HALICKI NO-HITS BRAVES
Giants Starter Drives in Game-Winner
SAN FRANCISCO, May 23 (AP) - Ed Halicki fired the first no-hitter of the 1976
season, leading the San Francisco Giants past the Atlanta Braves, 2-0, in the
first game of a doubleheader at Candlestick Park. Halicki carried a
perfect game into the seventh inning before struggling with his control over the
final three frames; the right-hander finished with five walks. The Braves
had runners at first and second with no outs in both the seventh and ninth
innings, but Halicki rose to the occasion each time and Atlanta never advanced a
baserunner past second.
If his heroics on the mound weren't enough, Halicki also drove in the
game-winning run with a single in the bottom of the second inning.
The Giants scored all the runs they would need--and all the runs they would
get--in that second inning. After Willie Montanez grounded out to open the
frame, Chris Speier singled to left. Ken Reitz followed by grounding to
second, with Montanez advancing to third. Braves starter Dick Ruthven then
walked Dave Rader intentionally to get to Halicki. But Halicki picked on
the first pitch and dropped a single into center field, scoring Montanez and
giving San Francisco a 1-0 lead, with Rader stopping at second. Von Joshua
then singled to left, scoring Rader for a 2-0 Giants advantage.
That was all the scoring in the game. Though obviously overshadowed by
Halicki, Ruthven tossed a strong game of his own. After the second inning,
the Atlanta starter held the Giants to two harmless singles and two walks, with
no runner advancing beyond first base. But the damage had been done.
In the top of the seventh, the perfect game came to an end when Halicki walked
Rowland Office to lead off the inning. Lee Lacy grounded to short, with
Office taking second, and Jimmy Wynn drew Halicki's second free pass of the
frame, putting runners on first and second. But Darrell Evans followed by
rolling into an inning-ending double play.
In the ninth, with the fans on their feet, Halicki opened the inning by walking
pinch hitter Ken Henderson. A passed ball charged to Rader allowed
Henderson to move to second and Office drew his second base on balls of the
game, putting the tying runs on base with no outs. Lacy attempted to bunt
the runners to second and third but his effort resulted in a pop up that Reitz
caught for the first out. Then, Wynn lifted a looper to shallow
center. Larry Herndon, who had been inserted for defense, got a bad jump
on the ball but recovered to make a sliding catch to keep the no-hitter
intact. Halicki then induced Evans to lift a routine fly to Herndon in
center. He squeezed it, and Halicki had his no-hitter and was mobbed by
his teammates on the mound.
5/23/1976, Atl76-SF 76, game 1, Candlestick Park 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E LOB DP 1976 Braves 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 4 1 1976 Giants 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 x 2 7 0 8 1 Braves AB R H BI AVG Giants AB R H BI AVG Office cf 2 0 0 0 .346 Joshua cf 4 0 2 1 .260 Lacy 2b 4 0 0 0 .252 Thomas,De 2b 3 0 1 0 .213 Wynn lf 3 0 0 0 .157 Murcer rf 4 0 1 0 .224 Evans,Da 1b 4 0 0 0 .172 Matthews lf 4 0 0 0 .261 May,D rf 3 0 0 0 .195 Herndon cf 0 0 0 0 .414 Pocoroba c 3 0 0 0 .242 Montanez 1b 3 0 0 0 .293 Chaney ss 2 0 0 0 .261 Speier ss 4 1 2 0 .244 Royster 3b 3 0 0 0 .289 Reitz 3b 4 0 0 0 .264 Ruthven p 2 0 0 0 .143 Rader,Da c 2 1 0 0 .114 Henderson,K ph 0 0 0 0 .213 Halicki p 2 0 1 1 .316 26 0 0 0 30 2 7 2 Braves INN H R ER BB K PCH STR ERA Ruthven L 2-5 8.0 7 2 2 4 4 125 77 4.26 8.0 7 2 2 4 4 125 77 Giants INN H R ER BB K PCH STR ERA Halicki W 4-3 9.0 0 0 0 5 5 118 67 2.56 9.0 0 0 0 5 5 118 67 Atl: Henderson,K batted for Ruthven in the 9th SF : Joshua moved to lf in the 9th Herndon inserted at cf in the 9th RBI-Joshua(9), Halicki(1). K-Wynn, Evans,Da 2, May,D, Ruthven, Thomas,De, Matthews, Speier, Halicki. BB-Office 2, Wynn, Chaney, Henderson,K, Thomas,De, Montanez, Rader,Da, Halicki. PB-Rader,Da. GWRBI: Halicki Temperature: 83, Sky: clear, Wind: left to right at 14 MPH. Attendance: N/A Game Time: 1:58