Andy Messersmith, who signed a three-year contract for $1,000,000, made his debut in an Atlanta uniform, pitching against his former teammates, but worked only four innings and came out without a decision when the Braves defeated the Dodgers, 7-6. Messersmith gave up three hits and one run. Another former Dodger, Jim Wynn, whom Braves obtained in the deal, decided the outcome by smashing a homer with two men on base in the sixth inning. [The Sporting News]



Atlanta Braves 7, Los Angeles Dodgers 6
Game Played on Sunday, April     18, 1976 (Day game) at Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium
Dodgers      0  1  0    0  0  0    5  0  0  -   6  9  1
Braves       3  0  0    0  0  4    0  0  x  -   7 14  3


Dodgers              AB   R   H RBI    BB  SO    AVG      Braves               AB   R   H RBI    BB  SO    AVG
Buckner lf,rf         5   1   1   1     0   0   .290      Office cf             4   2   2   0     1   0   .194
Sizemore 2b           5   0   0   0     0   1   .172      Royster 3b            4   1   2   1     0   0   .276
Baker cf              4   1   2   1     1   0   .296      Wynn lf               5   2   3   3     0   1   .321
Garvey 1b             4   0   2   1     1   0   .250      Evans 1b              3   1   0   0     1   1   .167
Cey 3b                3   1   0   0     1   2   .320      Henderson rf          4   0   3   2     0   0   .409
Hale rf               2   0   0   0     0   1   .000      Lacy 2b               4   0   2   1     0   0   .226
  Ferguson ph,rf,c    2   0   1   1     0   0   .200      Pocoroba c            4   0   0   0     0   0   .333
Yeager c              3   1   0   0     1   1   .250      Chaney ss             4   1   2   0     0   0   .261
  Wall p              0   0   0   0     0   0   .000      Messersmith p         2   0   0   0     0   0   .000
De Jesus ss           2   1   1   1     1   1   .286        Moret p             1   0   0   0     0   1   .000
  Goodson ph          1   0   0   0     0   1   .000        Devine p            0   0   0   0     0   0   .000
  Russell ss          0   0   0   0     0   0   .200        Sosa p              1   0   0   0     0   0   .000
Hooton p              2   0   1   0     0   0   .250
  Hough p             0   0   0   0     0   0   .000
  Mota ph,lf          2   1   1   0     0   0   .333

Totals               35   6   9   5     5   7             Totals               36   7  14   7     2   3

Time of Game: 2:35   Attendance: 21,734
Left on Base: Dodgers 7, Braves 8
DP: Dodgers 1, Braves 1
Errors: Ferguson, Wynn, Chaney 2
Doubles: De Jesus (1), Baker 2 (3), Wynn (1), Henderson (1)
Home Runs: Wynn (1)
Stolen Bases: Royster (1)
Sacrifice Hits: Royster (2)


Dodgers                IP     H   R  ER  BB  SO  HR BFP    ERA
Hooton L(0-2)           5.1  11   5   5   2   2   0  28   7.71
Hough                   0.2   3   2   2   0   1   1   5  10.13
Wall                    2     0   0   0   0   0   0   6   6.75
Totals                  8    14   7   7   2   3   1  39

Braves                 IP     H   R  ER  BB  SO  HR BFP    ERA
Messersmith             4     3   1   1   3   3   0  17   2.25
Moret                   2     3   4   4   2   0   0  11   6.35
Devine                  0.2   3   1   1   0   2   0   5   7.71
Sosa W(1-0)             2.1   0   0   0   0   2   0   7   1.59
Totals                  9     9   6   6   5   7   0  40

Umpires: HP - Bill Williams, 1B - Harry Wendelstedt, 2B - Dick Stello, 3B - Jim Quick


DODGERS 1ST: Buckner flied out to center; Sizemore flied out to
left; Baker walked; Garvey singled [Baker out at second (catcher
unassisted)]; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Dodgers 0, Braves 0.

BRAVES 1ST: Office walked; Royster out on a sacrifice bunt
(pitcher to second) [Office to second]; Wynn doubled [Office to
third]; Evans walked; Henderson singled [Office scored, Wynn
scored, Evans to second]; Lacy singled [Evans scored, Henderson
to second]; Pocoroba grounded out (first to pitcher) [Henderson
to third, Lacy to second]; Chaney flied out to right; 3 R, 3 H,
0 E, 2 LOB.  Dodgers 0, Braves 3.

