The Braves defeated the Giants, 4-1, behind the six-hit pitching of Phil Niekro, who posted his 18th victory. Niekro struck out nine in his 20th complete game.

After Jerry Royster walked, stole second and scored on a single by Bob Horner in the first inning, the Braves added a pair in the fourth on a walk to Bruce Benedict, sacrifice by Niekro, singles by Eddie Miller and Royster and a forceout by Gary Matthews. A homer by Mike Ivie in the eighth deprived Niekro of a shutout. [The Sporting News]



Atlanta Braves 4, San Francisco Giants 1
Game Played on Thursday, September 13, 1979 (Day game) at Candlestick Park
Braves       1  0  0    2  0  0    0  0  1  -   4  9  0
Giants       0  0  0    0  0  0    0  1  0  -   1  6  2


Braves               AB   R   H RBI    BB  SO    AVG      Giants               AB   R   H RBI    BB  SO    AVG
Miller cf             3   1   1   1     1   2   .292      North cf              3   0   0   0     1   2   .261
Royster 2b            4   1   2   0     1   0   .268      Andrews 2b            4   0   1   0     0   0   .282
Matthews rf           5   0   1   2     0   1   .312      Ivie lf,1b            3   1   1   1     1   0   .304
Horner 3b             5   0   2   1     0   0   .311      McCovey 1b            4   0   0   0     0   3   .266
Murphy 1b             4   0   1   0     0   2   .278        Minton p            0   0   0   0     0   0   .000
Whisenton lf          2   0   1   0     2   0   .400      Clark rf              2   0   0   0     0   1   .274
Chaney ss             4   0   0   0     0   3   .112        Venable rf          2   0   0   0     0   1   .224
Benedict c            3   1   0   0     1   0   .225      Evans 3b              4   0   2   0     0   0   .252
Niekro p              3   1   1   0     0   0   .194      LeMaster ss           4   0   1   0     0   1   .256
                                                          Littlejohn c          3   0   0   0     0   1   .199
                                                          Whitson p             1   0   0   0     0   0   .128
                                                            Johnston ph         1   0   1   0     0   0   .183
                                                            Griffin p           0   0   0   0     0   0   .077
                                                            Metzger ph          1   0   0   0     0   0   .240
                                                            Borbon p            0   0   0   0     0   0   .333
                                                            Whitfield lf        0   0   0   0     0   0   .290

Totals               33   4   9   4     5   8             Totals               32   1   6   1     2   9

Time of Game: 2:23   Attendance:  1,934
Left on Base: Braves 9, Giants 6
DP: Braves 1, Giants 0
Errors: Andrews 2
Doubles: Evans (20)
Home Runs: Ivie (25)
Stolen Bases: Royster (31), Miller 2 (6), Whisenton (1)
Caught Stealing: Royster (8)
Sacrifice Hits: Niekro (7), Miller (3)
GIDP: Ivie (10)


Braves                 IP     H   R  ER  BB  SO  HR BFP    ERA
Niekro W(18-19)         9     6   1   1   2   9   1  34   3.48
Totals                  9     6   1   1   2   9   1  34

Giants                 IP     H   R  ER  BB  SO  HR BFP    ERA
Whitson L(6-10)         5     6   3   3   5   6   0  26   4.56
Griffin                 2     1   0   0   0   2   0   6   3.69
Borbon                  1     1   1   1   0   0   0   4   4.21
Minton                  1     1   0   0   0   0   0   4   2.09
Totals                  9     9   4   4   5   8   0  40

Balks: Niekro 2 (4)

Umpires: HP - Lanny Harris, 1B - Ed Montague, 2B - Harry Wendelstedt, 3B - Dutch Rennert


BRAVES 1ST: Miller struck out; Royster walked; Matthews struck
out while Royster stole second; Horner singled to left [Royster
scored]; Murphy singled to right [Horner to second]; Whisenton
walked [Horner to third, Murphy to second]; Chaney struck out; 1
R, 2 H, 0 E, 3 LOB.  Braves 1, Giants 0.

