Wednesday, June 23, 1982 - Kansas City Royals at Oakland A’s
Royals Power Past A’s
Oakland, CA
Not known for their power hitting, the Kansas City Royals scored all of their runs on Wednesday via the home run ball as they defeated Oakland 5-2. Vida Blue (7 IP, 8 hits, 2 ER, 2 BB, 6 K) would return to Oakland and win for the 8th time in ‘82. The Royals also mixed in some stellar defense as they swept the three game series from the A’s.
In the top of the 2nd inning, Willie Aikens led off with a single to center field. After A’s starter Rick Langford (7 IP, 13 hits, 3 ER, 2 K) struck out Jerry Martin, Don Slaught hit into a fielders choice. Playing at third base for the injured George Brett, Jamie Quirk stepped into the batters box. Quirk would hit the ball squarely and over the fence for his 1st home run of the season.
From here, the game took on a pitchers feel. Kansas City (36-32) would twice flash the leather to keep their lead. In the 5th inning, Dwayne Murphy singled to lead off for Oakland. Tony Armas then ripped a shot to left field. Before it got there, shortstop Greg Pryor went as high as he could and snagged the once for sure hit. Pryor then threw to first base to double off Murphy.
In the 6th inning, Blue would lose control for a short while. With one out he would walk both Rickey Henderson and Davey Lopes. Jeff Burroughs then zipped a one hopper to Pryor at shortstop. Pryor would begin what would turn out to be a 6-4-3 double play to end the inning.
Kansas City would find its way back to the run column in the 7th inning. With two outs and the bases empty, Amos Otis slugged his 4th home run of the season to put the Royals up 3-0.
Oakland (31-41) finally found its way onto the scoreboard with a pair of runs in the bottom of the 7th. Mike Heath began the inning by lining a double into the left field corner. Heath would then score when pinch hitter Cliff Johnson lined a single into left field. Johnson was then forced at second base on a ground ball by Murphy. Armas then picked up his second hit of the game when he lined a single into center field, moving Murphy to second base. Blue then struck out Jeff Newman for the second out of the inning. Pinch hitter Fred Stanley would get the A’s closer when he lined a single into left field, scoring Murphy on the play. Blue then wiggled out of the inning by striking out Henderson.
Both starters gave up lead off singles in the 8th inning and both managers brought in their closers. Dave Beard set the Royals down in the top of the 8th when he retired three straight hitters. The Royals Dan Quisenberry had to work over and error to slam the 8th inning door on the A’s.
The Royals got two big insurance runs in the top of the 9th inning. Frank White blooped a lead off single into left field. Following consecutive outs, Aikens set a charge into his 4th home run of the campaign to give Kansas City a 3-run advantage.
Quisenberry was the Vintage Quisenberry in the bottom of the 9th, getting three ground ball outs to secure his 9th save of the year.
Royals Notes: the three home run hitters this afternoon (Quirk-Otis-Aikens) had a combined 6 home runs for the season prior to the game….it was the 1st game winning RBI for Quirk in ‘82….Aikens has now hit safely in 5 consecutive games….Kansas City rapped out 15-hits today
A’s Notes: Oakland has dropped 4 in a row….Langford has now allowed 22 home runs this season; the A’s staff has surrendered 87 home runs….the offense only scored 4 runs in the 3-game series
Up Next: Kansas City travels to Anaheim to begin a big series tomorrow night at 10:30….Oakland is off to Arlington to face the Rangers beginning tomorrow evening at 8:35
Kansas City 0 2 0 0 0 0 1 0 2 - 5
Oakland 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 - 2
WP - Blue (8-3) LP - Langford (4-8) SV - Quisenberry (9)
HR - Quirk (1), Otis (4), Aikens (4)
Umpires - HP: Derryl Cousins 1B: Joe Brinkman 2B: Marty Springstead 3B: Larry McCoy
Weather: 51 degrees, cloudy, wind at 8 mph
Time - 2:29
Wednesday, June 23, 1982 - Toronto Blue Jays at Seattle Mariners
Unsung Heroes Lead The Way For Seattle
Seattle, WA
On most days, the player you most expect to come through in a big way will. Sometimes like today, it is the player or players who you least expect to come through in a big way that do. For Seattle (29-43) this afternoon, it was Dave Henderson with hit bat and Bruce Bochte in the field.
