MLB standings at the end of April 15, 1972
| A.L. East | |||||||||||||||||||
| GP | W | L | T | PCT | GB | RF | RA | HOME | ROAD | LAST 10 | STRK | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Detroit Tigers |
1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1.000 | 3 | 2 | 1-0 | 0-0 | 1-0 | Won 1 | ||||||||
 Milwaukee Brewers |
1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1.000 | 5 | 1 | 0-0 | 1-0 | 1-0 | Won 1 | ||||||||
 Boston Red Sox |
1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | .000 | 1.0 | 2 | 3 | 0-0 | 0-1 | 0-1 | Lost 1 | |||||||
 Cleveland Indians |
1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | .000 | 1.0 | 1 | 5 | 0-1 | 0-0 | 0-1 | Lost 1 | |||||||
 Baltimore Orioles |
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 | 0.5 | 0 | 0 | 0-0 | 0-0 | 0-0 | ||||||||
 New York Yankees |
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 | 0.5 | 0 | 0 | 0-0 | 0-0 | 0-0 | ||||||||
| A.L. West | |||||||||||||||||||
| GP | W | L | T | PCT | GB | RF | RA | HOME | ROAD | LAST 10 | STRK | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 California Angels |
1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1.000 | 1 | 0 | 1-0 | 0-0 | 1-0 | Won 1 | ||||||||
 Kansas City Royals |
1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1.000 | 2 | 1 | 1-0 | 0-0 | 1-0 | Won 1 | ||||||||
 Oakland A's |
1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1.000 | 4 | 3 | 1-0 | 0-0 | 1-0 | Won 1 | ||||||||
 Chicago White Sox |
1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | .000 | 1.0 | 1 | 2 | 0-0 | 0-1 | 0-1 | Lost 1 | |||||||
 Minnesota Twins |
1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | .000 | 1.0 | 3 | 4 | 0-0 | 0-1 | 0-1 | Lost 1 | |||||||
 Texas Rangers |
1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | .000 | 1.0 | 0 | 1 | 0-0 | 0-1 | 0-1 | Lost 1 | |||||||
| N.L. East | |||||||||||||||||||
| GP | W | L | T | PCT | GB | RF | RA | HOME | ROAD | LAST 10 | STRK | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Montreal Expos |
1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1.000 | 3 | 2 | 0-0 | 1-0 | 1-0 | Won 1 | ||||||||
 New York Mets |
1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1.000 | 4 | 0 | 1-0 | 0-0 | 1-0 | Won 1 | ||||||||
 Philadelphia Phillies |
1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1.000 | 4 | 2 | 0-0 | 1-0 | 1-0 | Won 1 | ||||||||
 Chicago Cubs |
1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | .000 | 1.0 | 2 | 4 | 0-1 | 0-0 | 0-1 | Lost 1 | |||||||
 Pittsburgh Pirates |
1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | .000 | 1.0 | 0 | 4 | 0-0 | 0-1 | 0-1 | Lost 1 | |||||||
 St. Louis Cardinals |
1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | .000 | 1.0 | 2 | 3 | 0-1 | 0-0 | 0-1 | Lost 1 | |||||||
| N.L. West | |||||||||||||||||||
| GP | W | L | T | PCT | GB | RF | RA | HOME | ROAD | LAST 10 | STRK | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Los Angeles Dodgers |
1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1.000 | 3 | 1 | 0-0 | 1-0 | 1-0 | Won 1 | ||||||||
 San Diego Padres |
1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1.000 | 6 | 5 | 1-0 | 0-0 | 1-0 | Won 1 | ||||||||
 San Francisco Giants |
1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1.000 | 5 | 0 | 0-0 | 1-0 | 1-0 | Won 1 | ||||||||
 Atlanta Braves |
1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | .000 | 1.0 | 5 | 6 | 0-0 | 0-1 | 0-1 | Lost 1 | |||||||
 Cincinnati Reds |
1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | .000 | 1.0 | 1 | 3 | 0-1 | 0-0 | 0-1 | Lost 1 | |||||||
 Houston Astros |
1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | .000 | 1.0 | 0 | 5 | 0-1 | 0-0 | 0-1 | Lost 1 | |||||||
Today's scores and summaries:
Angels 1, Rangers 0 at California (night game):
A wild pitch by Paul Lindblad, who had just relieved with the bases loaded and none out in the ninth inning, enabled the Angels to gain a 1-0 victory to spoil the former Senators' first game in their new Ranger uniforms. Sandy Alomar led off the frame with the first walk issued by Texas starter Dick Bosman. Mickey Rivers bunted and was safe on an error by catcher Hal King. Bosman then walked Leo Cardenas to load the bases before yielding to Lindblad. Facing Jim Spencer, Lindblad threw wildly on his second pitch to allow Alomar to score. The crowd of 13,916 at the opener saw Andy Messersmith pick up the victory with a two-hit performance.
