The Braves scored two runs in the third inning, on an RBI single by Chris Chambliss and Glenn Hubbard's grounder, and defeated the Mets, 6-4. Hubbard also hit a home run in the second inning. Phil Niekro pitched the first seven innings and was credited with his 237th career victory. [The Sporting News]



Atlanta Braves 6, New York Mets 4
Game Played on Thursday, August    20, 1981 (Night game) at Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium
Mets         0  0  2    1  0  0    0  1  0  -   4  9  3
Braves       1  1  2    0  0  0    2  0  x  -   6  7  0


Mets                 AB   R   H RBI    BB  SO    AVG      Braves               AB   R   H RBI    BB  SO    AVG
Wilson cf             4   2   2   0     0   0   .300      Butler lf             4   2   1   1     0   0   .250
Taveras ss            5   1   3   1     0   0   .247      Washington rf         4   1   2   1     0   0   .297
Brooks 3b             4   0   0   0     1   0   .305      Horner 3b             1   1   1   1     3   0   .265
Kingman 1b            5   0   0   1     0   2   .237      Chambliss 1b          4   0   1   1     0   1   .275
Valentine rf          4   0   1   0     0   1   .205      Murphy cf             2   0   0   0     2   1   .263
Mazzilli lf           2   1   0   0     2   0   .213      Hubbard 2b            4   1   1   2     0   1   .251
Stearns c             3   0   1   1     1   0   .272        Camp p              0   0   0   0     0   0   .000
Flynn 2b              3   0   0   0     0   0   .220      Benedict c            4   0   0   0     0   0   .277
  Jorgensen ph        1   0   1   1     0   0   .250      Ramirez ss            4   0   0   0     0   0   .202
  Bailor 2b           0   0   0   0     0   0   .255      Niekro p              2   0   0   0     0   0   .065
Harris p              1   0   0   0     0   1   .083        Asselstine ph       1   0   1   0     0   0   .276
  Hodges ph           1   0   0   0     0   1   .350        Miller pr           0   1   0   0     0   0   .225
  Leach p             0   0   0   0     0   0   .000        Royster 2b          1   0   0   0     0   0   .169
  Cubbage ph          1   0   1   0     0   0   .200
  Boitano p           0   0   0   0     0   0   .000
  Searage p           0   0   0   0     0   0  1.000
  Miller p            0   0   0   0     0   0   .333
  Staub ph            1   0   0   0     0   0   .315
  Marshall p          0   0   0   0     0   0   .000

Totals               35   4   9   4     4   5             Totals               31   6   7   6     5   3

Time of Game: 2:27   Attendance:  4,787
Left on Base: Mets 9, Braves 6
DP: Mets 1, Braves 1
Errors: Wilson, Taveras, Flynn
Doubles: Butler (1)
Triples: Wilson 2 (6), Jorgensen (1)
Home Runs: Hubbard (4)
Stolen Bases: Mazzilli (11), Stearns (6), Miller (15)
GIDP: Brooks (8), Chambliss (7)
Hit by Pitch: Wilson (1,by Niekro)


Mets                   IP     H   R  ER  BB  SO  HR BFP    ERA
Harris L(2-3)           3     4   4   3   2   0   1  16   4.75
Leach                   2     0   0   0   1   0   0   6   2.25
Boitano                 1.1   2   2   2   0   1   0   6   6.23
Searage                 0.1   1   0   0   1   1   0   3   4.32
Miller                  0.1   0   0   0   1   1   0   2   2.97
Marshall                1     0   0   0   0   0   0   3   0.00
Totals                  8     7   6   5   5   3   1  36

Braves                 IP     H   R  ER  BB  SO  HR BFP    ERA
Niekro W(5-4)           7     6   3   3   4   4   0  31   3.48
Camp SV(11)             2     3   1   1   0   1   0   9   1.27
Totals                  9     9   4   4   4   5   0  40

Hit by Pitch: Niekro (1)
Wild Pitches: Searage (1)
Balks: Harris (1)

Umpires: HP - Dick Stello, 1B - Lanny Harris, 2B - Bruce Froemming, 3B - Joe West


METS 1ST: Wilson tripled to center; Taveras reached on a
fielder's choice [Wilson out at home (second to catcher),
Taveras to second]; Brooks grounded out (shortstop to first)
[Taveras to third]; Kingman struck out; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.
Mets 0, Braves 0.

BRAVES 1ST: Butler reached on an error by Flynn; Debut game
for Brett Butler; Washington grounded out (second to first)
[Butler to second]; Horner singled to right [Butler scored
(unearned), Horner to second (on throw to home)]; Chambliss
grounded out (second to first) [Horner to third]; Murphy
grounded out (third to first); 1 R (0 ER), 1 H, 1 E, 1 LOB.
Mets 0, Braves 1.

