Hank Aaron, resuming his drive to break Babe Ruth's career record, smashed a three-run homer for his first hit of the season to mark the Braves' 8-1 victory over the Padres. Ralph Garr and Rod Gilbreath singled in the sixth inning before Aaron connected for the circuit off Rich Troedson.

The homer was his 674th, leaving him 40 shy of Ruth's mark. The Braves piled up a total of 15 hits in the game, including four singles by Davey Johnson and a homer by Darrell Evans in the ninth inning. [The Sporting News]



Atlanta Braves 8, San Diego Padres 1
Game Played on Wednesday, April     11, 1973 (Night game) at San Diego Stadium
Braves       2  1  1    0  0  3    0  0  1  -   8 15  0
Padres       0  0  0    0  0  0    1  0  0  -   1  6  3


Braves               AB   R   H RBI    BB  SO    AVG      Padres               AB   R   H RBI    BB  SO    AVG
Garr lf               6   1   1   0     0   0   .185      Thomas ss             5   0   3   0     0   1   .429
Gilbreath 3b          5   2   3   1     0   0   .348      Lee lf                2   0   0   1     2   0   .300
Aaron rf              5   1   1   3     0   1   .071      Gaston rf             4   0   0   0     0   2   .190
Evans 1b              4   2   1   1     1   1   .261      Colbert 1b            3   0   0   0     1   0   .333
Baker cf              4   1   2   0     1   0   .318      Grubb cf              4   0   0   0     0   2   .200
Johnson 2b            4   0   4   2     1   0   .350      Kendall c             4   0   0   0     0   0   .000
Oates c               4   0   1   0     1   0   .368      Hilton 3b             4   1   1   0     0   0   .182
Perez ss              4   1   1   0     1   1   .278      Campbell 2b           2   0   1   0     2   0   .333
Gentry p              4   0   1   0     0   2   .333      Kirby p               0   0   0   0     0   0   .000
                                                            Hernandez ph        1   0   0   0     0   0   .143
                                                            Ross p              0   0   0   0     0   0   .000
                                                            J. Morales ph       1   0   0   0     0   0   .182
                                                            Troedson p          0   0   0   0     0   0   .000
                                                            Murrell ph          1   0   0   0     0   0   .250
                                                            Miller p            0   0   0   0     0   0   .000
                                                            Marshall ph         1   0   1   0     0   0   .333

Totals               40   8  15   7     5   5             Totals               32   1   6   1     5   5

Time of Game: 2:26   Attendance:  5,437
Left on Base: Braves 11, Padres 10
DP: Braves 0, Padres 2
Errors: Lee, Campbell, Kirby
Doubles: Perez (2), Baker (1), Hilton (1)
Home Runs: Aaron (1), Evans (2)
Stolen Bases: Gilbreath (1)
Sacrifice Hits: Gentry (1)
Sacrifice Flies: Lee (1)
GIDP: Gilbreath (2), Perez (2)


Braves                 IP     H   R  ER  BB  SO  HR BFP    ERA
Gentry W(1-0)           9     6   1   1   5   5   0  38   1.13
Totals                  9     6   1   1   5   5   0  38

Padres                 IP     H   R  ER  BB  SO  HR BFP    ERA
Kirby L(1-1)            3     6   4   3   2   1   0  17   4.09
Ross                    2     3   0   0   0   1   0   8   2.35
Troedson                2     3   3   3   2   1   1  10   6.75
Miller                  2     3   1   1   1   2   1  11   2.25
Totals                  9    15   8   7   5   5   2  46

Wild Pitches: Kirby (2)

Umpires: HP - Bill Williams, 1B - Dick Stello, 2B - Jerry Dale, 3B - Tom Gorman


BRAVES 1ST: Garr lined to left; Gilbreath singled to left;
Gilbreath was picked off first but was safe on an error by Kirby
[Gilbreath to second]; Kirby threw a wild pitch [Gilbreath to
third]; Aaron flied out to left; Evans walked; Baker walked
[Evans to second]; Johnson singled to left [Gilbreath scored,
Evans scored (error by Lee) (unearned) (no RBI), Baker to
second]; Oates flied out to right; 2 R (1 ER), 2 H, 2 E, 2 LOB.
Braves 2, Padres 0.

PADRES 1ST: On a bunt Thomas singled to first; Lee walked
[Thomas to second]; Gaston struck out; Colbert flied out to
right [Thomas to third]; Grubb struck out; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 2 LOB.
 Braves 2, Padres 0.

