The traditional National League opener in Cincinnati saw the Braves come to life in the eighth and ninth innings and beat the Reds, 7-4, before 51,702 fans. Third baseman Woody Woodward of Cincinnati committed three errors. His third error enabled Atlanta to snap a 4-4 tie in the eighth inning after Felix Millan led off with a triple. Ninth inning singles by Orlando Cepeda and Clete Boyer delivered a pair of runs.

Cecil Upshaw, who relieved Phil Niekro in the sixth and blanked the Reds over the final three innings, picked up the victory. Reds' starter Gary Nolan was rocked for four runs in the second on Hal King's double, singles by Millan and Marty Perez, a walk, a two-base error by left fielder Bernie Carbo ard a single by Sonny Jackson. [ap]



Atlanta Braves 7, Cincinnati Reds 4
Game Played on Monday, April     5, 1971 (Day game) at Riverfront Stadium
Braves       0  4  0    0  0  0    0  1  2  -   7 12  0
Reds         0  0  0    1  0  3    0  0  0  -   4  9  6


Braves               AB   R   H RBI    BB  SO    AVG      Reds                 AB   R   H RBI    BB  SO    AVG
Jackson cf            4   0   2   1     1   0   .500      Rose rf               5   0   0   0     0   1   .000
Garr lf               5   1   1   0     0   0   .200      Helms 2b              5   1   2   0     0   0   .400
  Lum lf              0   0   0   0     0   0   .000      Perez 1b              4   2   2   2     0   0   .500
H. Aaron rf           4   1   0   0     1   1   .000      Bench c               3   1   1   0     1   0   .333
Cepeda 1b             5   0   1   1     0   0   .200      Carbo lf              3   0   1   0     1   1   .333
King c                4   1   2   0     0   0   .500      McRae cf              4   0   1   1     0   0   .250
Millan 2b             4   2   4   1     1   0  1.000      Duffy ss              3   0   1   1     0   0   .333
Boyer 3b              4   1   1   1     1   0   .250        Stewart ph,3b       1   0   0   0     0   0   .000
Perez ss              5   1   1   1     0   2   .200      Woodward 3b,ss        3   0   0   0     1   0   .000
Niekro p              2   0   0   1     0   0   .000      Nolan p               2   0   0   0     0   1   .000
  Upshaw p            1   0   0   0     0   0   .000        Smith ph            1   0   0   0     0   0   .000
                                                            Granger p           0   0   0   0     0   0   .000
                                                            Gullett p           0   0   0   0     0   0   .000
                                                            Carroll p           0   0   0   0     0   0   .000
                                                            Bravo ph            1   0   1   0     0   0  1.000

Totals               38   7  12   6     4   3             Totals               35   4   9   4     3   3

Time of Game: 2:24   Attendance: 51,702
Left on Base: Braves 10, Reds 7
DP: Braves 1, Reds 2
Errors: Carbo, Duffy, Woodward 3, Gullett
Doubles: King (1), Jackson (1), Duffy (1), Carbo (1)
Triples: Millan (1)
Home Runs: Perez (1)
Sacrifice Hits: King (1)
Sacrifice Flies: Niekro (1)
GIDP: Cepeda (1), Perez (1), Helms (1)


Braves                 IP     H   R  ER  BB  SO  HR BFP    ERA
Niekro                  5     5   4   4   2   1   1  22   7.20
Upshaw W(1-0)           4     4   0   0   1   2   0  16   0.00
Totals                  9     9   4   4   3   3   1  38

Reds                   IP     H   R  ER  BB  SO  HR BFP    ERA
Nolan                   6     8   4   3   2   2   0  29   4.50
Granger L(0-1)          1.2   1   1   0   0   1   0   7   0.00
Gullett                 0.2   2   2   2   1   0   0   5  27.00
Carroll                 0.2   1   0   0   1   0   0   3   0.00
Totals                  9    12   7   5   4   3   0  44

Passed Balls: King (1)
Wild Pitches: Upshaw (1)

Umpires: HP - Augie Donatelli, 1B - Bill Williams, 2B - Dick Stello, 3B - Andy Olsen


BRAVES 1ST: Jackson grounded out (second to first); Garr flied
out to center; H. Aaron flied out to left; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.
 Braves 0, Reds 0.

REDS 1ST: Rose flied out to left; Helms grounded out (third to
first); Perez grounded out (shortstop to first); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E,
0 LOB.  Braves 0, Reds 0.

BRAVES 2ND: Cepeda grounded out (third to first); King doubled
to right; Millan singled to center [King scored]; Boyer walked
[Millan to second]; Perez singled to right [Millan scored, Boyer
to third]; Niekro reached on an error by Carbo on a sacrifice
fly [Boyer scored, Perez to third, Niekro to second]; Jackson
singled [Perez scored (unearned), Niekro to third]; Garr
grounded out (third to first) [Jackson to second]; H. Aaron was
called out on strikes; 4 R (3 ER), 4 H, 1 E, 2 LOB.  Braves 4,
Reds 0.

