Earl Williams hit two homers and Mike Lum whacked one to power the Braves to a 5-2 victory over the Astros, who scored both their runs on circuit clouts by Bob Watson and Jim Wynn. Williams and Lum homered in succession in the fourth inning.

After the Astros tied the score, Ralph Garr doubled in the ninth and crossed the plate on a single by Hank Aaron. Williams followed with his second homer of the game to clinch the verdict. [The Sporting News]



Atlanta Braves 5, Houston Astros 2
Game Played on Friday, June      30, 1972 (Night game) at Astrodome
Braves       0  0  0    0  2  0    0  0  3  -   5  8  2
Astros       0  0  0    0  1  0    0  1  0  -   2  7  0


Braves               AB   R   H RBI    BB  SO    AVG      Astros               AB   R   H RBI    BB  SO    AVG
Jackson 3b            4   0   0   0     0   0   .100      Metzger ss            4   0   0   0     0   0   .204
Garr rf,lf            4   1   1   0     0   0   .307      Cedeno cf             4   0   0   0     0   1   .336
Aaron 1b              4   1   1   1     0   0   .249      Wynn rf               4   1   1   1     0   2   .278
Carty lf              4   0   0   0     0   1   .308      May 1b                4   0   0   0     0   2   .273
  Brown rf            0   0   0   0     0   0   .244      Watson lf             4   1   2   1     0   0   .303
Williams c            4   2   3   3     0   1   .265      Rader 3b              4   0   2   0     0   0   .242
Lum cf                4   1   3   1     0   0   .268      Edwards c             4   0   0   0     0   0   .230
Perez ss              4   0   0   0     0   0   .225      Helms 2b              4   0   1   0     0   0   .259
Garrido 2b            3   0   0   0     0   0   .154      Forsch p              2   0   1   0     0   0   .107
Reed p                3   0   0   0     0   2   .108        Stewart ph          1   0   0   0     0   0   .238
                                                            Culver p            0   0   0   0     0   0   .182
                                                            Gladding p          0   0   0   0     0   0   .000

Totals               34   5   8   5     0   4             Totals               35   2   7   2     0   5

Time of Game: 2:04   Attendance: 24,963
Left on Base: Braves 2, Astros 6
DP: Braves 0, Astros 0
Errors: Jackson, Aaron
Doubles: Williams (13), Garr (6)
Home Runs: Williams 2 (9), Lum (2), Watson (11), Wynn (12)
Stolen Bases: Rader (3)


Braves                 IP     H   R  ER  BB  SO  HR BFP    ERA
Reed W(6-8)             9     7   2   2   0   5   2  35   3.72
Totals                  9     7   2   2   0   5   2  35

Astros                 IP     H   R  ER  BB  SO  HR BFP    ERA
Forsch                  7     5   2   2   0   3   2  25   3.41
Culver L(3-1)           1.1   3   3   3   0   1   1   7   2.55
Gladding                0.2   0   0   0   0   0   0   2   2.89
Totals                  9     8   5   5   0   4   3  34

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


BRAVES 1ST: Jackson grounded out (pitcher to first); Garr
grounded out (second to first); Aaron made an out to second; 0
R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Braves 0, Astros 0.

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

BRAVES 2ND: Carty grounded out (second to first); Williams
struck out; Lum singled; Perez forced Lum (third to second); 0
R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Braves 0, Astros 0.

ASTROS 2ND: May struck out; Watson grounded out (first
unassisted); Rader popped to third in foul territory; 0 R, 0 H,
0 E, 0 LOB.  Braves 0, Astros 0.

BRAVES 3RD: Garrido made an out to first; Reed struck out;
Jackson grounded out (second to first); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.
Braves 0, Astros 0.

ASTROS 3RD: Edwards grounded out (second to first); Helms
grounded out (shortstop to first); Forsch reached on an error by
Aaron [Forsch to first]; Metzger flied out to center; 0 R, 0 H,
1 E, 1 LOB.  Braves 0, Astros 0.

BRAVES 4TH: Garr flied out to left; Aaron popped to third in
foul territory; Carty grounded out (pitcher to first); 0 R, 0 H,
0 E, 0 LOB.  Braves 0, Astros 0.

ASTROS 4TH: Cedeno grounded out (shortstop to first); Wynn
struck out; May struck out; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Braves 0,
Astros 0.

BRAVES 5TH: Williams homered; Lum homered; Perez grounded out
(shortstop to first); Garrido lined to third; Reed struck out; 2
R, 2 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Braves 2, Astros 0.

ASTROS 5TH: Watson homered; Rader singled; Rader stole second;
Edwards popped to third in foul territory; Helms grounded out
(third to first); Forsch singled [Rader to third]; Metzger
forced Forsch (shortstop to second); 1 R, 3 H, 0 E, 2 LOB.
Braves 2, Astros 1.

BRAVES 6TH: Jackson flied out to left; Garr grounded out (second
to first); Aaron grounded out (third to first); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0
LOB.  Braves 2, Astros 1.

ASTROS 6TH: Cedeno grounded out (shortstop to first); Wynn
grounded out (third to first); May flied out to center; 0 R, 0
H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Braves 2, Astros 1.

BRAVES 7TH: Carty flied out to right; Williams doubled; Lum
singled to right [Williams to third, Lum out at second (right to
first)]; Perez made an out to second; 0 R, 2 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.
Braves 2, Astros 1.

ASTROS 7TH: Watson singled; Rader flied out to center; Edwards
popped to third in foul territory; Helms singled [Watson to
third]; STEWART BATTED FOR FORSCH; Stewart flied out to center;
0 R, 2 H, 0 E, 2 LOB.  Braves 2, Astros 1.

BRAVES 8TH: CULVER REPLACED STEWART (PITCHING); Garrido flied
out to right; Reed grounded out (pitcher to first); Jackson
grounded out (second to first); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Braves 2,
Astros 1.

ASTROS 8TH: Metzger made an out to third; Cedeno struck out;
Wynn homered; May lined to third; 1 R, 1 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Braves
2, Astros 2.

BRAVES 9TH: Garr doubled; Aaron singled [Garr scored]; Carty
struck out; Williams homered [Aaron scored]; GLADDING REPLACED
CULVER (PITCHING); Lum grounded out (second to first); Perez
grounded out (third to first); 3 R, 3 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Braves 5,
Astros 2.

ASTROS 9TH: BROWN REPLACED CARTY (PLAYING RF); GARR CHANGED
POSITIONS (PLAYING LF); Watson grounded out (second to first);
Rader singled to third [Rader to second (error by Jackson)];
Edwards made an out to second; Helms grounded out (shortstop to
first); 0 R, 1 H, 1 E, 1 LOB.  Braves 5, Astros 2.