BRAVES 2ND: Perez doubled to left; Gentry out on a sacrifice
bunt (third to second) [Perez to third]; Garr grounded out
(catcher to first); Gilbreath singled to third [Perez scored];
Gilbreath stole second; Aaron was called out on strikes; 1 R, 2
H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Braves 3, Padres 0.

PADRES 2ND: Kendall flied out to right; Hilton made an out to
second; Campbell made an out to second; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.
Braves 3, Padres 0.

BRAVES 3RD: Evans grounded out (second to first); Baker doubled
to right; Johnson singled to center [Baker scored]; Oates made
an out to second; Perez flied out to center; 1 R, 2 H, 0 E, 1
LOB.  Braves 4, Padres 0.

PADRES 3RD: HERNANDEZ BATTED FOR KIRBY; Hernandez flied out to
right; Thomas struck out; Lee flied out to left; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E,
0 LOB.  Braves 4, Padres 0.

BRAVES 4TH: ROSS REPLACED HERNANDEZ (PITCHING); Gentry singled
to center; Garr lined to left; Gilbreath grounded into a double
play (shortstop to second to first) [Gentry out at second]; 0 R,
1 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Braves 4, Padres 0.

PADRES 4TH: Gaston grounded out (shortstop to first); Colbert
walked; Grubb lined to second; Kendall forced Colbert (shortstop
to second); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Braves 4, Padres 0.

BRAVES 5TH: Aaron flied out to center; Evans struck out; Baker
singled to center; Johnson singled to third [Baker to second];
Oates grounded out (second to first); 0 R, 2 H, 0 E, 2 LOB.
Braves 4, Padres 0.

PADRES 5TH: Hilton flied out to center; Campbell singled to
left; J. MORALES BATTED FOR ROSS; J. Morales flied out to
center; Thomas singled to right [Campbell to second]; Lee walked
[Campbell to third, Thomas to second]; Gaston struck out; 0 R, 2
H, 0 E, 3 LOB.  Braves 4, Padres 0.

BRAVES 6TH: TROEDSON REPLACED J. MORALES (PITCHING); Perez
struck out; Gentry grounded out (pitcher to first); Garr singled
to left; Gilbreath singled to shortstop [Garr to second]; Aaron
homered [Garr scored, Gilbreath scored]; Evans grounded out
(first to pitcher); 3 R, 3 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Braves 7, Padres 0.

PADRES 6TH: Colbert grounded out (third to first); Grubb struck
out; Kendall flied out to left; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Braves 7,
Padres 0.

BRAVES 7TH: Baker lined to left; Johnson walked; Oates walked
[Johnson to second]; Perez grounded into a double play
(shortstop to second to first) [Oates out at second]; 0 R, 0 H,
0 E, 1 LOB.  Braves 7, Padres 0.

PADRES 7TH: Hilton doubled to left; Campbell walked; MURRELL
BATTED FOR TROEDSON; Murrell made an out to second; Thomas
singled to left [Hilton to third, Campbell to second]; Lee hit a
sacrifice fly to center [Hilton scored]; Gaston lined to second;
1 R, 2 H, 0 E, 2 LOB.  Braves 7, Padres 1.

BRAVES 8TH: MILLER REPLACED MURRELL (PITCHING); Gentry was
called out on strikes; Garr grounded out (shortstop to first);
Gilbreath reached on an error by Campbell [Gilbreath to first];
Aaron grounded out (second to first); 0 R, 0 H, 1 E, 1 LOB.
Braves 7, Padres 1.

PADRES 8TH: Colbert popped to first in foul territory; Grubb
grounded out (shortstop to first); Kendall flied out to center;
0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Braves 7, Padres 1.

BRAVES 9TH: Evans homered; Baker popped to third in foul
territory; Johnson singled to center; Oates singled to center
[Johnson to second]; Perez walked [Johnson to third, Oates to
second]; Gentry struck out; Garr flied out to left; 1 R, 3 H, 0
E, 3 LOB.  Braves 8, Padres 1.

PADRES 9TH: Hilton grounded out (second to first); Campbell
walked; MARSHALL BATTED FOR MILLER; Marshall singled to right
[Campbell to second]; Thomas flied out to center; Lee flied out
to left; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 2 LOB.  Braves 8, Padres 1.