to center; Oberkfell walked [Iorg to second]; Sanchez
flied to left; Herr flied to left; PORTER BATTED FOR SYKES;
Porter lined to center; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 2 LOB.  Cardinals 3,
Braves 11.

BRAVES 8TH: EDELEN REPLACED PORTER (PITCHING); Ramirez singled
to left; Gomez singled to center [Ramirez to second]; Mahler was
called out on strikes; Washington grounded out (first
unassisted) [Ramirez to third, Gomez to second]; Linares lined
to center; 0 R, 2 H, 0 E, 2 LOB.  Cardinals 3, Braves 11.

CARDINALS 9TH: Templeton grounded out (shortstop to first);
Scott singled to third; Hernandez lined to right; Hendrick
doubled to left [Scott out at home (left to shortstop to
catcher)]; 0 R, 2 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Cardinals 3, Braves 11.