Fernando Valenzuela set a National League record for rookies by pitching his eighth shutout as the Dodgers turned back the Braves, 2-0. The Dodgers scored the only run Valenzuela needed in the second inning when Steve Garvey doubled, took third on an error by Rafael Ramirez and came home on Gary Weiss' sacrifice fly.

Valenzuela had shared the N.L. record with Irving Young (1905 Braves), Grover Cleveland Alexander (1911 Phillies) and Jerry Koosman (1968 Mets). [The Sporting News]



Los Angeles Dodgers 2, Atlanta Braves 0
Game Played on Thursday, September 17, 1981 (Night game) at Dodger Stadium
Braves       0  0  0    0  0  0    0  0  0  -   0  3  3
Dodgers      0  1  0    0  0  1    0  0  x  -   2  6  0


Braves               AB   R   H RBI    BB  SO    AVG      Dodgers              AB   R   H RBI    BB  SO    AVG
Royster 2b            4   0   1   0     0   1   .198      Lopes 2b              4   0   1   0     1   1   .214
Washington rf         4   0   0   0     0   1   .298      Landreaux cf          5   0   0   0     0   1   .250
Horner 3b             3   0   0   0     1   1   .272      Monday rf             2   0   1   0     1   0   .317
Chambliss 1b          4   0   0   0     0   1   .276        Roenicke rf         1   0   0   0     0   0   .286
Linares lf            3   0   1   0     0   0   .271      Garvey 1b             3   1   1   0     1   1   .286
Murphy cf             3   0   0   0     0   1   .252      Baker lf              4   0   1   0     0   1   .314
Benedict c            3   0   1   0     0   0   .267      Scioscia c            3   1   1   0     1   0   .294
Ramirez ss            2   0   0   0     1   1   .217      Thomas 3b             1   0   0   0     2   0   .268
Mahler p              2   0   0   0     0   0   .158      Weiss ss              3   0   0   1     0   0   .000
  Hrabosky p          0   0   0   0     0   0   .000      Valenzuela p          4   0   1   1     0   0   .259
  Jacoby ph           1   0   0   0     0   0   .500
  Garber p            0   0   0   0     0   0   .000

Totals               29   0   3   0     2   6             Totals               30   2   6   2     6   4

Time of Game: 2:36   Attendance: 46,168
Left on Base: Braves 4, Dodgers 12
DP: Braves 0, Dodgers 0
Errors: Royster, Linares, Ramirez
Doubles: Garvey (22)
Stolen Bases: Lopes (20), Monday (1)
Caught Stealing: Royster (5)
Sacrifice Hits: Thomas (7)
Sacrifice Flies: Weiss (1)


Braves                 IP     H   R  ER  BB  SO  HR BFP    ERA
Mahler L(5-6)           5.2   5   2   1   5   3   0  28   3.03
Hrabosky                1.1   1   0   0   0   1   0   5   1.17
Garber                  1     0   0   0   1   0   0   5   2.89
Totals                  8     6   2   1   6   4   0  38

Dodgers                IP     H   R  ER  BB  SO  HR BFP    ERA
Valenzuela W(13-4)      9     3   0   0   2   6   0  31   2.36
Totals                  9     3   0   0   2   6   0  31

Umpires: HP - Fred Brocklander, 1B - Bill Williams, 2B - Paul Pryor, 3B - John McSherry


BRAVES 1ST: Royster grounded out (second to first); Washington
struck out; Horner walked; Chambliss flied out to left; 0 R, 0
H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Braves 0, Dodgers 0.

DODGERS 1ST: Lopes grounded out (shortstop to first); Landreaux
flied out to left; Monday popped to second; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0
LOB.  Braves 0, Dodgers 0.

BRAVES 2ND: Linares grounded out (second to first); Murphy
struck out; Benedict grounded out (third to first); 0 R, 0 H, 0
E, 0 LOB.  Braves 0, Dodgers 0.

DODGERS 2ND: Garvey doubled to left; Baker reached on an error
by Ramirez; Scioscia grounded out (first to pitcher) [Garvey to
third, Baker to second]; Thomas was walked intentionally; Weiss
hit a sacrifice fly to left [Garvey scored (unearned)];
Valenzuela grounded out (second to first); 1 R (0 ER), 1 H, 1 E,
2 LOB.  Braves 0, Dodgers 1.

BRAVES 3RD: Ramirez popped to second; Mahler flied out to left;
Royster was called out on strikes; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Braves
0, Dodgers 1.

DODGERS 3RD: Lopes walked; Lopes stole second; Landreaux
grounded out (first unassisted) [Lopes to third]; Monday walked;
Monday stole second; Garvey struck out; Baker struck out; 0 R, 0
H, 0 E, 2 LOB.  Braves 0, Dodgers 1.

BRAVES 4TH: Washington grounded out (second to first); Horner
grounded out (pitcher to first); Chambliss grounded out (second
to first); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Braves 0, Dodgers 1.

DODGERS 4TH: Scioscia singled to center; Thomas flied out to
center; Weiss flied out to center; Valenzuela forced Scioscia
(shortstop unassisted); 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Braves 0, Dodgers
1.

BRAVES 5TH: Linares flied out to right; Murphy popped to first
in foul territory; Benedict singled to left; Ramirez struck out
(catcher to first); 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Braves 0, Dodgers 1.

DODGERS 5TH: Lopes struck out; Landreaux grounded out (first to
pitcher); Monday singled to second; Garvey walked [Monday to
second]; Baker flied out to center; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 2 LOB.
Braves 0, Dodgers 1.

BRAVES 6TH: Mahler grounded out (first unassisted); Royster
singled to right; Washington grounded out (second to first)
[Royster to second]; Royster was picked off and caught stealing
third (catcher to second to third to shortstop); 0 R, 1 H, 0 E,
0 LOB.  Braves 0, Dodgers 1.

DODGERS 6TH: Scioscia walked; Thomas out on a sacrifice bunt
(first to second) [Scioscia to second]; Weiss grounded out
(first unassisted) [Scioscia to third]; Valenzuela singled to
second [Scioscia scored]; Lopes singled to left [Valenzuela to
second]; HRABOSKY REPLACED MAHLER (PITCHING); Landreaux struck
out; 1 R, 2 H, 0 E, 2 LOB.  Braves 0, Dodgers 2.

BRAVES 7TH: ROENICKE REPLACED MONDAY (PLAYING RF); Horner lined
to left; Chambliss struck out; Linares singled to center; Murphy
lined to right; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Braves 0, Dodgers 2.

DODGERS 7TH: Roenicke flied out to center; Garvey flied out to
right; Baker singled to left [Baker to second (error by
Linares)]; Scioscia popped to first; 0 R, 1 H, 1 E, 1 LOB.
Braves 0, Dodgers 2.

BRAVES 8TH: Benedict flied out to right; Ramirez walked; JACOBY
BATTED FOR HRABOSKY; Jacoby flied out to center; Royster
grounded out (pitcher to first); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Braves
0, Dodgers 2.

DODGERS 8TH: GARBER REPLACED JACOBY (PITCHING); Thomas walked;
Weiss forced Thomas (pitcher to shortstop); Valenzuela reached
on an error by Royster [Weiss to second]; Lopes flied out to
left; Landreaux flied out to center; 0 R, 0 H, 1 E, 2 LOB.
Braves 0, Dodgers 2.

BRAVES 9TH: Washington grounded out (second to first); Horner
struck out; Chambliss lined to first; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.
Braves 0, Dodgers 2.