The Padres broke a 2-2 tie with four runs in the sixth inning and then held on to defeat the Braves, 6-5, before an opening-night crowd of 16,655. After the Padres stepped off to a 2-0 lead, the Braves tied the score with a two-run double by Ralph Garr in the fifth inning. Enzo Hernandez doubled to open the Padres' uprising in the sixth and Derrel Thomas beat out a bunt. When Phil Niekro attempted to pick Thomas off first base, Hank Aaron dropped the ball and Hernandez scored on the error.

After Leron Lee struck out, Thomas stole second and Nate Colbert walked. Larry Stahl lined out, but Jerry Morales singled to drive in Thomas. Colbert took third and Morales advanced to second on the throw to the plate. Both runners then scored when Bob Barton singled. The Braves came back with a run on two walks and a single by Dusty Baker in the seventh, but they still were one run short after counting twice in the eighth on two more walks, a double by Marty Perez and infield out by Felix Millan. [The Sporting News]



San Diego Padres 6, Atlanta Braves 5
Game Played on Saturday, April     15, 1972 (Night game) at San Diego Stadium
Braves       0  0  0    0  2  0    1  2  0  -   5  9  1
Padres       0  1  1    0  0  4    0  0  x  -   6  9  0


Braves               AB   R   H RBI    BB  SO    AVG      Padres               AB   R   H RBI    BB  SO    AVG
Millan 2b             5   0   1   1     0   0   .200      Hernandez ss          3   1   1   0     0   1   .333
Garr lf               4   1   1   2     1   1   .250      Thomas 2b             4   1   3   1     0   0   .750
Aaron rf,1b           3   0   0   0     2   1   .000      Lee lf                4   0   0   0     0   1   .000
Cepeda 1b             1   0   0   0     1   0   .000        Jeter cf            0   0   0   0     0   0   .000
  Baker ph,rf         3   0   1   1     0   0   .333      Colbert 1b            2   2   1   0     2   1   .500
Williams c            4   0   1   0     1   1   .250      Stahl rf              3   0   0   1     0   0   .000
Lum cf                3   1   1   0     2   1   .333        Brown ph,rf         1   0   0   0     0   0   .000
Evans 3b              4   1   2   0     1   1   .500      Morales cf,lf         4   1   1   1     0   0   .250
Perez ss              4   1   2   1     0   0   .500      Barton c              3   0   1   2     0   0   .333
Niekro p              2   1   0   0     0   0   .000      Campbell 3b           3   1   1   0     0   0   .333
  Nash p              1   0   0   0     0   1   .000      Kirby p               2   0   1   0     0   0   .500
  Brown ph            1   0   0   0     0   0   .000        Ross p              1   0   0   0     0   1   .000
  Barber p            0   0   0   0     0   0   .000        Caldwell p          0   0   0   0     0   0   .000

Totals               35   5   9   5     8   6             Totals               30   6   9   5     2   4

Time of Game: 2:27   Attendance: 16,655
Left on Base: Braves 11, Padres 3
DP: Braves 1, Padres 1
Errors: Aaron
Doubles: Garr (1), Perez (1), Williams (1), Hernandez (1)
Triples: Colbert (1)
Stolen Bases: Millan (1), Thomas (1)
Sacrifice Hits: Hernandez (1)
GIDP: Evans (1), Lee (1)


Braves                 IP     H   R  ER  BB  SO  HR BFP    ERA
Niekro L(0-1)           5.2   8   6   6   1   3   0  25   9.53
Nash                    1.1   1   0   0   0   1   0   4   0.00
Barber                  1     0   0   0   1   0   0   4   0.00
Totals                  8     9   6   6   2   4   0  33

Padres                 IP     H   R  ER  BB  SO  HR BFP    ERA
Kirby W(1-0)            6     6   2   2   3   3   0  26   3.00
Ross                    1     1   2   2   3   1   0   7  18.00
Caldwell SV(1)          2     2   1   1   2   2   0  10   4.50
Totals                  9     9   5   5   8   6   0  43

Umpires: HP - Augie Donatelli, 1B - Stan Landes, 2B - Doug Harvey, 3B - Bob Engel


BRAVES 1ST: Millan singled to right; Millan stole second; On a
bunt Garr made an out to third; Aaron struck out; Cepeda flied
out to right; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Braves 0, Padres 0.

PADRES 1ST: Hernandez struck out; Thomas singled to right; Lee
grounded into a double play (pitcher to shortstop to first)
[Thomas out at second]; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Braves 0, Padres
0.

