Becoming a 20-game winner for the third time in his career, Phil Niekro outpitched his brother Joe as the Braves notched a 9-4 victory over the Astros, virtually ending the Astros' pennant hopes. Phil became the first N.L. hurler in 74 years to win 20 and lose 20 in the same year and he and Joe became the first brothers in N.L. history to record 20 victories in the same season.

Phil knocked in four runs, stroking a two-run double in the second inning and two-run single in the fifth. Run-scoring singles by Gary Matthews and Barry Bonnell gave the Braves two markers in the third frame and Matthews connected for a two-run homer in the sixth. [The Sporting News]



Atlanta Braves 9, Houston Astros 4
Game Played on Wednesday, September 26, 1979 (Night game) at Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium
Astros       0  0  0    0  1  0    0  1  2  -   4  8  2
Braves       0  2  2    0  3  2    0  0  x  -   9 12  2


Astros               AB   R   H RBI    BB  SO    AVG      Braves               AB   R   H RBI    BB  SO    AVG
Puhl cf               4   0   2   0     0   0   .287      Miller cf             5   0   0   0     0   0   .310
Reynolds ss           4   0   0   0     0   1   .262      Royster 2b            4   2   1   0     1   0   .273
Cedeno 1b             4   0   0   0     0   1   .262      Matthews rf           5   2   2   3     0   0   .304
Cruz lf               4   0   1   0     0   1   .289      Horner 3b             4   1   2   0     1   0   .316
Cabell 3b             4   1   1   0     0   0   .272      Murphy 1b             5   1   1   0     0   1   .283
Walling rf            3   1   1   0     1   1   .329      Bonnell lf            4   2   2   2     1   0   .259
Pujols c              3   1   0   0     0   1   .235      Chaney ss             3   1   1   0     1   1   .161
  Heep ph             1   0   0   0     0   0   .091      Benedict c            3   0   1   0     1   1   .221
Landestoy 2b          4   0   2   2     0   1   .275      Niekro p              4   0   2   4     0   1   .202
Niekro p              1   0   0   0     0   0   .123
  Williams p          0   0   0   0     0   0   .258
  Howe ph             1   0   0   1     0   0   .245
  Dixon p             0   0   0   0     0   0  1.000
  Niemann p           0   0   0   0     0   0   .133
  Ladd p              0   0   0   0     0   0   .000
  Roberge p           0   0   0   0     0   0   .000
  Bergman ph          1   1   1   1     0   0   .444
  Mendoza p           0   0   0   0     0   0   .000
  Ashby ph            1   0   0   0     0   0   .202

Totals               35   4   8   4     1   6             Totals               37   9  12   9     5   4

Time of Game: 2:34   Attendance:  2,248
Left on Base: Astros 5, Braves 9
DP: Astros 0, Braves 1
Errors: Reynolds, Cedeno, Murphy, Bonnell
Doubles: Cruz (33), Cabell (30), Niekro (6), Royster (24), Chaney (5)
Home Runs: Bergman (1), Matthews (27)
Stolen Bases: Bonnell (6)
GIDP: Pujols (3)


Astros                 IP     H   R  ER  BB  SO  HR BFP    ERA
Niekro L(20-11)         2.1   6   4   4   2   1   0  15   3.02
Williams                1.2   0   0   0   0   0   0   5   3.26
Dixon                   0.2   4   3   3   1   1   0   7   6.66
Niemann                 0.1   0   0   0   0   0   0   1   3.76
Ladd                    1     2   2   1   1   1   1   7   2.92
Roberge                 1     0   0   0   1   1   0   4   1.69
Mendoza                 1     0   0   0   0   0   0   3   0.00
Totals                  8    12   9   8   5   4   1  42

Braves                 IP     H   R  ER  BB  SO  HR BFP    ERA
Niekro W(20-20)         9     8   4   3   1   6   1  36   3.43
Totals                  9     8   4   3   1   6   1  36

Passed Balls: Pujols (4), Benedict (8)
Wild Pitches: Niekro (19)

Umpires: HP - Satch Davidson, 1B - Dave Pallone, 2B - Paul Pryor, 3B - Ed Vargo


ASTROS 1ST: Puhl flied out to right; Reynolds grounded out
(pitcher to first); Cedeno grounded out (first unassisted); 0 R,
0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Astros 0, Braves 0.

BRAVES 1ST: Miller grounded out (first unassisted); Royster
lined to third; Matthews reached on an error by Reynolds
[Matthews to first]; Horner flied out to center; 0 R, 0 H, 1 E,
1 LOB.  Astros 0, Braves 0.

ASTROS 2ND: Cruz doubled; Cabell grounded out (second to first)
[Cruz to third]; Walling struck out; Pujols struck out; 0 R, 1
H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Astros 0, Braves 0.

