Giants take 2 of 3 from 1st place Boston

August 20 at Candlestick Park - Braves 13, Giants 11

In a wild one at The 'Stick, Boston scored four times in the ninth to win it after the Giants had battled-back from an 8-0 deficit to take the lead. Walker Cooper was among four Braves to deliver two-out RBI singles as Boston battered Giant relievers Randy Moffitt and Gary Lavelle for eight hits over the final two frames. San Francisco had capped a gallant comeback with a four-run rally in the seventh, sending 10 batters to the plate to take an 11-9 lead. And with their two ace relievers armed and ready for action, SF appeared to have Boston behind the 8-ball.  But the Giants lefty-righty combo simply ran out of gas -- and pitches. Sibby Sisti ripped a two-strike, two-out RBI single. Sam Jethroe, Earl Torgeson, Cooper and Sid Gordon each followed with hits, completing the rally. Bob Chipman notched his first save with a 1-2-3 ninth, giving the division-leading Braves their sixth win in seven games. Cooper finished 4-for-6 with a pair of RBIs while Bob Elliot drove in four runs and homered to lead Boston's 14-hit assault, most of that against SF starter Jim Barr. For San Francisco, Derrell Thomas had four hits and Dave Rader went 3-for-5 with four RBIs in a losing cause.  Boston clubbed 16 hits to the Giants 14.

August 21 at Candlestick Park - Giants 8, Braves 1

Pete Falcone gave the SF bullpen what it needed -- a much-needed break -- in pitching seven solid innings to key the Giants' first home win of the season. After surrendering a solo HR to Boston's Sam Jethroe in the third, Falcone (2-0) silenced the Braves, yielding just two hits and four walks in a 122-pitch effort. The SF bats picked up where they left off in the opener, smashing Braves pitching for 15 more hits as Gary Matthews, Derrell Thomas and Bobby Murcer delivered three apiece. Murcer's RBI double in the third put SF ahead to stay and the Giants outfielder added a solo HR in the seventh. Chris Speier also homered for the Giants, who battered Boston starter Johnny Sain for 10 hits and 7 runs in six innings. Charlie Williams provided two innings of scoreless relief for the G-Men.

August 22 at Candlestick Park - Giants 2, Braves 1   

San Francisco overcame Boston ace Warren Spahn and a 73-minute rain delay to take the rubber game thanks to wild pitching by the Braves staff.  Spahn and San Francisco's Ed Halicki matched zeroes until the fifth inning, when the Giants scratched out a run. A two-out walk to Halicki, a wild pitch and Von Joshua's RBI single gave SF a 1-0 lead. It stayed that way until Boston tagged SF reliever Gary Lavelle for a bases-loaded walk to tie the game in the ninth. Boston reliever Phil Paine returned the favor in the bottom of the inning. After the Giants chased Spahn on Marc Hill's two-out single, Paine issued consecutive walks to pinch-hitter Gary Thomason, Joshua and Derrell Thomas to end the game. Gary Matthews led SF with three hits to finish the series 7-for-10. Despite a solid effort, Halicki (6 IP, 2H, 0 ER) received a second-straight ND. The 6-foot-8 fireballer is still winless despite a 1.29 ERA with 16 Ks in 14 innings of work.

--submitted by Ron Leone--