[Nick Soulis]

Series #257



Hisle Leads a Ruthless Twins Sweep



When the last out settled into leather and the lights dimmed over Atlanta, there was no argument left to make—only a record to be kept.

This series did not thunder; it advanced. It did not boast; it concluded. Four games were played, four games were claimed, and somewhere in the quiet arithmetic of baseball history the 1976 Minnesota Twins wrote their name with a steady hand. They came without spectacle and departed without excess, leaving behind nothing but results and a silence where resistance had once stood.

The old game has always favored such men. The ones who arrive with balance instead of bravado. With pitching that asks no permission, and bats that speak only when needed. In this series, Minnesota never hurried the moment. They let innings come to them, let pitchers finish what they started, and trusted that sound baseball—played honestly—would eventually tell the truth.

Atlanta brought legends with them. Great names, heavy bats, long shadows. But legends, too, must answer the present tense. And in this October, the present belonged to the Twins. One by one, the chances slipped past. One by one, the doors closed. Not loudly. Not cruelly. Just finally.

And at the center of it all stood a team that understood something timeless: championships are not seized in a single swing or sealed by a single star. They are assembled—out of outs recorded, bases taken, runs earned, and games finished.

So the series ends as the game prefers—without flourish, without debate, without need for explanation.

The Minnesota Twins move on.
The record remains.
And somewhere, far beyond the box score, the old game nods in recognition.

Game: Game 1
Date: Friday, October 1, 1976
Venue: Metropolitan Stadium
Final Score:
1971 Atlanta Braves — 0
1976 Minnesota Twins — 4
Winning Pitcher: Bert Blyleven (1–0)
Losing Pitcher: Phil Niekro (0–1)
Home Runs: None
Player of the Game: Bert Blyleven
Line: 9.0 IP, 6 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 3 BB, 6 K
Game Score: 78
Pitches: 110 (68 strikes)
Minnesota Twins lead Series #257 — 1–0

Game 1 at Metropolitan Stadium belonged entirely to Bert Blyleven, who delivered a complete-game shutout to give the 1976 Minnesota Twins a 4–0 win over the 1971 Atlanta Braves and a 1–0 series lead. Blyleven was composed from the opening inning on, allowing just six hits and three walks while striking out six, never letting Atlanta build sustained pressure and keeping Hank Aaron hitless outside of a walk. Phil Niekro pitched well enough to compete, but one decisive second inning—highlighted by a two-out, two-run double from Rod Carew—tilted the game firmly toward Minnesota. With clean defense behind him and late insurance runs added, Blyleven finished what he started, setting an early tone of authority for Series #257.

Game 2
Date: Saturday, October 2, 1976
Venue: Metropolitan Stadium
Final Score:
1971 Atlanta Braves — 2
1976 Minnesota Twins — 6
Winning Pitcher: Dave Goltz (1–0)
Losing Pitcher: Gary Stone (0–1)
Save: Bill Campbell (1)
Home Runs: Lyman Bostock (1, 8th inning)
Player of the Game: Dave Goltz
Line: 7.1 IP, 5 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 3 BB, 3 K
Pitches: 103 (65 strikes)
Minnesota Twins lead Series #257 — 2–0

Game 2 at Metropolitan Stadium reinforced Minnesota’s early control of Series #257, as the 1976 Twins defeated the 1971 Atlanta Braves 6–2 to take a 2–0 lead.Dave Goltz delivered a steady, workmanlike performance, allowing two runs on five hits over 7.1 innings while keeping Atlanta from ever sustaining a prolonged rally. The game turned in the seventh inning when Butch Wynega* doubled off Hoyt Wilhelm to break a tie, and Minnesota added decisive separation an inning later when Lyman Bostock homered to extend the lead. Atlanta managed six hits, including a hit and a walk from Hank Aaron, but again struggled to convert opportunities, while Minnesota’s balanced offense and dependable pitching carried the series south with momentum firmly in the Twins’ favor.

Game 3
Date: Monday, October 4, 1976
Venue: Atlanta Fulton County Stadium
Final Score:
1976 Minnesota Twins — 6
1971 Atlanta Braves — 2
Winning Pitcher: Pete Redfern (1–0)
Losing Pitcher: Ray Reed (0–1)
Home Runs:
Rod Carew (1st inning, solo)
Danny Ford (1st inning, 2-run)
Larry Hisle (8th inning, solo)
Player of the Game: Larry Hisle
Line: 4-for-5, HR, 2 RBI, 3 singles
Total Bases: 7
Minnesota Twins lead Series #257 — 3–0

Game 3 at Atlanta Fulton County Stadium followed the same script as the first two contests, with the 1976 Minnesota Twins defeating the 1971 Atlanta Braves 6–2 to seize a commanding 3–0 lead in Series #257. Minnesota struck immediately, scoring three runs in the opening inning on home runs by Rod Carew and Danny Ford, forcing Atlanta to chase the game from the outset. Starter Pete Redfer* absorbed traffic but held firm over 6.2 innings, allowing two runs while striking out seven, and the bullpen protected the lead. The night belonged offensively to Larry Hisle, who went 4-for-5 with a home run and two RBIs, repeatedly punishing Atlanta pitching and delivering a decisive solo shot in the eighth inning. The Braves collected nine hits, including a two-hit, two-RBI effort from Hank Aaron, but once again struggled to string together rallies, leaving eleven men on base as Minnesota continued to dictate the terms of the series.

Game 4
Date: Tuesday, October 5, 1976
Venue: Atlanta Fulton County Stadium
Final Score:
1976 Minnesota Twins — 4
1971 Atlanta Braves — 1
Winning Pitcher: Jim Hughes (1–0)
Losing Pitcher: Tom Kelley (0–1)
Home Runs:
Rod Carew (solo, 3rd inning)
Larry Hisle (solo, 4th inning)
Ralph Garr (solo, 9th inning)
Player of the Game: Jim Hughes
Line: 9.0 IP, 6 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 3 K
Pitches: 98 (66 strikes)
Game Score: 73

Game 4 at Atlanta Fulton County Stadium completed a dominant sweep, as the 1976 Minnesota Twins defeated the 1971 Atlanta Braves 4–1 to capture Series #257 in four straight games. Minnesota methodically built its lead with single runs in the third, fourth, fifth, and seventh innings, punctuated by solo home runs from Rod Carew and Larry Hisle, while consistently applying pressure throughout the lineup. On the mound, Jim Hughes delivered a complete-game performance, allowing just one run on six hits with one walk and three strikeouts, never giving Atlanta a chance to mount a serious rally until a late solo homer by Ralph Garr in the ninth. The Braves managed six hits on the night but again failed to generate sustained offense, as Hank Aaron was held hitless, closing a series in which Minnesota’s pitching depth, lineup balance, and steady execution proved overwhelming.

1976 Minnesota Twins Sweep Series 4-0

Series MVP:

(9/16, 2 HR, 5 RBI, 1.526 OPS, 1 SB, 5 R)