A Ball Night crowd of 53,107, the Dodgers' largest turnout of the season, saw Frank Robinson smash a two-run homer in the sixth inning to defeat the Braves, 2-1. Robinson's drive, following a double by Willie Davis, was the 513th of his career and moved the veteran slugger into sole possession of eighth place on the majors' all-time list ahead of Eddie Mathews and Ernie Banks.

Al Downing, who outdueled Phil Niekro, was in serious trouble in the seventh when the Braves loaded the bases on three singles, but only one run scored when Rico Carty rolled into a double play and Orlando Cepeda was retired. [The Sporting News]



Los Angeles Dodgers 2, Atlanta Braves 1
Game Played on Friday, June      23, 1972 (Night game) at Dodger Stadium
Braves       0  0  0    0  0  0    1  0  0  -   1  5  0
Dodgers      0  0  0    0  0  2    0  0  x  -   2  5  0


Braves               AB   R   H RBI    BB  SO    AVG      Dodgers              AB   R   H RBI    BB  SO    AVG
Millan 2b             3   0   1   0     0   0   .238      Valentine 2b          4   0   1   0     0   0   .266
Garr cf               4   0   0   0     0   1   .311      Buckner lf            3   0   1   0     1   0   .310
Aaron rf              4   0   0   0     0   1   .228      Davis cf              4   1   1   0     0   0   .265
Carty lf              4   1   1   0     0   2   .325      Robinson rf           3   1   1   2     0   2   .271
Cepeda 1b             4   0   1   0     0   0   .321      Parker 1b             3   0   0   0     0   0   .268
Williams c            3   0   1   0     0   0   .255      Sims c                3   0   1   0     0   0   .204
Jackson 3b            3   0   0   0     0   0   .125      Grabarkewitz 3b       3   0   0   0     0   1   .167
Perez ss              3   0   0   0     0   0   .228      Russell ss            3   0   0   0     0   0   .266
Niekro p              2   0   1   0     0   0   .171      Downing p             3   0   0   0     0   1   .097

Totals               30   1   5   0     0   4             Totals               29   2   5   2     1   4

Time of Game: 1:46   Attendance: 53,107
Left on Base: Braves 4, Dodgers 4
DP: Braves 0, Dodgers 1
Doubles: Davis (9)
Home Runs: Robinson (10)
Stolen Bases: Grabarkewitz (2)
Sacrifice Hits: Millan (5)
GIDP: Jackson (1)
Hit by Pitch: Niekro (1,by Downing)


Braves                 IP     H   R  ER  BB  SO  HR BFP    ERA
Niekro L(7-6)           8     5   2   2   1   4   1  30   3.38
Totals                  8     5   2   2   1   4   1  30

Dodgers                IP     H   R  ER  BB  SO  HR BFP    ERA
Downing W(4-3)          9     5   1   1   0   4   0  32   2.32
Totals                  9     5   1   1   0   4   0  32

Hit by Pitch: Downing (2)

Umpires: HP - Bill Williams, 1B - John McSherry, 2B - Frank Pulli, 3B - Tom Gorman


BRAVES 1ST: Millan grounded out (third to first); Garr popped to
third in foul territory; Aaron grounded out (shortstop to
first); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Braves 0, Dodgers 0.

DODGERS 1ST: Valentine flied out to right; Buckner walked; Davis
popped to third in foul territory; Robinson was called out on
strikes; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Braves 0, Dodgers 0.

BRAVES 2ND: Carty struck out (catcher to first); Cepeda grounded
out (shortstop to first); Williams grounded out (pitcher
unassisted); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Braves 0, Dodgers 0.

DODGERS 2ND: Parker popped to third in foul territory; Sims
grounded out (first to pitcher); Grabarkewitz struck out; 0 R, 0
H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Braves 0, Dodgers 0.

BRAVES 3RD: Jackson flied out to center; Perez flied out to
left; Niekro singled to left; Millan singled to pitcher [Niekro
to second]; Garr grounded out (third to first); 0 R, 2 H, 0 E, 2
LOB.  Braves 0, Dodgers 0.

DODGERS 3RD: Russell grounded out (shortstop to first); Downing
struck out; Valentine singled to shortstop; Buckner singled to
right [Valentine to third]; Davis popped to third in foul
territory; 0 R, 2 H, 0 E, 2 LOB.  Braves 0, Dodgers 0.

BRAVES 4TH: Aaron struck out; Carty struck out; Cepeda grounded
out (second to first); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Braves 0, Dodgers
0.

DODGERS 4TH: Robinson struck out; Parker grounded out (first
unassisted); Sims flied out to right; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.
Braves 0, Dodgers 0.

BRAVES 5TH: Williams grounded out (shortstop to first); Jackson
grounded out (first unassisted); Perez flied out to center; 0 R,
0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Braves 0, Dodgers 0.

DODGERS 5TH: Grabarkewitz popped to first in foul territory;
Russell grounded out (third to first); Downing grounded out
(third to first); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Braves 0, Dodgers 0.

BRAVES 6TH: Niekro was hit by a pitch; Millan out on a sacrifice
bunt (third to first) [Niekro to second]; Garr struck out; Aaron
made an out to second; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Braves 0, Dodgers
0.

DODGERS 6TH: Valentine grounded out (second to first); Buckner
lined to left; Davis doubled to right; Robinson homered [Davis
scored]; Parker grounded out (second to first); 2 R, 2 H, 0 E, 0
LOB.  Braves 0, Dodgers 2.

BRAVES 7TH: Carty singled to center; Cepeda singled to left
[Carty to second]; Williams singled to center [Carty to third,
Cepeda to second]; Jackson grounded into a double play
(shortstop to first) [Carty scored, Cepeda to third, Williams
out at second]; Perez grounded out (third to first); 1 R, 3 H, 0
E, 1 LOB.  Braves 1, Dodgers 2.

DODGERS 7TH: Sims singled to center; Grabarkewitz forced Sims
(pitcher to shortstop); Grabarkewitz stole second; Russell flied
out to left; Downing flied out to right; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.
Braves 1, Dodgers 2.

BRAVES 8TH: Niekro grounded out (shortstop to first); Millan
flied out to center; Garr flied out to left; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0
LOB.  Braves 1, Dodgers 2.

DODGERS 8TH: Valentine lined to left; Buckner grounded out
(second to first); Davis popped to third in foul territory; 0 R,
0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Braves 1, Dodgers 2.

BRAVES 9TH: Aaron grounded out (first unassisted); Carty
grounded out (second to first); Cepeda popped to first in foul
territory; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Braves 1, Dodgers 2.