Becoming the league's first 17-game winner, Phil Niekro hurled an 8-1 victory over the Padres, snapping the Braves' five-game losing streak. The Braves took a 2-0 lead in the first inning on a homer by Jeff Burroughs and went ahead, 3-1, in the fourth on a round-tripper by Dale Murphy. Rod Gilbreath hit his second career grand-slam homer in the sixth inning off loser Eric Rasmussen. [The Sporting News]

Atlanta Braves 8, San Diego Padres 1

Game Played on Tuesday, September 5, 1978 (Night game) at Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium

Padres 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 - 1 3 0 Braves 2 0 0 1 0 4 0 1 x - 8 10 0 Padres AB R H RBI BB SO AVG Braves AB R H RBI BB SO AVG Smith ss 4 1 1 0 0 0 .263 Hubbard 2b 4 0 0 0 0 0 .288 Evans 3b 4 0 0 0 0 1 .300 Office cf 4 0 3 0 0 0 .252 Perkins 1b 4 0 0 1 0 0 .233 Matthews rf 3 2 0 0 1 0 .280 Winfield rf 3 0 0 0 1 1 .297 Burroughs lf 4 2 3 2 0 0 .316 Turner lf 4 0 2 0 0 0 .278 Bonnell lf 0 0 0 0 0 0 .226 Gonzalez 2b 3 0 0 0 0 2 .245 Nolan c 3 1 0 0 1 0 .238 Beswick cf 2 0 0 0 1 2 .000 Murphy 1b 3 2 1 1 1 2 .235 Sweet c 3 0 0 0 0 0 .225 Gilbreath 3b 3 1 2 4 1 0 .250 Shirley p 0 0 0 0 0 0 .135 Chaney ss 4 0 1 1 0 0 .217 Mura p 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000 Niekro p 4 0 0 0 0 1 .198 Rasmussen p 2 0 0 0 0 0 .125 Roberts c 1 0 0 0 0 0 .232 Totals 30 1 3 1 2 6 Totals 32 8 10 8 4 3 Time of Game: 2:11 Attendance: 1,192 Left on Base: Padres 4, Braves 4 DP: Padres 1, Braves 0 Doubles: Turner (9) Home Runs: Burroughs (21), Murphy (22), Gilbreath (3) Stolen Bases: Smith (34), Turner (2) Caught Stealing: Gilbreath (6) GIDP: Nolan (3) Padres IP H R ER BB SO HR BFP ERA Rasmussen L(14-11) 6 8 7 7 2 2 3 26 4.00 Shirley 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 4 3.99 Mura 1 1 1 1 2 1 0 6 9.00 Totals 8 10 8 8 4 3 3 36 Braves IP H R ER BB SO HR BFP ERA Niekro W(17-15) 9 3 1 1 2 6 0 32 3.04 Totals 9 3 1 1 2 6 0 32 Umpires: HP - Charlie Williams, 1B - Paul Pryor, 2B - Terry Tata, 3B - Satch Davidson PADRES 1ST: Smith flied out to center; Evans struck out; Perkins flied out to center; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB. Padres 0, Braves 0. BRAVES 1ST: Hubbard grounded out (shortstop to first); Office grounded out (second to first); Matthews walked; Burroughs homered [Matthews scored]; Nolan made an out to first; 2 R, 1 H, 0 E, 0 LOB. Padres 0, Braves 2. PADRES 2ND: Winfield walked; Turner doubled [Winfield to third]; Gonzalez struck out; Beswick walked; Sweet flied out to right; Rasmussen grounded out (shortstop to first); 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 3 LOB. Padres 0, Braves 2. BRAVES 2ND: Murphy struck out; Gilbreath singled; Gilbreath was caught stealing second (catcher to shortstop); Chaney flied out to right; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 0 LOB. Padres 0, Braves 2. PADRES 3RD: Smith singled; Smith stole second; Evans grounded out (third to first) [Smith to third]; Perkins grounded out (second to first) [Smith scored]; Winfield grounded out (third to first); 1 R, 1 H, 0 E, 0 LOB. Padres 1, Braves 2. BRAVES 3RD: Niekro struck out; Hubbard grounded out (second to first); Office singled; Matthews flied out to right; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB. Padres 1, Braves 2. PADRES 4TH: Turner made an out to second; Gonzalez grounded out (shortstop to first); Beswick struck out; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB. Padres 1, Braves 2. BRAVES 4TH: Burroughs singled; Nolan grounded into a double play (second to shortstop to first) [Burroughs out at second]; Murphy homered; Gilbreath made an out to third; 1 R, 2 H, 0 E, 0 LOB. Padres 1, Braves 3. PADRES 5TH: Sweet grounded out (pitcher to shortstop to first); Rasmussen grounded out (shortstop to first); Smith grounded out (shortstop to first); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB. Padres 1, Braves 3. BRAVES 5TH: Chaney flied out to center; Niekro grounded out (second to first); Hubbard made an out to second; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB. Padres 1, Braves 3. PADRES 6TH: Evans grounded out (third to first); Perkins flied out to right; Winfield struck out; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB. Padres 1, Braves 3. BRAVES 6TH: Office singled; Matthews forced Office (second to shortstop); Burroughs singled [Matthews to third]; Nolan made an out to shortstop; Murphy was walked intentionally [Burroughs to second]; Gilbreath homered [Matthews scored, Burroughs scored, Murphy scored]; Chaney flied out to right; 4 R, 3 H, 0 E, 0 LOB. Padres 1, Braves 7. PADRES 7TH: Turner singled; Turner stole second; Gonzalez struck out; Beswick struck out; Sweet grounded out (pitcher to first); 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB. Padres 1, Braves 7. BRAVES 7TH: SHIRLEY REPLACED SWEET (PITCHING); ROBERTS REPLACED RASMUSSEN (PLAYING C ); Niekro grounded out (second to first); Hubbard made an out to third; Office singled; Matthews made an out to second; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB. Padres 1, Braves 7. PADRES 8TH: Roberts flied out to center; Smith grounded out (pitcher to first); Evans grounded out (third to first); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB. Padres 1, Braves 7. BRAVES 8TH: MURA REPLACED SHIRLEY (PITCHING); Burroughs flied out to right; Debut game for Steve Mura; Nolan walked; Murphy was called out on strikes; Gilbreath walked [Nolan to second]; Chaney singled [Nolan scored, Gilbreath to third]; Niekro forced Chaney (third to second); 1 R, 1 H, 0 E, 2 LOB. Padres 1, Braves 8. PADRES 9TH: BONNELL REPLACED BURROUGHS (PLAYING LF); Perkins made an out to third; Winfield grounded out (third to first); Turner flied out to center; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB. Padres 1, Braves 8.

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