Hank Aaron became the first N. L. player in history to bat in 2,000 runs when the Braves' superstar smashed a three-run homer during a 13-9 victory over the Astros. The homer was Aaron's 17th of the season and 656th of his career and raised his RBI total to an even 2,000. Babe Ruth is the major league's leader with 2,209.

The Braves and Astros were tied, 6-6, going into the seventh inning when the Braves broke away with five runs on three walks, a sacrifice fly by Marty Perez, single by Ralph Garr and Aaron's homer. Lee May drove in five runs for the Astros with a homer and two singles. [The Sporting News]



Atlanta Braves 13, Houston Astros 9
Game Played on Monday, July      3, 1972 (Night game) at Astrodome
Braves       3  1  1    0  0  1    5  1  1  -  13 17  1
Astros       3  1  2    0  0  0    0  2  1  -   9 15  1


Braves               AB   R   H RBI    BB  SO    AVG      Astros               AB   R   H RBI    BB  SO    AVG
Perez ss              5   1   1   1     0   0   .227      Metzger ss            5   2   3   1     1   0   .207
Garr rf               5   2   3   2     1   1   .310      Cedeno cf             6   2   3   0     0   0   .342
Aaron 1b              3   4   3   3     2   0   .258      Wynn rf               2   2   1   0     3   0   .275
  Casanova c          0   0   0   0     0   0   .214      May 1b                5   1   3   5     0   1   .283
Williams c,1b         5   0   2   2     1   1   .260      Watson lf             5   0   0   1     0   0   .306
Baker cf              5   0   3   3     0   1   .311      Rader 3b              4   0   0   0     0   2   .240
Lum lf                6   1   2   0     0   2   .257      Helms 2b              5   0   1   0     0   0   .260
Evans 3b              5   2   1   1     1   1   .273      Howard c              3   0   0   0     0   1   .233
Garrido 2b            4   2   2   1     2   0   .333        Stinson c           2   1   2   0     0   0   .278
Hardin p              2   0   0   0     0   2   .143      Reuss p               1   1   1   0     0   0   .094
  Jarvis p            1   0   0   0     0   1   .167        Ray p               2   0   0   0     0   1   .143
  Jackson ph          0   1   0   0     1   0   .160        Culver p            0   0   0   0     0   0   .182
  Upshaw p            1   0   0   0     0   0   .200        York p              0   0   0   0     0   0   .000
                                                            Stewart ph          1   0   0   0     0   0   .234
                                                            Gibbon p            0   0   0   0     0   0   .000
                                                            Miller ph           1   0   1   1     0   0   .200

Totals               42  13  17  13     8   9             Totals               42   9  15   8     4   5

Time of Game: 3:13   Attendance: 22,048
Left on Base: Braves 14, Astros 11
DP: Braves 1, Astros 0
Errors: Perez, Cedeno
Doubles: Aaron (5), Lum (4), Wynn (11), Cedeno (17), Stinson (1)
Home Runs: Evans (10), Aaron (17), May (15)
Stolen Bases: Cedeno (21)
Sacrifice Hits: Upshaw (1)
Sacrifice Flies: Perez (3)
GIDP: Watson (3)
Hit by Pitch: Aaron (1,by Reuss), Baker (2,by York), Rader (2,by Upshaw)


Braves                 IP     H   R  ER  BB  SO  HR BFP    ERA
Hardin                  2     6   5   4   1   0   0  12   3.74
Jarvis W(7-4)           4     3   1   1   3   5   1  19   4.50
Upshaw SV(6)            3     6   3   3   0   0   0  16   5.13
Totals                  9    15   9   8   4   5   1  47

Astros                 IP     H   R  ER  BB  SO  HR BFP    ERA
Reuss                   2     7   5   5   2   5   1  16   4.27
Ray L(7-2)              4     3   2   2   3   3   0  18   4.76
Culver                  0     0   2   2   2   0   0   2   2.92
York                    1     3   2   2   0   0   1   7   5.40
Gibbon                  2     4   2   2   1   1   0  11  15.88
Totals                  9    17  13  13   8   9   2  54

Passed Balls: Williams (13)
Hit by Pitch: Upshaw (1), Reuss (5), York (1)

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


BRAVES 1ST: Perez singled; Garr singled [Perez to second]; Aaron
was hit by a pitch [Perez to third, Garr to second]; Williams
singled [Perez scored, Garr scored, Aaron to second]; Baker
singled to center [Aaron scored, Williams to third, Baker to
second (error by Cedeno)]; Lum struck out; Evans was called out
on strikes; Garrido was walked intentionally; Hardin struck out;
3 R, 4 H, 1 E, 3 LOB.  Braves 3, Astros 0.

ASTROS 1ST: Metzger singled; Cedeno singled [Metzger to second];
Wynn walked [Metzger to third, Cedeno to second]; May singled
[Metzger scored, Cedeno scored, Wynn to third]; Watson grounded
into a double play (second to first) [Wynn scored (no RBI), May
out at second]; Rader lined to center; 3 R, 3 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.
Braves 3, Astros 3.

