A homer by Bobby Valentine on Dave Roberts' first pitch of the game started the Dodgers off to a 3-0 victory over the Astros behind the two-hit pitching of Al Downing. Two other runs counted in the fourth on a single by Frank Robinson, double by Steve Garvey and single by Chris Cannizzaro. The game was completed in one hour, 30 minutes, setting a Los Angeles club record for speed. [The Sporting News]



Los Angeles Dodgers 3, Houston Astros 0
Game Played on Saturday, May       20, 1972 (Night game) at Dodger Stadium
Astros       0  0  0    0  0  0    0  0  0  -   0  2  0
Dodgers      1  0  0    2  0  0    0  0  x  -   3  5  2


Astros               AB   R   H RBI    BB  SO    AVG      Dodgers              AB   R   H RBI    BB  SO    AVG
Metzger ss            4   0   1   0     0   0   .179      Valentine 2b          4   1   1   1     0   0   .395
Cedeno cf             4   0   0   0     0   0   .319      Mota lf               4   0   1   0     0   1   .265
Wynn rf               4   0   0   0     0   0   .305      Davis cf              4   0   0   0     0   0   .265
May 1b                4   0   0   0     0   1   .310      Robinson rf           3   1   1   0     0   0   .278
Watson lf             2   0   0   0     1   0   .261      Parker 1b             3   0   0   0     0   0   .288
Rader 3b              3   0   0   0     0   1   .222      Garvey 3b             3   1   1   1     0   0   .271
Hiatt c               3   0   0   0     0   0   .143      Cannizzaro c          3   0   1   1     0   0   .293
Helms 2b              3   0   0   0     0   0   .204      Russell ss            2   0   0   0     1   0   .333
Roberts p             2   0   0   0     0   1   .200      Downing p             3   0   0   0     0   0   .188
  Alou ph             1   0   1   0     0   0   .364
  Culver p            0   0   0   0     0   0   .000

Totals               30   0   2   0     1   3             Totals               29   3   5   3     1   1

Time of Game: 1:30   Attendance: 31,256
Left on Base: Astros 4, Dodgers 3
DP: Astros 0, Dodgers 1
Errors: Russell 2
Doubles: Mota (2), Garvey (5)
Home Runs: Valentine (1)


Astros                 IP     H   R  ER  BB  SO  HR BFP    ERA
Roberts L(2-2)          7     5   3   3   1   1   1  27   4.40
Culver                  1     0   0   0   0   0   0   3   2.38
Totals                  8     5   3   3   1   1   1  30

Dodgers                IP     H   R  ER  BB  SO  HR BFP    ERA
Downing W(2-2)          9     2   0   0   1   3   0  31   2.32
Totals                  9     2   0   0   1   3   0  31

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


ASTROS 1ST: Metzger grounded out (second to first); Cedeno
grounded out (pitcher to first); Wynn grounded out (shortstop to
first); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Astros 0, Dodgers 0.

DODGERS 1ST: Valentine homered; Mota doubled to left; Davis
grounded out (second to first) [Mota to third]; Robinson lined
to third; Parker flied out to left; 1 R, 2 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.
Astros 0, Dodgers 1.

ASTROS 2ND: May flied out to right; Watson walked; Rader forced
Watson (third to second); Hiatt forced Rader (second to
shortstop); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Astros 0, Dodgers 1.

DODGERS 2ND: Garvey grounded out (second to first); Cannizzaro
made an out to second; Russell grounded out (second to first); 0
R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Astros 0, Dodgers 1.

ASTROS 3RD: Helms made an out to second; Roberts was called out
on strikes; Metzger singled to center; Cedeno popped to first in
foul territory; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Astros 0, Dodgers 1.

DODGERS 3RD: Downing grounded out (second to first); Valentine
flied out to center; Mota struck out; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.
Astros 0, Dodgers 1.

ASTROS 4TH: Wynn reached on an error by Russell [Wynn to
second]; May grounded out (shortstop to first) [Wynn to third];
Watson grounded out (second to first); Rader grounded out
(pitcher to first); 0 R, 0 H, 1 E, 1 LOB.  Astros 0, Dodgers 1.

DODGERS 4TH: Davis grounded out (first unassisted); Robinson
singled to left; Parker grounded out (second to first) [Robinson
to second]; Garvey doubled to right [Robinson scored];
Cannizzaro singled to left [Garvey scored]; Russell walked
[Cannizzaro to second]; Downing grounded out (shortstop to
first); 2 R, 3 H, 0 E, 2 LOB.  Astros 0, Dodgers 3.

ASTROS 5TH: Hiatt flied out to center; Helms flied out to
center; Roberts grounded out (second to first); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0
LOB.  Astros 0, Dodgers 3.

DODGERS 5TH: Valentine flied out to right; Mota lined to center;
Davis flied out to right; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Astros 0,
Dodgers 3.

ASTROS 6TH: Metzger grounded out (shortstop to first); Cedeno
reached on an error by Russell [Cedeno to first]; Wynn hit into
a double play (pitcher to first) [Cedeno out at second]; 0 R, 0
H, 1 E, 0 LOB.  Astros 0, Dodgers 3.

DODGERS 6TH: Robinson popped to first in foul territory; Parker
made an out to second; Garvey grounded out (shortstop to first);
0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Astros 0, Dodgers 3.

ASTROS 7TH: May lined to third; Watson grounded out (shortstop
to first); Rader struck out; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Astros 0,
Dodgers 3.

DODGERS 7TH: Cannizzaro grounded out (third to first); Russell
grounded out (shortstop to first); Downing grounded out (pitcher
to first); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Astros 0, Dodgers 3.

ASTROS 8TH: Hiatt grounded out (shortstop to first); Helms
grounded out (shortstop to first); ALOU BATTED FOR ROBERTS; Alou
singled to left; Metzger forced Alou (shortstop to second); 0 R,
1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Astros 0, Dodgers 3.

DODGERS 8TH: CULVER REPLACED ALOU (PITCHING); Valentine flied to
right in foul territory; Mota lined to left; Davis flied out to
right; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Astros 0, Dodgers 3.

ASTROS 9TH: Cedeno made an out to shortstop; Wynn popped to
first in foul territory; May struck out; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.
Astros 0, Dodgers 3.