Brewers 5, Indians 1 at Cleveland (day game):
The Brewers spoiled Gaylord Perry's A. L. debut by defeating the Indians, 5-1, before an opening-day crowd of 22,831. With the score tied, 1-1, the Brewers broke away with two runs off the former Giants' righthander in the fifth inning. Rick Auerbach and Dave May singled and, after a forceout of May by Johnny Briggs, Auerbach beat the throw to the plate when George Scott grounded to third baseman Graig Nettles. Bill Voss followed with a single to score Briggs. May homered off Perry in the seventh and Ron Theobald wound up the scoring with a round-tripper off reliever Denny Riddleberger in the ninth.
Tigers 3, Red Sox 2 at Detroit (day game):
Mickey Lolich, who led the major leagues in innings pitched with 376 for the Tigers last year, showed no effects of the layoff because of the players' strike and started the new season with a complete game to defeat the Red Sox, 3-2. The veteran lefthander gave up three singles for one run in the first inning, but Bill Freehan doubled for the Tigers in the second and Ed Brinkman, who rarely hits a homer, smashed a drive over the fence off Marty Pattin. The Red Sox tied the score in the third when Tommy Harper walked and Luis Aparicio doubled. The Tigers came back to give Lolich his victory with the deciding run in the seventh on singles by Norm Cash, Willie Horton and Freehan. A crowd of 31,510 attended the inaugural.
Royals 2, White Sox 1 at Kansas City (day game):
Two transplanted N. L. players -- Dick Allen and John Mayberry -- came through for their new clubs, but a homer by Allen was wasted while a single by Mayberry gave the Royals a 2-1 victory over the White Sox in 11 innings. A sparse crowd of 8,749 braved 51-degree weather to attend the opener. Allen hit his homer off Dick Drago in the ninth to snap the scoreless duel, but Bob Oliver nailed Wilbur Wood for a tying homer with two out in the Royals' half of the ninth. Paul Schaal led off in the Kaycee 11th with a single off reliever Bart Johnson, advanced to second on a wild pitch and took third on a sacrifice by Cookie Rojas. After Lou Piniella fouled out, Mayberry delivered his single to win the game.
A's 4, Twins 3 at Oakland (day game):
An error on a play at the plate in the 11th inning enabled the Athletics to open the defense of their West division title with a 4-3 victory over the Twins before a crowd of only 9,912. Danny Thompson, Harmon Killebrew and Bobby Darwin hit homers to account for the Twins' runs. After Thompson's sock in the first inning, Sal Bando singled and Dave Duncan homered for the A's in the fifth. Killebrew tied the score with his smash in the seventh, but the A's went ahead again in their half on a walk to Mike Epstein, a stolen base by pinch-runner Blue Moon Odom and single by Duncan. Ken Holtzman, who started for the A's, yielded the mound to Rollie Fingers in the ninth and, with two out, Darwin sent the game into overtime with his homer. Joe Rudi opened the 11th for the A's with a double and went to third on a sacrifice by Reggie Jackson. After the Twins walked Bando intentionally, pinch-hitter Gene Tenace smashed a hot grounder to Eric Soderholm, who knocked the ball down and, with no chance for a double play, threw quickly to the plate. Rudi barreled into George Mitterwald and was safe when the catcher was unable to hold the ball.
Phillies 4, Cubs 2 at Chicago (day game):
Jose Cardenal, playing his first game with the Cubs, wound up as the "goat" when the outfielder's error with two out in the ninth inning enabled Philadelphia to score two runs to gain a 4-2 victory. The Cubs counted their initial run in the third when Rick Monday singled and Fergie Jenkins hit an apparent double. However, the Cubs' starting pitcher failed to touch first base and was called out on appeal, thus losing credit for the hit. A homer by Greg Luzinski in the fourth and singles by Denny Doyle and Tim McCarver, around a sacrifice by Steve Carlton, sent the Phillies ahead, but the Cubs tied the score in the eighth on heads-up running by Cardenal. Don Kessinger led off by drawing a walk but was forced by Cardenal, who then stole second. When Glenn Beckert beat out an infield hit, Cardenal put on the steam and scored from second base. In the Phillies' ninth, Ron Stone and Larry Bowa singled off reliever Bill Hands. McCarver followed with a long drive to right field and Cardenal, after starting back slowly, caught up with the ball but let it pop out of his glove as Stone and Bowa scored to give the victory to Carlton in his first start for the Phillies. A crowd of 17,401 attended the Wrigley Field opener in cold weather.