BRAVES 2ND: Perez made an out to second; Garr was called out on
strikes; Aaron doubled; Williams walked; Baker singled [Aaron
scored, Williams to second]; Lum was called out on strikes; 1 R,
2 H, 0 E, 2 LOB.  Braves 4, Astros 3.

ASTROS 2ND: Helms flied out to left; Howard grounded out
(pitcher to first); Reuss singled to shortstop [Reuss to second
(error by Perez)]; Metzger singled [Reuss scored (unearned)];
Cedeno grounded out (shortstop to first); 1 R (0 ER), 2 H, 1 E,
1 LOB.  Braves 4, Astros 4.

BRAVES 3RD: Evans homered; RAY REPLACED REUSS (PITCHING);
Garrido flied out to center; Hardin struck out; Perez grounded
out (shortstop to first); 1 R, 1 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Braves 5,
Astros 4.

ASTROS 3RD: Wynn doubled; JARVIS REPLACED HARDIN (PITCHING); May
homered [Wynn scored]; Watson flied out to right; Rader struck
out; Helms singled; Howard struck out; 2 R, 3 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.
Braves 5, Astros 6.

BRAVES 4TH: Garr walked; Aaron singled [Garr to second];
Williams grounded out (third to first) [Garr to third, Aaron to
second]; Baker struck out; Lum made an out to second; 0 R, 1 H,
0 E, 2 LOB.  Braves 5, Astros 6.

ASTROS 4TH: Ray grounded out (pitcher to first); Metzger
grounded out (second to first); Cedeno singled; Cedeno stole
second; Wynn walked; May struck out; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 2 LOB.
Braves 5, Astros 6.

BRAVES 5TH: Evans grounded out (second to first); Garrido
grounded out (third to first); Jarvis struck out; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E,
0 LOB.  Braves 5, Astros 6.

ASTROS 5TH: Watson grounded out (second to first); Rader struck
out; Helms grounded out (shortstop to first); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0
LOB.  Braves 5, Astros 6.

BRAVES 6TH: Perez grounded out (third to first); Garr flied out
to right; Aaron walked; Williams singled [Aaron to second];
Baker singled [Aaron scored, Williams to second]; Lum flied out
to left; 1 R, 2 H, 0 E, 2 LOB.  Braves 6, Astros 6.

ASTROS 6TH: Howard grounded out (pitcher to first); Ray struck
out but advanced to first on a passed ball; Metzger walked [Ray
to second]; Cedeno forced Ray (third unassisted) [Metzger to
second]; Wynn walked [Metzger to third, Cedeno to second]; May
flied out to center; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 3 LOB.  Braves 6, Astros 6.

BRAVES 7TH: STINSON REPLACED HOWARD (PLAYING C ); Evans walked;
CULVER REPLACED RAY (PITCHING); Garrido walked [Evans to
second]; JACKSON BATTED FOR JARVIS; Jackson walked [Evans to
third, Garrido to second]; YORK REPLACED CULVER (PITCHING);
Perez hit a sacrifice fly to right [Evans scored]; Garr singled
[Garrido scored, Jackson to second]; Aaron homered [Jackson
scored, Garr scored]; Hank Aaron first to 2000 career
RBI; Williams flied out to center; Baker was hit by a pitch;
Lum singled [Baker to third]; Evans flied out to center; 5 R, 3
H, 0 E, 2 LOB.  Braves 11, Astros 6.

ASTROS 7TH: UPSHAW REPLACED JACKSON (PITCHING); Watson grounded
out (second to first); Rader was hit by a pitch; Helms flied out
to right; Stinson singled [Rader to third]; STEWART BATTED FOR
YORK; Stewart forced Stinson (second to shortstop); 0 R, 1 H, 0
E, 2 LOB.  Braves 11, Astros 6.

BRAVES 8TH: GIBBON REPLACED STEWART (PITCHING); Garrido singled;
Upshaw out on a sacrifice bunt (pitcher to second) [Garrido to
second]; Perez flied out to right; Garr singled [Garrido
scored]; Aaron walked [Garr to second]; Williams struck out; 1
R, 2 H, 0 E, 2 LOB.  Braves 12, Astros 6.

ASTROS 8TH: CASANOVA REPLACED AARON (PLAYING C ); WILLIAMS
CHANGED POSITIONS (PLAYING 1B); Metzger singled; Cedeno doubled
[Metzger to third]; Wynn made an out to shortstop; May singled
[Metzger scored, Cedeno to third]; Watson grounded out (pitcher
to first) [Cedeno scored, May to second]; Rader grounded out
(shortstop to first); 2 R, 3 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Braves 12, Astros 8.

BRAVES 9TH: Baker grounded out (second to first); Lum doubled;
Evans flied out to left; Garrido singled [Lum scored]; Upshaw
grounded out (second to first); 1 R, 2 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Braves
13, Astros 8.

ASTROS 9TH: Helms grounded out (second to first); Stinson
doubled; MILLER BATTED FOR GIBBON; Miller singled [Stinson
scored]; Metzger forced Miller (second to shortstop); Cedeno
forced Metzger (shortstop unassisted); 1 R, 2 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.
Braves 13, Astros 9.