Bob Knepper and two relievers, Dave Heaverlo and Gary Lavelle, combined to pitch the Giants to a 4-0 victory over the Braves, who collected only two hits. Knepper had a no-hitter in the works until Rod Gilbreath singled with one out in the sixth inning. After the second out, Jeff Burroughs singled and Gary Matthews walked to load the bases. The Giants brought in Heaverlo, who retired Biff Pocoroba on a fly to end the threat. Lavelle then held the Braves hitless in the last three frames. [The Sporting News]



San Francisco Giants 4, Atlanta Braves 0
Game Played on Saturday, July      16, 1977 (Night game) at Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium
Giants       0  2  0    0  0  0    0  1  1  -   4  9  0
Braves       0  0  0    0  0  0    0  0  0  -   0  2  0


Giants               AB   R   H RBI    BB  SO    AVG      Braves               AB   R   H RBI    BB  SO    AVG
Whitfield rf,lf       4   0   0   0     1   2   .291      Moore 3b              4   0   0   0     0   0   .266
Thomas cf             5   1   1   0     0   0   .239      Gilbreath 2b          3   0   1   0     1   0   .239
Evans 3b              4   0   0   0     1   2   .262      Montanez 1b           4   0   0   0     0   2   .308
Thomasson lf,1b       2   2   2   1     3   0   .266      Burroughs rf          4   0   1   0     0   1   .266
McCovey 1b            3   1   1   0     1   0   .285      Matthews lf           3   0   0   0     1   1   .279
  Clark rf            1   0   0   0     0   1   .257      Correll c             1   0   0   0     1   1   .236
Alexander c           3   0   2   2     1   0   .296        Pocoroba ph,c       2   0   0   0     0   0   .292
Andrews 2b            3   0   1   0     1   0   .265      Office cf             2   0   0   0     1   1   .249
LeMaster ss           4   0   1   1     0   0   .192      Robinson ss           2   0   0   0     0   1   .200
Knepper p             2   0   1   0     0   1   .217        Royster ph,ss       1   0   0   0     0   0   .203
  Heaverlo p          0   0   0   0     0   0   .000      Niekro p              3   0   0   0     0   0   .175
  Elliott ph          1   0   0   0     0   0   .224
  Lavelle p           1   0   0   0     0   0   .000

Totals               33   4   9   4     8   6             Totals               29   0   2   0     4   7

Time of Game: 2:24   Attendance: 14,965
Left on Base: Giants 10, Braves 6
DP: Giants 0, Braves 2
Doubles: Thomasson (16), Andrews (6)
Stolen Bases: Thomasson (5), Alexander (1), Gilbreath (3)
Caught Stealing: Alexander (1)
GIDP: Thomas (4)


Giants                 IP     H   R  ER  BB  SO  HR BFP    ERA
Knepper W(4-3)          5.2   2   0   0   4   5   0  23   3.30
Heaverlo                0.1   0   0   0   0   0   0   1   2.11
Lavelle SV(13)          3     0   0   0   0   2   0   9   1.33
Totals                  9     2   0   0   4   7   0  33

Braves                 IP     H   R  ER  BB  SO  HR BFP    ERA
Niekro L(9-11)          9     9   4   4   8   6   0  41   4.32
Totals                  9     9   4   4   8   6   0  41

Passed Balls: Alexander (1), Correll 2 (5)

Umpires: HP - Dick Stello, 1B - Terry Tata, 2B - Bill Williams, 3B - Bruce Froemming


GIANTS 1ST: Whitfield struck out (catcher to first); Thomas
grounded out (second to first); Evans struck out; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E,
0 LOB.  Giants 0, Braves 0.

BRAVES 1ST: Moore grounded out (shortstop to first); Gilbreath
walked; Gilbreath stole second; Montanez flied out to center;
Burroughs struck out; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Giants 0, Braves 0.

GIANTS 2ND: Thomasson doubled to center; McCovey walked;
Alexander singled to center [Thomasson scored, McCovey to
second]; Andrews forced Alexander (shortstop to second) [McCovey
to third]; LeMaster singled to center [McCovey scored, Andrews
to second]; Knepper struck out; Whitfield grounded out (third to
first); 2 R, 3 H, 0 E, 2 LOB.  Giants 2, Braves 0.