BRAVES 2ND: Murphy flied out to center; Bonnell walked; Bonnell
stole second; Chaney walked; Pujols allowed a passed ball
[Bonnell to third, Chaney to second]; Benedict singled [Bonnell
stayed at third]; Niekro doubled [Bonnell scored, Chaney scored,
Benedict out at home (left to shortstop to catcher), Niekro to
third (on throw to home)]; Miller grounded out (shortstop to
first); 2 R, 2 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Astros 0, Braves 2.

ASTROS 3RD: Landestoy popped to third in foul territory; Niekro
grounded out (third to first); Puhl singled; Benedict allowed a
passed ball [Puhl to second]; Reynolds struck out; 0 R, 1 H, 0
E, 1 LOB.  Astros 0, Braves 2.

BRAVES 3RD: Royster doubled; Niekro threw a wild pitch [Royster
to third]; Matthews singled [Royster scored]; Horner singled
[Matthews to second]; Murphy struck out; Bonnell singled
[Matthews scored, Horner to second]; WILLIAMS REPLACED NIEKRO
(PITCHING); Chaney forced Bonnell (second to shortstop) [Horner
to third]; Benedict forced Chaney (third to second); 2 R, 4 H, 0
E, 2 LOB.  Astros 0, Braves 4.

ASTROS 4TH: Cedeno grounded out (pitcher to first); Cruz struck
out; Cabell grounded out (shortstop to first); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0
LOB.  Astros 0, Braves 4.

BRAVES 4TH: Niekro flied out to right; Miller grounded out
(pitcher to first); Royster popped to first in foul territory; 0
R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Astros 0, Braves 4.

ASTROS 5TH: Walling flied out to left; Pujols reached on an
error by Murphy [Pujols to first]; Landestoy singled to left
[Pujols to third (error by Bonnell)]; HOWE BATTED FOR WILLIAMS;
Howe grounded out (second to first) [Pujols scored (unearned),
Landestoy to second]; Puhl popped to third in foul territory; 1
R (0 ER), 1 H, 2 E, 1 LOB.  Astros 1, Braves 4.

BRAVES 5TH: DIXON REPLACED HOWE (PITCHING); Matthews flied out
to right; Horner singled; Murphy singled [Horner to second];
Bonnell singled [Horner scored, Murphy to second]; Chaney struck
out; Benedict was walked intentionally [Murphy to third, Bonnell
to second]; Niekro singled [Murphy scored, Bonnell scored,
Benedict to second]; NIEMANN REPLACED DIXON (PITCHING); Miller
lined to right; 3 R, 4 H, 0 E, 2 LOB.  Astros 1, Braves 7.

ASTROS 6TH: Reynolds grounded out (second to first); Cedeno
struck out; Cruz flied out to center; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.
Astros 1, Braves 7.

BRAVES 6TH: LADD REPLACED NIEMANN (PITCHING); Royster reached on
an error by Cedeno [Royster to first]; Matthews homered [Royster
scored (unearned)]; Horner walked; Murphy popped to first in
foul territory; Bonnell forced Horner (second to shortstop);
Chaney doubled [Bonnell to third]; Benedict struck out; 2 R (1
ER), 2 H, 1 E, 2 LOB.  Astros 1, Braves 9.

ASTROS 7TH: Cabell flied out to right; Walling singled; Pujols
grounded into a double play (pitcher to second to first)
[Walling out at second]; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Astros 1, Braves
9.

BRAVES 7TH: ROBERGE REPLACED LADD (PITCHING); Niekro struck out;
Miller flied out to center; Royster walked; Matthews forced
Royster (shortstop to second); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Astros 1,
Braves 9.

ASTROS 8TH: Landestoy struck out; BERGMAN BATTED FOR ROBERGE;
Bergman homered; Puhl singled; Reynolds grounded out (second to
first) [Puhl to second]; Cedeno flied out to right; 1 R, 2 H, 0
E, 1 LOB.  Astros 2, Braves 9.

BRAVES 8TH: MENDOZA REPLACED BERGMAN (PITCHING); Horner grounded
out (third to first); Murphy flied out to left; Bonnell grounded
out (second to first); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Astros 2, Braves 9.

ASTROS 9TH: Cruz grounded out (first unassisted); Cabell
doubled; Walling walked; HEEP BATTED FOR PUJOLS; Heep grounded
out (second to first) [Cabell to third, Walling to second];
Landestoy singled [Cabell scored, Walling scored]; ASHBY BATTED
FOR MENDOZA; Ashby grounded out (first unassisted); 2 R, 2 H, 0
E, 1 LOB.  Astros 4, Braves 9.