REDS 2ND: Bench grounded out (third to first); Carbo grounded
out (second to first); McRae singled to left; King allowed a
passed ball [McRae to second]; Duffy grounded out (second to
first); 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Braves 4, Reds 0.

BRAVES 3RD: Cepeda grounded out (third to first); King singled
to right; King was picked off first (catcher to first); Millan
singled to shortstop [Millan to second (error by Duffy)]; Boyer
grounded out (third to first); 0 R, 2 H, 1 E, 1 LOB.  Braves 4,
Reds 0.

REDS 3RD: Woodward flied out to center; Nolan struck out; Rose
grounded out (first unassisted); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Braves
4, Reds 0.

BRAVES 4TH: Perez was called out on strikes; Niekro reached on
an error by Woodward; Jackson walked [Niekro to second]; Garr
forced Jackson (shortstop to second) [Niekro to third]; H. Aaron
forced Garr (shortstop to second); 0 R, 0 H, 1 E, 2 LOB.  Braves
4, Reds 0.

REDS 4TH: Helms grounded out (shortstop to first); Perez
singled; Bench walked [Perez to second]; Carbo walked [Perez to
third, Bench to second]; McRae grounded out (shortstop to first)
[Perez scored, Bench to third, Carbo to second]; Duffy flied out
to left; 1 R, 1 H, 0 E, 2 LOB.  Braves 4, Reds 1.

BRAVES 5TH: Cepeda lined to first; King grounded out (second to
first); Millan singled to shortstop; Boyer flied out to center;
0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Braves 4, Reds 1.

REDS 5TH: Woodward grounded out (third to first); Nolan flied
out to center; Rose grounded out (shortstop to first); 0 R, 0 H,
0 E, 0 LOB.  Braves 4, Reds 1.

BRAVES 6TH: Perez grounded out (shortstop to first); Niekro
flied out to left; Jackson doubled to right; Garr grounded out
(pitcher to first); 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Braves 4, Reds 1.

REDS 6TH: Helms singled to left; Perez homered [Helms scored];
Bench singled to left; UPSHAW REPLACED NIEKRO (PITCHING); Upshaw
threw a wild pitch [Bench to second]; Carbo struck out; McRae
grounded out (shortstop to first); Duffy doubled to right [Bench
scored]; Woodward was walked intentionally; SMITH BATTED FOR
NOLAN; Smith made an out to second; 3 R, 4 H, 0 E, 2 LOB.
Braves 4, Reds 4.

BRAVES 7TH: GRANGER REPLACED SMITH (PITCHING); H. Aaron reached
on an error by Woodward; Cepeda grounded into a double play
(second to shortstop to first) [H. Aaron out at second]; King
grounded out (first unassisted); 0 R, 0 H, 1 E, 0 LOB.  Braves
4, Reds 4.

REDS 7TH: Rose grounded out (shortstop to first); Helms singled
to center; Perez grounded out (first to pitcher) [Helms to
second]; Bench grounded out (shortstop to first); 0 R, 1 H, 0 E,
1 LOB.  Braves 4, Reds 4.

BRAVES 8TH: Millan tripled to center; Boyer reached on an error
by Woodward [Millan scored (unearned) (no RBI), Boyer to
second]; Perez struck out; Upshaw grounded out (pitcher to
first); GULLETT REPLACED GRANGER (PITCHING); Jackson flied out
to right; 1 R (0 ER), 1 H, 1 E, 1 LOB.  Braves 5, Reds 4.

REDS 8TH: Carbo doubled to left; McRae made an out to second;
STEWART BATTED FOR DUFFY; Stewart flied out to right; Woodward
grounded out (catcher to first); 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Braves
5, Reds 4.

BRAVES 9TH: STEWART STAYED IN GAME (PLAYING 3B); WOODWARD
CHANGED POSITIONS (PLAYING SS); Garr singled to pitcher [Garr to
second (error by Gullett)]; H. Aaron was walked intentionally;
Cepeda singled to left [Garr scored, H. Aaron to second]; King
out on a sacrifice bunt (third to first) [H. Aaron to third,
Cepeda to second]; CARROLL REPLACED GULLETT (PITCHING); Millan
was walked intentionally; Boyer singled [H. Aaron scored, Cepeda
to third, Millan to second]; Perez grounded into a double play
(second to shortstop to first) [Boyer out at second]; 2 R, 3 H,
1 E, 2 LOB.  Braves 7, Reds 4.

REDS 9TH: LUM REPLACED GARR (PLAYING LF); BRAVO BATTED FOR
CARROLL; Bravo singled; Rose struck out; Helms grounded into a
double play (shortstop to second to first) [Bravo out at
second]; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Braves 7, Reds 4.