METS 2ND: Valentine struck out; Mazzilli walked; Stearns singled
to left [Mazzilli to second]; Mazzilli stole third and Stearns
stole second; Flynn popped to catcher in foul territory; Harris
was called out on strikes; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 2 LOB.  Mets 0, Braves
1.

BRAVES 2ND: Hubbard homered; Benedict flied to left; Ramirez
popped to third in foul territory; Niekro flied to left; 1 R, 1
H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Mets 0, Braves 2.

METS 3RD: Wilson was hit by a pitch; Taveras singled to first
[Wilson to second]; Brooks walked [Wilson to third, Taveras to
second]; Kingman forced Brooks (third to second) [Wilson scored,
Taveras to third]; Valentine flied to right; Mazzilli walked
[Kingman to second]; Stearns walked [Taveras scored, Kingman to
third, Mazzilli to second]; Flynn forced Stearns (shortstop to
second); 2 R, 1 H, 0 E, 3 LOB.  Mets 2, Braves 2.

BRAVES 3RD: Butler grounded out (second to first); Washington
singled to center [Washington to second (error by Wilson)];
Harris balked [Washington to third]; Horner walked; Horner was
picked off first but was safe on an error by Taveras [Horner to
second]; Chambliss singled to shortstop [Washington scored,
Horner to third]; Murphy walked [Chambliss to second]; Hubbard
forced Murphy (shortstop to second) [Horner scored, Chambliss to
third]; Benedict grounded out (shortstop to first); 2 R, 2 H, 2
E, 2 LOB.  Mets 2, Braves 4.

METS 4TH: HODGES BATTED FOR HARRIS; Hodges was called out on
strikes; Wilson tripled to center; Taveras grounded out
(shortstop to first) [Wilson scored]; Brooks flied to center; 1
R, 1 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Mets 3, Braves 4.

BRAVES 4TH: LEACH REPLACED HODGES (PITCHING); Ramirez grounded
out (shortstop to first); Niekro grounded out (shortstop to
first); Butler grounded out (pitcher to first); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0
LOB.  Mets 3, Braves 4.

METS 5TH: Kingman popped to shortstop; Valentine grounded out
(shortstop to first); Mazzilli grounded out (second to first); 0
R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Mets 3, Braves 4.

BRAVES 5TH: Washington flied to left; Horner walked; Chambliss
grounded into a double play (second to shortstop to first)
[Horner out at second]; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Mets 3, Braves 4.

METS 6TH: Stearns popped to second; Flynn lined to first;
CUBBAGE BATTED FOR LEACH; Cubbage singled to left; Wilson flied
to center; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Mets 3, Braves 4.

BRAVES 6TH: BOITANO REPLACED CUBBAGE (PITCHING); Murphy struck
out; Hubbard flied to center; Benedict popped to shortstop; 0 R,
0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Mets 3, Braves 4.

METS 7TH: Taveras singled to center; Brooks grounded into a
double play (shortstop to second to first) [Taveras out at
second]; Kingman popped to shortstop; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.
Mets 3, Braves 4.

BRAVES 7TH: Ramirez popped to first in foul territory;
ASSELSTINE BATTED FOR NIEKRO; Asselstine singled to left; MILLER
RAN FOR ASSELSTINE; Miller stole second; Butler doubled to right
[Miller scored]; SEARAGE REPLACED BOITANO (PITCHING); Washington
singled to left [Butler scored, Washington to second (on throw
to home)]; Horner was walked intentionally; Searage threw a wild
pitch [Washington to third, Horner to second]; Chambliss struck
out; MILLER REPLACED SEARAGE (PITCHING); Murphy was walked
intentionally; Hubbard struck out; 2 R, 3 H, 0 E, 3 LOB.  Mets
3, Braves 6.

METS 8TH: ROYSTER REPLACED MILLER (PLAYING 2B); CAMP REPLACED
HUBBARD (PITCHING); Valentine singled to right; Mazzilli forced
Valentine (second to shortstop); Stearns flied to right;
JORGENSEN BATTED FOR FLYNN; Jorgensen tripled to center
[Mazzilli scored]; STAUB BATTED FOR MILLER; Staub grounded out
(shortstop to first); 1 R, 2 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Mets 4, Braves 6.

BRAVES 8TH: MARSHALL REPLACED STAUB (PITCHING); BAILOR REPLACED
JORGENSEN (PLAYING 2B); Benedict lined to pitcher; Ramirez flied
to center; Royster grounded out (shortstop to first); 0 R, 0 H,
0 E, 0 LOB.  Mets 4, Braves 6.

METS 9TH: Wilson grounded out (second to first); Taveras singled
to shortstop; Brooks grounded out (shortstop to first) [Taveras
to second]; Kingman struck out; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Mets 4,
Braves 6.