Dodgers 3, Reds 1 at Cincinnati (day game):
The largest crowd at the delayed openers, 37,865, failed to spark the Reds, who collected only three hits and lost to the Dodgers, 3-1. The Dodgers started the scoring with a run in the first inning on a double by Willie Davis and a single by Frank Robinson in his first time at bat in a Los Angeles uniform. Denis Menke did even better in his first plate appearance for the Reds, hitting a homer to tie the score in the second. The Dodgers regained the upper hand with a run on doubles by Bill Buckner and Jim Lefebvre in the sixth, and Duke Sims applied the finishing touch with a homer in the seventh.
Giants 5, Astros 0 at Houston (night game):
Willie McCovey and Tito Fuentes each hit a two-run homer to power the Giants to a 5-0 victory over the Astros to disappoint Houston's opening-night crowd of 23,021. McCovey's smash in the sixth inning came after a single by Fuentes and broke up a scoreless duel between Juan Marichal and Don Wilson. Marichal doubled ahead of Fuentes' round-tripper in the eighth. The Giants added their final run in the ninth on two walks and a single by Willie Mays.
Mets 4, Pirates 0 at New York (day game):
Tom Seaver and Tug McGraw combined on a shutout and Ed Kranepool drove in three runs with a sacrifice fly and homer as the Mets defeated the world champion Pirates, 4-0, to mark Yogi Berra's debut as managerial successor to the late Gil Hodges. Two new Mets, Rusty Staub and Jim Fregosi, distinguished themselves with key hits to help ruin Bill Virdon's first game as pilot of the Pirates. Staub and Cleon Jones opened the second inning with singles and Fregosi followed with a double to score Staub. Kranepool's sacrifice fly then admitted Jones. With two out in the sixth, Fregosi walked and Kranepool smashed his homer off Dock Ellis to ice the Mets' victory.
Padres 6, Braves 5 at San Diego (night game):
The Padres broke a 2-2 tie with four runs in the sixth inning and then held on to defeat the Braves, 6-5, before an opening-night crowd of 16,655. After the Padres stepped off to a 2-0 lead, the Braves tied the score with a two-run double by Ralph Garr in the fifth inning. Enzo Hernandez doubled to open the Padres' uprising in the sixth and Derrel Thomas beat out a bunt. When Phil Niekro attempted to pick Thomas off first base, Hank Aaron dropped the ball and Hernandez scored on the error. After Leron Lee struck out, Thomas stole second and Nate Colbert walked. Larry Stahl lined out, but Jerry Morales singled to drive in Thomas. Colbert took third and Morales advanced to second on the throw to the plate. Both runners then scored when Bob Barton singled. The Braves came back with a run on two walks and a single by Dusty Baker in the seventh, but they still were one run short after counting twice in the eighth on two more walks, a double by Marty Perez and infield out by Felix Millan.
Expos 3, Cardinals 2 at St. Louis (day game):
Batting for the first time in an Expos' uniform, Mike Jorgensen smashed a homer with a man on base in the first inning and then drove in another run with a sacrifice fly in the eighth to defeat the Cardinals, 3-2. The crowd of 8,808 was one of the smallest baseball turnouts in the history of Busch Memorial Stadium. Jorgensen, obtained along with Ken Singleton and Tim Foli from the Mets in the deal for Rusty Staub, hit his homer off Bob Gibson with Ron Hunt on base via a pass. The Cardinals caught up with Bill Stoneman, who pitched a complete game, to tie the score in the seventh on a single by Ted Sizemore and doubles by Joe Torre and Joe Hague. However, in the eighth, Hunt singled off reliever Al Santorini and raced to third when Jose Cruz failed to corral the ball in center field. Hunt held third as Bob Bailey grounded out. With the lefthanded-hitting Jorgensen coming up, the Cardinals called on southpaw Don Shaw, but Jorgensen lifted a fly to right field and Hunt beat Matty Alou's throw to the plate after the catch.