The Braves gained their first victory under Eddie Mathews as new manager and Denny McLain turned in his first complete game in an Atlanta uniform to defeat the Astros, 8-4. The Braves staked McLain to a five-run lead in the first inning with the help of Don Wilson's wildness.

Ralph Garr opened with a double and after walks to Darrell Evans and Hank Aaron loaded the bases, both Garr and Evans scored on wild pitches. Dusty Baker homered for two more runs and another marker counted before the inning ended on a walk, error and single by Marty Perez. [The Sporting News]



Atlanta Braves 8, Houston Astros 4
Game Played on Tuesday, August    8, 1972 (Night game) at Atlanta Stadium
Astros       0  0  0    0  0  0    0  1  3  -   4  7  2
Braves       5  1  0    0  0  0    2  0  x  -   8  9  1


Astros               AB   R   H RBI    BB  SO    AVG      Braves               AB   R   H RBI    BB  SO    AVG
Metzger ss            2   0   0   0     0   0   .213      Garr lf               5   1   2   0     0   0   .319
  Forsch p            0   0   0   0     0   0   .118      Evans 3b              3   1   0   0     2   0   .248
  Stewart ph          1   0   0   0     0   0   .214      Aaron 1b              3   1   0   0     2   1   .259
  York p              0   0   0   0     0   0   .000      Williams c            5   1   1   1     0   1   .271
  Stinson ph,c        1   0   0   0     0   0   .200      Baker cf              3   2   2   2     1   1   .317
Cedeno cf             3   0   1   0     0   0   .351      Lum rf                3   2   1   1     1   2   .227
Wynn rf               4   1   1   0     0   1   .277      Millan 2b             4   0   1   1     0   0   .248
May 1b                4   0   0   0     0   0   .293      Perez ss              3   0   2   1     1   0   .228
Watson lf             3   0   0   0     1   0   .306      McLain p              3   0   0   0     0   1   .077
Edwards c             3   0   0   0     0   0   .253
  Ray p               0   0   0   0     0   0   .071
  Miller ph           1   1   1   1     0   0   .253
Rader 3b              4   2   2   2     0   0   .244
Helms 2b              4   0   1   0     0   0   .260
Wilson p              0   0   0   0     0   0   .095
  Culver p            0   0   0   0     0   0   .143
  Fenwick ph,ss       3   0   1   1     0   0   .170

Totals               33   4   7   4     1   1             Totals               32   8   9   6     7   6

Time of Game: 2:19   Attendance:  8,407
Left on Base: Astros 4, Braves 8
DP: Astros 2, Braves 1
Errors: Metzger, Rader, Baker
Doubles: Garr (13), Lum (9)
Home Runs: Rader (17), Baker (7), Williams (19)
Stolen Bases: Wynn (10)
Caught Stealing: Cedeno (13)
Sacrifice Hits: McLain (2)
GIDP: Garr (4), Williams (16)
Hit by Pitch: Cedeno (5,by McLain)


Astros                 IP     H   R  ER  BB  SO  HR BFP    ERA
Wilson L(7-8)           0.1   2   5   4   3   0   1   6   3.52
Culver                  1.2   2   1   1   0   2   1   8   3.23
Forsch                  3     3   0   0   1   3   0  12   3.99
York                    2     2   2   2   2   0   0  10   5.47
Ray                     1     0   0   0   1   1   0   4   3.48
Totals                  8     9   8   7   7   6   2  40

Braves                 IP     H   R  ER  BB  SO  HR BFP    ERA
McLain W(3-2)           9     7   4   4   1   1   1  35   4.95
Totals                  9     7   4   4   1   1   1  35

Passed Balls: Edwards 2 (7)
Hit by Pitch: McLain (1)
Wild Pitches: Wilson (5), Forsch (8), McLain (1)

Umpires: HP - Ed Vargo, 1B - Paul Pryor, 2B - Harry Wendelstedt, 3B - Jerry Dale


ASTROS 1ST: Metzger flied out to right; Cedeno was hit by a
pitch; Cedeno was caught stealing second (catcher to second);
Wynn reached on an error by Baker [Wynn to third]; May flied out
to center; 0 R, 0 H, 1 E, 1 LOB.  Astros 0, Braves 0.

