1971 Chicago at Atlanta

Friday June 4.  Phil Niekro (9-2) out pitched Ferguson Jenkins (7-4) with reief help from Cecil Upshaw's 4th save.  Jenkins hit his second homer and Zoilo Versalles his first.  Atlanta 5 Chicago 4 

 

Saturday June 5.  Bill Bonham (1-0) returned to the Cubs' rotation after a month on the disabled list. He went 5.2 innings in his return and allowed only one run.  Meanwhile, the Cubs hitters slammed away for 11 runs of their own, including homers by Billy Wiliams (13), Jim Hickman (11, 12), and Ernie Banks (1) in a pinchhitting role in the 9th.   Chicago 11 Atlanta 1

 

Sunday June 6.  Is it time for the Cubs to bring up a tenth pitcher?  After running through four pitchers yesteday, the Cubs manager was looking at squeezing every inning he could out of starter Bill Hands (6-5).  The Cubs hitters did their part, scoring 9 runs in the fist three innings.  But Hands allowed the Braves right back in it.  By the bottom of the fifth, the score stood Cubs 9 Braves 8.  The Cubbies broke it open in the sixth with five more runs.  But Hands was detemined to make it a ball game.  After he allowed a two run Henry Aaron (14) homer, he was finally and mercifully yanked.  The Cubs' relievers closed the door on the Braves, albeit quietly, and the final score was Cubs 15, Braves 11.  Johnny Callison had two homers (2,3) for the Cubs including a first inning grand slam.  Paul Popovich, subbing for Glenn Beckert (.409) who has had the flu for the past two days, hit his first homer and went 4-10 over the weekend to raise his average 104 points.  In addition to Aaron, Atlanta got homers from Earl Williams (9), Darrell Evans (2) and two from Versalles (2,3).  Jim Nash tok the loss (1-5).