DODGERS 2ND: Cey walked; Hale struck out; Yeager flied out to
left; De Jesus doubled [Cey scored]; Hooton grounded out (third
to first); 1 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Dodgers 1, Braves 3.

BRAVES 2ND: Messersmith grounded out (pitcher to first); Office
singled; Royster flied out to center; Wynn singled [Office to
third]; Evans flied out to right; 0 R, 2 H, 0 E, 2 LOB.  Dodgers
1, Braves 3.

DODGERS 3RD: Buckner flied out to center; Sizemore flied out to
right; Baker doubled; Garvey walked; Cey struck out; 0 R, 1 H, 0
E, 2 LOB.  Dodgers 1, Braves 3.

BRAVES 3RD: Henderson grounded out (first unassisted); Lacy
singled; Pocoroba flied out to right; Chaney singled [Lacy to
second]; Messersmith forced Lacy (third unassisted) [Chaney to
second]; 0 R, 2 H, 0 E, 2 LOB.  Dodgers 1, Braves 3.

DODGERS 4TH: Hale grounded out (second to first); Yeager flied
out to center; De Jesus struck out; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.
Dodgers 1, Braves 3.

BRAVES 4TH: Office flied out to right; Royster singled; Royster
stole second; Wynn struck out; Evans flied out to center; 0 R, 1
H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Dodgers 1, Braves 3.

DODGERS 5TH: MORET REPLACED MESSERSMITH (PITCHING); Hooton
singled; Buckner made an out to third; Sizemore lined into a
double play (third to first) [Hooton out at first]; 0 R, 1 H, 0
E, 0 LOB.  Dodgers 1, Braves 3.

BRAVES 5TH: Henderson doubled; Lacy flied out to center;
Pocoroba hit into a double play (first to catcher to third)
[Henderson out at third]; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Dodgers 1,
Braves 3.

DODGERS 6TH: Baker grounded out (third to first); Garvey reached
on an error by Chaney; Cey made an out to third; FERGUSON BATTED
FOR HALE; Ferguson flied out to center; 0 R, 0 H, 1 E, 1 LOB.
Dodgers 1, Braves 3.

BRAVES 6TH: FERGUSON STAYED IN GAME (PLAYING RF); Chaney
singled; Moret struck out; Office singled [Chaney to third
(error by Ferguson)]; HOUGH REPLACED HOOTON (PITCHING); Royster
singled [Chaney scored, Office to second]; Wynn homered [Office
scored, Royster scored]; Evans struck out; Henderson singled;
Lacy flied out to right; 4 R, 5 H, 1 E, 1 LOB.  Dodgers 1,
Braves 7.

DODGERS 7TH: Yeager walked; De Jesus walked [Yeager to second];
MOTA BATTED FOR HOUGH; Mota singled to left [Yeager scored
(error by Wynn) (no RBI), De Jesus to second]; Buckner singled
[De Jesus scored, Mota to second]; DEVINE REPLACED MORET
(PITCHING); Sizemore struck out; Baker doubled [Mota scored,
Buckner to third]; Garvey singled [Buckner scored, Baker to
third]; Cey struck out; Ferguson singled [Baker scored, Garvey
to third (error by Chaney)]; SOSA REPLACED DEVINE (PITCHING);
Yeager struck out; 5 R, 5 H, 2 E, 2 LOB.  Dodgers 6, Braves 7.

BRAVES 7TH: MOTA STAYED IN GAME (PLAYING LF); BUCKNER CHANGED
POSITIONS (PLAYING RF); FERGUSON CHANGED POSITIONS (PLAYING C );
WALL REPLACED YEAGER (PITCHING); Pocoroba flied out to left;
Chaney flied out to left; Sosa grounded out (shortstop to
first); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Dodgers 6, Braves 7.

DODGERS 8TH: GOODSON BATTED FOR DE JESUS; Goodson struck out;
Mota grounded out (pitcher to first); Buckner flied out to left;
0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Dodgers 6, Braves 7.

BRAVES 8TH: RUSSELL REPLACED GOODSON (PLAYING SS); Office
grounded out (second to first); Royster grounded out (third to
first); Wynn grounded out (third to first); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0
LOB.  Dodgers 6, Braves 7.

DODGERS 9TH: Sizemore grounded out (shortstop to first); Baker
grounded out (third to first); Garvey made an out to catcher; 0
R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Dodgers 6, Braves 7.