BRAVES 2ND: Matthews struck out; Correll walked; Alexander
allowed a passed ball [Correll to second]; Office walked;
Robinson was called out on strikes; Niekro grounded out (second
to first); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 2 LOB.  Giants 2, Braves 0.

GIANTS 3RD: Thomas grounded out (pitcher to first); Evans struck
out; Thomasson walked; Correll allowed a passed ball [Thomasson
to second]; Correll allowed a passed ball [Thomasson to third];
McCovey popped to third in foul territory; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.
 Giants 2, Braves 0.

BRAVES 3RD: Moore grounded out (shortstop to first); Gilbreath
flied out to right; Montanez flied out to right; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E,
0 LOB.  Giants 2, Braves 0.

GIANTS 4TH: Alexander singled to left; Alexander was caught
stealing second (catcher to shortstop); Andrews doubled to
right; LeMaster hit into a double play (third to first) [Andrews
out at third (first to third)]; 0 R, 2 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Giants 2,
Braves 0.

BRAVES 4TH: Burroughs flied out to center; Matthews grounded out
(second to first); Correll struck out; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.
Giants 2, Braves 0.

GIANTS 5TH: Knepper singled to center; Whitfield struck out;
Thomas popped to catcher in foul territory; Evans lined to
pitcher; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Giants 2, Braves 0.

BRAVES 5TH: Office made an out to shortstop; Robinson flied out
to center; Niekro grounded out (third to first); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E,
0 LOB.  Giants 2, Braves 0.

GIANTS 6TH: Thomasson walked; McCovey flied out to right;
Thomasson stole second; Alexander was walked intentionally;
Andrews forced Thomasson (left to third) [Alexander to second];
LeMaster flied out to left; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 2 LOB.  Giants 2,
Braves 0.

BRAVES 6TH: Moore grounded out (shortstop to first); Gilbreath
singled to center; Montanez struck out; Burroughs singled to
center [Gilbreath to second]; Matthews walked [Gilbreath to
third, Burroughs to second]; HEAVERLO REPLACED KNEPPER
(PITCHING); POCOROBA BATTED FOR CORRELL; Pocoroba flied out to
left; 0 R, 2 H, 0 E, 3 LOB.  Giants 2, Braves 0.

GIANTS 7TH: POCOROBA STAYED IN GAME (PLAYING C ); ELLIOTT BATTED
FOR HEAVERLO; Elliott grounded out (second to first); Whitfield
walked; Thomas grounded into a double play (shortstop to first)
[Whitfield out at second]; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Giants 2,
Braves 0.

BRAVES 7TH: LAVELLE REPLACED ELLIOTT (PITCHING); Office struck
out; ROYSTER BATTED FOR ROBINSON; Royster made an out to third;
Niekro grounded out (shortstop to first); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.
Giants 2, Braves 0.

GIANTS 8TH: ROYSTER STAYED IN GAME (PLAYING SS); Evans made an
out to third; Thomasson walked; McCovey singled to right
[Thomasson to third]; Alexander forced McCovey (second to
shortstop) [Thomasson scored]; Alexander stole second; Andrews
walked; LeMaster grounded out (second to first); 1 R, 1 H, 0 E,
2 LOB.  Giants 3, Braves 0.

BRAVES 8TH: CLARK REPLACED MCCOVEY (PLAYING RF); WHITFIELD
CHANGED POSITIONS (PLAYING LF); THOMASSON CHANGED POSITIONS
(PLAYING 1B); Moore flied out to left; Gilbreath grounded out
(second to first); Montanez struck out; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.
Giants 3, Braves 0.

GIANTS 9TH: Lavelle grounded out (catcher to first); Whitfield
grounded out (first to pitcher); Thomas singled to left; Evans
walked [Thomas to second]; Thomasson singled to center [Thomas
scored, Evans to second]; Clark struck out; 1 R, 2 H, 0 E, 2
LOB.  Giants 4, Braves 0.

BRAVES 9TH: Burroughs flied out to center; Matthews made an out
to first; Pocoroba grounded out (second to first); 0 R, 0 H, 0
E, 0 LOB.  Giants 4, Braves 0.