Braves Take Two from the 'Stros!

Jackson goes 4 for 4 in game 1.

Atlanta,

Game 1,

Light hitting shortstop Sonny Jackson provided the punch to push the Braves over the Astros in the first game of the series.  Jackson collected 4 hits and drove in the winning run to give Pat Jarvis his 12 win of the season.  Both teams were knotted at one a piece going into the bottom half of the ninth inning. That changed with one man down, Tito Francona slashed a single to center.  Francona was erased on a ground out by Mike Lum.  Johnson then followed with a basehit allowing Lum to race to third. That brought up Sonny Jackson. Jackson ended matters with a clean single up the middle. Braves 2....Astros 1.



Game 2,

Knuckler Phil Niekro went the distance to earn his 15th triumph of the season.  Niekro was aided by a strong offensive surge as Atlanta batters pounded Houston pitchers to a tune of 17 hits.  Torre, Millan, and Felipe Alou led the charge with 3 safeties a piece.  Niekro scattered 10 hits and allowed only one run over the duration of the game. Braves 6...Astros 1.


Game 3,

Giusti strikes out eleven Brave hitters.

Dave Giusti and Milt Pappas were locked into a strong pitching match as both hurlers would not give an inch for most of the contest.  The tough right handers were tossing goose eggs frame after frame until Houston broke through in the top of the ninth.  Bob Aspromonte grounded a single on the left side to plate Julio Gotay to put Houston up 1-0.  That was all the scoring that was needed in this game as Giusti shut down the Brave batters with eleven strikeouts over 9 innings.  Astros 1...Braves 0.