Doug Rader drove in two runs with a bases-loaded single in the sixth inning to provide the Astros with their winning margin in a 4-2 victory over the Braves. A homer by Lee May, double by Bob Watson, a groundout and sacrifice fly by Johnny Edwards produced the Astros' initial pair in the second. Rader hit his single after the Astros had loaded the bases on a single by Cesar Cedeno and passes to May and Watson. [The Sporting News]



Houston Astros 4, Atlanta Braves 2
Game Played on Saturday, July      1, 1972 (Night game) at Astrodome
Braves       1  0  0    0  0  0    0  1  0  -   2  7  1
Astros       0  2  0    0  0  2    0  0  x  -   4  9  1


Braves               AB   R   H RBI    BB  SO    AVG      Astros               AB   R   H RBI    BB  SO    AVG
Jackson 3b            4   1   1   0     0   0   .125      Metzger ss            3   0   0   0     1   0   .202
Garr rf               4   1   2   1     0   0   .310      Cedeno cf             4   1   2   0     0   0   .339
Aaron 1b              4   0   1   1     0   2   .249      Wynn rf               4   0   0   0     0   0   .273
Carty lf              4   0   0   0     0   2   .302      May 1b                3   2   2   1     1   0   .277
Williams c            4   0   0   0     0   2   .261      Watson lf             3   1   3   0     1   0   .311
Lum cf                4   0   0   0     0   1   .260      Rader 3b              4   0   1   2     0   0   .243
Perez ss              3   0   0   0     0   0   .222      Edwards c             3   0   0   1     0   1   .225
Garrido 2b            3   0   3   0     0   0   .313      Helms 2b              3   0   1   0     1   0   .260
Niekro p              1   0   0   0     0   1   .178      Wilson p              4   0   0   0     0   1   .074
  McQueen p           0   0   0   0     0   0   .200
  Breazeale ph        1   0   0   0     0   0   .179
  Stone p             0   0   0   0     0   0   .000

Totals               32   2   7   2     0   8             Totals               31   4   9   4     4   2

Time of Game: 2:01   Attendance: 28,258
Left on Base: Braves 4, Astros 8
DP: Braves 0, Astros 1
Errors: Niekro, Edwards
Doubles: Garrido (1), Jackson (1), Watson (14), Helms (6)
Home Runs: May (14)
Stolen Bases: Garr (13), Aaron (3)
Caught Stealing: Metzger (4)
Sacrifice Hits: Niekro (4)
Sacrifice Flies: Edwards (5)
GIDP: Breazeale (1)


Braves                 IP     H   R  ER  BB  SO  HR BFP    ERA
Niekro L(7-7)           5.1   6   4   4   2   0   1  24   3.44
McQueen                 1.2   1   0   0   1   2   0   6   4.50
Stone                   1     2   0   0   1   0   0   6   7.45
Totals                  8     9   4   4   4   2   1  36

Astros                 IP     H   R  ER  BB  SO  HR BFP    ERA
Wilson W(5-5)           9     7   2   2   0   8   0  33   3.39
Totals                  9     7   2   2   0   8   0  33

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


BRAVES 1ST: Jackson grounded out (first unassisted); Garr
singled; Garr stole second [Garr to third (error by Edwards)];
Aaron singled [Garr scored]; Aaron stole second; Carty struck
out; Williams struck out; 1 R, 2 H, 1 E, 1 LOB.  Braves 1,
Astros 0.

ASTROS 1ST: Metzger flied out to center; Cedeno grounded out
(third to first); Wynn grounded out (third to first); 0 R, 0 H,
0 E, 0 LOB.  Braves 1, Astros 0.

BRAVES 2ND: Lum struck out; Perez lined to left; Garrido
doubled; Niekro struck out; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Braves 1,
Astros 0.

ASTROS 2ND: May homered; Watson doubled; Rader grounded out
(third to first) [Watson to third]; Edwards hit a sacrifice fly
to center [Watson scored]; Helms doubled; Wilson grounded out
(second to first); 2 R, 3 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Braves 1, Astros 2.

BRAVES 3RD: Jackson grounded out (first unassisted); Garr
grounded out (second to first); Aaron struck out; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E,
0 LOB.  Braves 1, Astros 2.

ASTROS 3RD: Metzger grounded out (second to first); Cedeno flied
out to left; Wynn grounded out (catcher to first); 0 R, 0 H, 0
E, 0 LOB.  Braves 1, Astros 2.

BRAVES 4TH: Carty struck out; Williams struck out; Lum grounded
out (catcher to first); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Braves 1, Astros
2.

ASTROS 4TH: May flied out to center; Watson singled; Rader flied
out to center; Edwards flied out to left; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.
Braves 1, Astros 2.

BRAVES 5TH: Perez flied out to center; Garrido singled; Niekro
out on a sacrifice bunt (pitcher to second) [Garrido to second];
Jackson grounded out (second to first); 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.
Braves 1, Astros 2.

ASTROS 5TH: Helms grounded out (pitcher to first); Wilson
grounded out (shortstop to first); Metzger flied out to center;
0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Braves 1, Astros 2.

BRAVES 6TH: Garr grounded out (pitcher to second to first);
Aaron made an out to shortstop; Carty flied out to center; 0 R,
0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Braves 1, Astros 2.

ASTROS 6TH: Cedeno singled; Cedeno was picked off first but was
safe on an error by Niekro [Cedeno to second]; Wynn grounded out
(third to first); May walked; Watson walked [Cedeno to third,
May to second]; Rader singled [Cedeno scored, May scored, Watson
to second]; MCQUEEN REPLACED NIEKRO (PITCHING); Edwards struck
out; Helms grounded out (pitcher to first); 2 R, 2 H, 1 E, 2
LOB.  Braves 1, Astros 4.

BRAVES 7TH: Williams popped to catcher in foul territory; Lum
flied out to right; Perez flied out to right; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0
LOB.  Braves 1, Astros 4.

ASTROS 7TH: Wilson struck out; Metzger walked; Metzger was
caught stealing second; Cedeno singled; Wynn lined to left; 0 R,
1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Braves 1, Astros 4.

BRAVES 8TH: Garrido singled; BREAZEALE BATTED FOR MCQUEEN;
Breazeale grounded into a double play (pitcher to shortstop to
first) [Garrido out at second]; Jackson doubled; Garr singled
[Jackson scored]; Aaron struck out; 1 R, 3 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.
Braves 2, Astros 4.

ASTROS 8TH: STONE REPLACED BREAZEALE (PITCHING); May singled;
Watson singled [May to second]; Rader grounded out (shortstop to
first) [May to third, Watson to second]; Edwards popped to third
in foul territory; Helms was walked intentionally; Wilson
grounded out (third to first); 0 R, 2 H, 0 E, 3 LOB.  Braves 2,
Astros 4.

BRAVES 9TH: Carty flied out to right; Williams flied out to
left; Lum grounded out (third to first); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.
Braves 2, Astros 4.