Games of Saturday, May 31

                             W      L        Pct.     GB
New York            24     15       .615    ---
Houston               23     17       .575    1.5
Atlanta                 19     16       .542    3
Pittsburgh            20     19       .513    4
Chicago               20     22       .475    5.5
St. Louis              18     20       .474    5.5
Montreal              16    21       .432     7
Philadelphia         13    22       .371     9

Sunday's games
Philadelphia (Twitchell) at Montreal (Renko)
Atlanta (Schueler) at New York (Koosman)
St. Louis (Foster) at Houston (Roberts)
Pittsburgh  (Ellis) at Chicago (Gura)

Atlanta 8, Montreal 7: Paul Casanova's pinch-hit single in the top of the ninth plated Marty Perez with the eventual winning run. The Braves scored four runs in the first, with consecutive RBI doubles by Darrell Evans, Dave Johnson and Mike Lum. Ralph Garr had three hits, a steal and three runs. Pepe Frias drove in three runs for the Expos. Adrian Devine (one run in two innings) was credited with the win, Tom Walker took the loss and Dan Frisella got the save.

Pittsburgh 7, St. Louis 2: Willie Stargell homered twice and Richie Hebner added a three-run homer as the Pirates won their seventh straight. Luke Walker took a shutout into the seventh inning; he allowed two runs on seven hits in 6.2 innings. John Morlan retired all four men he faced, and Steve Blass wriggled out of his own ninth-inning jam to finish. Dave Cash had three singles and scored on each of the Pittsburgh homers, all off loser Reggie Cleveland.

New York 6, Philadelphia 2: Willie Mays hit a two-run homer in the third inning off Steve Carlton and Jim McAndrew held the Phillies scoreless into the sixth inning. Cleon Jones tripled in a pair of runs in the top of the ninth. McAndrew went 5.1 innings, allowing two runs on six hits. Ray Sadecki got the final two outs of the sixth, then Tug McGraw and Harry Parker combined for three innings of one-hit ball. 

Chicago 7, Houston 6: Randy Hundley homered twice and drove in four runs as the Cubs broke a six-game losing streak. Four of the six runs winner Rich Reuschel allowed in 8.1 innings were unearned. Bob Locker got two outs in the ninth for the save. Don Wilson took the loss; three of the seven runs he allowed were unearned.