GIANTS 1ST: North batted right handed; North was called out on
strikes; Andrews flied out to center; Ivie walked; Niekro balked
[Ivie to second]; McCovey struck out; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.
Braves 1, Giants 0.

BRAVES 2ND: Benedict made an out to second; Niekro grounded out
(second to first); Miller walked; Miller stole second; Royster
made an out to third; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Braves 1, Giants 0.

GIANTS 2ND: Clark grounded out (third to first); Evans doubled
to left; LeMaster grounded out (shortstop to first); Littlejohn
struck out; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Braves 1, Giants 0.

BRAVES 3RD: Matthews popped to catcher in foul territory; Horner
singled to left; Murphy flied out to right; Whisenton singled to
left [Horner to second]; Chaney struck out; 0 R, 2 H, 0 E, 2
LOB.  Braves 1, Giants 0.

GIANTS 3RD: Whitson grounded out (shortstop to first); North
batted right handed; North walked; Niekro balked [North to
second]; Andrews singled to left [North to third]; Ivie grounded
into a double play (third to second to first) [Andrews out at
second]; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Braves 1, Giants 0.

BRAVES 4TH: Benedict walked; Niekro out on a sacrifice bunt
(first to second) [Benedict to second]; Miller singled to right
[Benedict scored]; Royster singled to left [Miller to second];
Miller stole third; Matthews forced Royster (shortstop to
second) [Miller scored, Matthews to second (error by Andrews)];
Horner grounded out (third to first); 2 R, 2 H, 1 E, 1 LOB.
Braves 3, Giants 0.

GIANTS 4TH: McCovey struck out; Clark struck out; Evans singled
to center; LeMaster forced Evans (shortstop to second); 0 R, 1
H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Braves 3, Giants 0.

BRAVES 5TH: VENABLE REPLACED CLARK (PLAYING RF); Murphy struck
out; Whisenton walked; Whisenton stole second; Chaney struck
out; Benedict grounded out (third to first); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 1
LOB.  Braves 3, Giants 0.

GIANTS 5TH: Littlejohn lined to first; JOHNSTON BATTED FOR
WHITSON; Johnston singled to second; North batted right handed;
North forced Johnston (third to second); Andrews grounded out
(shortstop to first); 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Braves 3, Giants 0.

BRAVES 6TH: GRIFFIN REPLACED JOHNSTON (PITCHING); Niekro flied
out to right; Miller struck out; Royster singled to left;
Royster was caught stealing second (catcher to second); 0 R, 1
H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Braves 3, Giants 0.

GIANTS 6TH: Ivie grounded out (pitcher to first); McCovey struck
out; Venable flied out to left; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Braves 3,
Giants 0.

BRAVES 7TH: Matthews lined to shortstop; Horner lined to
shortstop; Murphy struck out; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Braves 3,
Giants 0.

GIANTS 7TH: Evans flied out to left; LeMaster singled to right;
Littlejohn grounded out (shortstop to first) [LeMaster to
second]; METZGER BATTED FOR GRIFFIN; Metzger flied out to
center; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Braves 3, Giants 0.

BRAVES 8TH: BORBON REPLACED METZGER (PITCHING); Whisenton flied
out to left; Chaney popped to third in foul territory; Benedict
made an out to shortstop; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Braves 3,
Giants 0.

GIANTS 8TH: North batted right handed; North struck out; Andrews
made an out to second; Ivie homered; McCovey grounded out
(second to first); 1 R, 1 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Braves 3, Giants 1.

BRAVES 9TH: Niekro singled to center; MINTON REPLACED MCCOVEY
(PITCHING); IVIE CHANGED POSITIONS (PLAYING 1B); WHITFIELD
REPLACED BORBON (PLAYING LF); Miller out on a sacrifice bunt
(first to second) [Niekro to second]; Royster reached on an
error by Andrews [Niekro to third, Royster to first]; Matthews
singled to right [Niekro scored, Royster out at third (second to
shortstop)]; Horner grounded out (third to first); 1 R, 2 H, 1
E, 1 LOB.  Braves 4, Giants 1.

GIANTS 9TH: Venable struck out; Evans flied out to left;
LeMaster struck out; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Braves 4, Giants 1.