North Side Swoon…

In the post series press conference, Manager Jim Walden held court. When asked about his feelings on the series, Walden had this to say : " I guess we forgot to put our major league baseball pants on today. When they had the ball we couldn't get any hits, much less score runs and when we had the ball we couldn't get anybody out. I wonder if Herman Munster's still available? Maybe Jethro Bodine, but he couldn't throw a lick without possum grease, so he's out, maybe Ellie Mae, they say she could throw better than Jethro anyway. Oh,well, we're sitting at five hundred and there's lots of baseball left to play, but we need to play better down the stretch."

Game 1
Wrigley Field     Time 3:58   77°   Light Rain    Attendance 32,838
John Smoltz   W (1-2)    Bill Hands L(3-1)
Atlanta 17  Chicago 1
The first pitch from Hands ended up in the left filed seats. One pitch and one swing from Bill Bruton and the Braves had a one run lead. The Cubs would answer in their half of the 1st as Ernie Banks would tie it up with a shot to left himself. In the top of the second, the first pitch of the 2nd inning by Hands was deposited in the center filed seats by Joe Torre. The Cubs would not answer in their half of the 2nd. Atlanta would continue to pound Cubs pitching as they belted out 21 hits and would score 15 more runs. Of the 21 hits by Atlanta 6 would be home runs topped by Eddie Matthews, who hit 3.

Game 2
Wrigley Field   Time  3:21   76°   Light Rain   Attendance   31,898
Lew Burdette W(3-1)   Fergie Jenkins  L(3-1)
Atlanta  12  Chicago Cubs 7
The second game of the series produced less Brave's runs and more Cub runs, it still ended with Atlanta taking the win. Chicago took an early one run lead in the bottom of the 1st. Eddie Matthews would start the 2nd for Atlanta with a home run and the Braves would add 2 more in the inning. Chicago would tie in the bottom of the 2nd on a Mark Grace 2 run shot to left. A 2 run shot by Andre Dawson in the Cubs 3rd would put Chicago ahead. The Cubs would keep that lead until the 5th. That's when not only the wheels came off for Chicago, but the engine threw a rod and the water pump blew a leak. Six runs would score for Atlanta powered by a Hank Aaron 2 run poke and a Jeff Blauser solo shot. Chicago was done. They would creep closer by getting runs in the bottom of the 5th and 6th, but again, Cub pitching allowed Atlanta to score 3 more in the 8th and that was that.

Game 3
Fulton-County Stadium    Time  2:24    85°  Light Rain   Attendance  39,003
Rick Reuschel  L(0-1)    Phil Niekro  W(5-0)
Chicago  0   Atlanta  4

The series moved back to Atlanta for the finale and "Nucksie" threw a gem in posting his 5th win of the year against no loses. The Braves pushed a run across in the 1st on a Hank Aaron base hit rbi.  Three more Braves runs in the 5th would do it for Atlanta. With Phil Niekro's flutterball working, he would only give up 3 hits to the Cubs, all singles, while only walking 2.

Thanks to Bill Keller for filling in for Ron Burdette. Ron, your Braves didn't miss a beat with Bill at the helm.
--submitted by Jim Walden--