BRAVES 1ST: Garr doubled; Evans walked; Aaron walked [Garr to
third, Evans to second]; Wilson threw a wild pitch [Garr scored,
Evans scored, Aaron to third]; Williams grounded out (shortstop
to first); Baker homered [Aaron scored]; Lum walked; CULVER
REPLACED WILSON (PITCHING); Millan reached on an error by
Metzger [Lum to second, Millan to first]; Perez singled [Lum
scored (unearned), Millan to second]; McLain reached on an error
by Rader on a sacrifice bunt [Millan to third, Perez to second,
McLain to first]; Garr grounded into a double play (shortstop to
third to second) [Perez out at third, McLain out at second]; 5 R
(4 ER), 3 H, 2 E, 2 LOB.  Astros 0, Braves 5.

ASTROS 2ND: Watson flied out to right; Edwards grounded out
(second to first); Rader flied out to right; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0
LOB.  Astros 0, Braves 5.

BRAVES 2ND: Evans grounded out (shortstop to first); Aaron was
called out on strikes; Williams homered; Baker struck out; 1 R,
1 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Astros 0, Braves 6.

ASTROS 3RD: Helms flied out to center; FENWICK BATTED FOR
CULVER; Fenwick grounded out (third to first); Metzger grounded
out (second to first); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Astros 0, Braves 6.

BRAVES 3RD: FENWICK STAYED IN GAME (PLAYING SS); FORSCH REPLACED
METZGER (PITCHING); Lum struck out; Millan grounded out (second
to first); Perez singled; Edwards allowed a passed ball [Perez
to second]; McLain struck out; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Astros 0,
Braves 6.

ASTROS 4TH: Cedeno singled; Wynn struck out; May forced Cedeno
(third to second); Watson walked [May to second]; Edwards popped
to first in foul territory; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 2 LOB.  Astros 0,
Braves 6.

BRAVES 4TH: Garr singled; Edwards allowed a passed ball [Garr to
second]; Evans grounded out (first to pitcher); Aaron walked;
Williams grounded into a double play (third to second to first)
[Aaron out at second]; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Astros 0, Braves 6.

ASTROS 5TH: Rader flied out to center; Helms flied out to
center; Fenwick flied out to left; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Astros
0, Braves 6.

BRAVES 5TH: Baker singled; Forsch threw a wild pitch [Baker to
second]; Lum struck out; Millan popped to right; Perez grounded
out (third to first); 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Astros 0, Braves 6.

ASTROS 6TH: STEWART BATTED FOR FORSCH; Stewart flied out to
center; Cedeno flied out to center; Wynn popped to third; 0 R, 0
H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Astros 0, Braves 6.

BRAVES 6TH: YORK REPLACED STEWART (PITCHING); McLain flied out
to right; Garr grounded out (shortstop to first); Evans lined to
first; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Astros 0, Braves 6.

ASTROS 7TH: May grounded out (shortstop to first); Watson
grounded out (second to first); Edwards flied out to left; 0 R,
0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Astros 0, Braves 6.

BRAVES 7TH: Aaron grounded out (third to first); Williams flied
out to right; Baker walked; Lum doubled [Baker scored]; Millan
singled [Lum scored]; Perez walked [Millan to second]; McLain
lined to shortstop; 2 R, 2 H, 0 E, 2 LOB.  Astros 0, Braves 8.

ASTROS 8TH: Rader singled; Helms singled [Rader to second];
Fenwick singled [Rader scored, Helms to second]; STINSON BATTED
FOR YORK; Stinson lined into a double play (second to shortstop)
[Helms out at second]; McLain threw a wild pitch [Fenwick to
second]; Cedeno popped to shortstop; 1 R, 3 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.
Astros 1, Braves 8.

BRAVES 8TH: RAY REPLACED EDWARDS (PITCHING); STINSON STAYED IN
GAME (PLAYING C ); Garr grounded out (second to first); Evans
walked; Aaron flied out to center; Williams struck out; 0 R, 0
H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Astros 1, Braves 8.

ASTROS 9TH: Wynn singled; Wynn stole second; May popped to
third; Watson flied out to right; MILLER BATTED FOR RAY; Miller
singled [Wynn scored]; Rader homered [Miller scored]; Helms
grounded out (third to first); 3 R, 3 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Astros 4,
Braves 8.