Looking to sweep this 3-game series, Toronto (30-41) went out to a 1-0 lead in the 2nd inning. Ernie Whitt singled off Mike Moore (6 2/3 IP, 6 hits, 3 ER, 2 BB, 2 K) leading off the frame and he then would steal second base. Glenn Adams then lined a single to right field, advancing Whitt to third base. Lloyd Moseby then chopped a ground ball to the right side of the infield. Mariners first baseman took the out at second base while Whitt scored on the play.
In the bottom of the 2nd, the Mariners came right back to tie the score. With two outs, Gray looped a ball into center field. Toronto center fielder Lloyd Moseby came in for the ball but came up short. The ball bounded past Moseby and Gray circled the bases for a triple. Dave Henderson then singled into left field, bring Gray home to knot the score at 1-1.
Bruce Bochte would flash some leather in the top of the 5th inning, preserving the tie game. Rance Mulliniks walked and Jesse Barfield singled with one out. After Alfredo Griffin flew out, Moore faced Damaso Garcia. Garcia lined a shot over the head of Bochte in left field. Bochte broke back on the ball and reached up at the last moment to rob the Blue Jays of a pair of runs.
Toronto would forge back into the lead in the top of the 7th inning. Moore would hit Moseby to begin the inning. Moseby was then forced at second base when shortstop Julio Cruz cut off a ground ball hit up the middle by Mulliniks. Barfield then hit into a fielders choice, leaving himself on first base with two outs. Alfredo Griffin then shot the right center field gap. Barfield would come around to score, putting the Blue Jays on top 2-1. Garcia followed by rattling a shot off the right field wall for a run scoring double. Moore departed and Bryan Clark came in to extinguish the inning.
Like earlier in the game, Seattle came back in the bottom of the 7th to tie the score. Blue Jays starter Dave Stieb (9 IP, 6 hits, 3 ER, 6 BB, 2 K) would have control problems in the inning that would cost him. Gray led off with a single. Henderson and Paul Serna then each walked to load the bases. Julio Cruz got Gray home with a line drive single into center field. Stieb finally got the first out of the inning when Manny Castillo bounced into a force play at the plate. Al Cowens then brought the Mariners even when he hit a sacrifice fly to center field to score Serna.
Bochte would come up big defensively in the top of the 9th inning, allowing Seattle to stay in a tie game. With one out, Barfield walked off Clark. Griffin then put down a sacrifice bunt to move Barfield to second base. The Mariners then elected to intentionally walk Garcia. Seattle brought in closer Bill Caudill to stop the Blue Jays rally as he faced Barry Bonnell. Bonnell would temporarily ruin that strategy when he lined a single into left field. Barfield would challenge the arm of Bochte on the play. Bochte threw a strike to the plate and catcher Rick Sweet slapped the tag on Barfield to end the inning.
Seattle found a way to capture the game in the bottom of the 10th inning. Blue Jays closer Dale Murray would start the inning by hitting Richie Zisk with a pitch. Murray then walked Bochte, giving the Mariners two base runners with no one out. Sweet’s bouncer to first baseman Willie Upshaw would move both base runners up a base, as Upshaw tossed to Murray at first base to retire Sweet. Bobby Brown then came into the game and ran for Zisk. Gray could not get Brown home when he popped out to Griffin at shortstop. Henderson did get Brown home being the next batter. Henderson bounced a single through the left side of the infield to score Brown and give the Mariners a 4-3 victory.
Blue Jays Notes: the loss snapped a 3-game winning streak for Toronto….Upshaw also had his hitting streak snapped at 7 games
Mariners Notes: it was the 1st game winning RBI of the season for Henderson….Cowens has hit safely in 11 consecutive games, while Julio Cruz has hit safely in 6 straight games
Up Next: Toronto heads home to host Minnesota beginning Friday night at 7:30….Seattle will entertain Chicago starting Friday evening at 10:35
Toronto 0 1 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 - 3
Seattle 0 1 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 1 - 4
WP - Caudill (2-2) LP - Murray (2-6)
HR - none
Umpires - HP: Rocky Roe 1B: Bill Kunkel 2B: Terry Cooney 3B: John Shulock
Weather: Indoors
Time - 2:42