BRAVES 2ND: Williams struck out; Lum struck out; Evans singled
to center; Perez grounded out (third to first); 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1
LOB.  Braves 0, Padres 0.

PADRES 2ND: Colbert tripled to center; Stahl grounded out
(second to first) [Colbert scored]; Morales lined to second;
Barton grounded out (second to first); 1 R, 1 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.
Braves 0, Padres 1.

BRAVES 3RD: Niekro lined to pitcher; Millan grounded out
(pitcher to third to first); Garr grounded out (second to
first); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Braves 0, Padres 1.

PADRES 3RD: Campbell singled to left; On a bunt Kirby singled to
third [Campbell to second]; Hernandez out on a sacrifice bunt
(pitcher to second) [Campbell to third, Kirby to second]; Thomas
grounded out (second to first) [Campbell scored, Kirby to
third]; Lee lined to left; 1 R, 2 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Braves 0,
Padres 2.

BRAVES 4TH: Aaron grounded out (shortstop to first); Cepeda
walked; Williams forced Cepeda (pitcher to shortstop); Lum
grounded out (third to first); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Braves 0,
Padres 2.

PADRES 4TH: Colbert struck out; Stahl grounded out (second to
first); Morales grounded out (third to first); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0
LOB.  Braves 0, Padres 2.

BRAVES 5TH: Evans singled to right; Perez singled to left [Evans
to second]; On a bunt Niekro forced Evans (third to shortstop)
[Perez to second]; Millan lined to left; Garr doubled to left
[Perez scored, Niekro scored]; Aaron was walked intentionally;
BAKER BATTED FOR CEPEDA; Baker forced Aaron (third to second); 2
R, 3 H, 0 E, 2 LOB.  Braves 2, Padres 2.

PADRES 5TH: AARON CHANGED POSITIONS (PLAYING 1B); BAKER STAYED
IN GAME (PLAYING RF); Barton grounded out (shortstop to first);
Campbell popped to catcher in foul territory; Kirby flied out to
left; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Braves 2, Padres 2.

BRAVES 6TH: Williams walked; Lum singled to center [Williams to
second]; Evans grounded into a double play (second to shortstop
to first) [Williams to third, Lum out at second]; Perez lined to
left; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Braves 2, Padres 2.

PADRES 6TH: Hernandez doubled to right; On a bunt Thomas singled
to third [Hernandez to third]; Thomas was picked off first but
was safe on an error by Aaron [Hernandez scored]; Thomas stole
second; Lee struck out; Colbert walked; Stahl lined to second;
Morales singled to left [Thomas scored, Colbert to third,
Morales to second (on throw)]; Barton singled to center [Colbert
scored, Morales scored]; NASH REPLACED NIEKRO (PITCHING);
Campbell flied out to right; 4 R, 4 H, 1 E, 1 LOB.  Braves 2,
Padres 6.

BRAVES 7TH: ROSS REPLACED KIRBY (PITCHING); Nash struck out;
Millan grounded out (second to first); Garr walked; Aaron walked
[Garr to second]; Baker singled to left [Garr scored, Aaron to
second]; Williams flied out to center; 1 R, 1 H, 0 E, 2 LOB.
Braves 3, Padres 6.

PADRES 7TH: Ross was called out on strikes; Hernandez grounded
out (shortstop to first); Thomas singled to left [Thomas out at
second (left to second)]; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Braves 3,
Padres 6.

BRAVES 8TH: Lum walked; CALDWELL REPLACED ROSS (PITCHING); Evans
walked [Lum to second]; Perez doubled to right [Lum scored,
Evans to third]; BROWN BATTED FOR NASH; Brown flied out to
right; Millan grounded out (second to first) [Evans scored,
Perez to third]; Garr struck out; 2 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Braves
5, Padres 6.

PADRES 8TH: BARBER REPLACED BROWN (PITCHING); Lee flied out to
center; Colbert walked; BROWN BATTED FOR STAHL; Brown lined to
second; Morales grounded out (first to pitcher); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E,
1 LOB.  Braves 5, Padres 6.

BRAVES 9TH: BROWN STAYED IN GAME (PLAYING RF); JETER REPLACED
LEE (PLAYING CF); MORALES CHANGED POSITIONS (PLAYING LF); Aaron
grounded out (shortstop to first); Baker grounded out (shortstop
to first); Williams doubled to right; Lum walked; Evans struck
out; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 2 LOB.  Braves 5, Padres 6.