BLYLEVEN STYMIES ROYALS
K.C. Falls 2 Games Behind A's
KANSAS CITY, Sept. 5 (AP) - Bert Blyleven stifled the American League leading
Kansas City offense on just four hits leading the Texas Rangers to a 3-0 victory
at Royals Stadium. The win snapped a personal three-game losing streak for
the Texas right-hander. The loss, coupled with the Oakland Athletics' 7-0
victory over the California Angels left the Royals two games behind the
division-leading A's in the AL West.
The Rangers scored the only runs they would need in the first inning, with some
assistance from the Kansas City defense. With one out, second baseman
Frank White kicked Toby Harrah's grounder for an error. Royals starter
Andy Hassler then walked Jim Fregosi, putting runners on first and second.
Jeff Burroughs rolled into a fielder's choice, forcing Fregosi at second and
advancing Harrah to third. Then Tom Grieve lined an 0-2 mistake from
Hassler into the left-center field gap for extra bases. Harrah trotted
home from third and Burroughs attempted to score all the way from first.
Shortstop Fred Patek's relay throw to the plate was wild--the second Royals
miscue of the inning--and Texas had a 2-0 lead.
The Rangers added an insurance run in the sixth when Burroughs singled with one
out, advanced to second on a walk to Grieve and scored one out later on Danny
Thompson's base hit.
The best scoring chance for the Royals came in the fourth when George Brett
opened the frame with a single to center and took third one out later on John
Mayberry's base hit to right. But Blyleven induced Tom Poquette to roll
into an inning ending double play to avoid any damage.
Blyleven then retired 14 of the final 15 batters he faced; a one-out walk to
Amos Otis in the sixth inning was the only blemish and Otis was immediately
erased on Brett's double play grounder.
9/5/1976, Tex76-KC 76, Royals Stadium 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E LOB DP 1976 Rangers 2 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 3 6 0 8 2 1976 Royals 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 4 2 3 1 Rangers AB R H BI AVG Royals AB R H BI AVG Clines lf 4 0 0 0 .275 Cowens rf 4 0 0 0 .271 Harrah ss 5 1 0 0 .268 Otis cf 3 0 0 0 .270 Fregosi 1b 3 0 1 0 .203 Brett,G 3b 4 0 2 0 .346 Burroughs rf 4 2 1 0 .186 McRae dh 3 0 0 0 .372 Grieve dh 2 0 1 2 .259 Mayberry 1b 3 0 1 0 .250 Randle,L 2b 3 0 0 0 .229 Poquette lf 3 0 0 0 .311 Thompson,D 3b 4 0 3 1 .170 White,F 2b 3 0 1 0 .236 Beniquez cf 3 0 0 0 .261 Patek ss 2 0 0 0 .254 Sundberg c 4 0 0 0 .237 Quirk ph 1 0 0 0 .272 32 3 6 3 Nelson,D 2b 0 0 0 0 .296 Martinez,B c 2 0 0 0 .229 Wathan ph 1 0 0 0 .231 29 0 4 0 Rangers INN H R ER BB K PCH STR ERA Blyleven W 14-13 9.0 4 0 0 1 6 112 74 2.97 9.0 4 0 0 1 6 112 74 Royals INN H R ER BB K PCH STR ERA Hassler L 7-8 8.1 6 3 1 5 3 134 72 4.25 Littell 0.2 0 0 0 0 0 5 2 2.47 9.0 6 3 1 5 3 139 74 KC : Quirk batted for Patek in the 8th Wathan batted for Martinez,B in the 8th White,F moved to ss in the 9th Nelson,D inserted at 2b in the 9th Wathan moved to c in the 9th E-White,F, Patek. 2B-Grieve(25), Thompson,D(7). RBI-Grieve 2(58), Thompson,D(28). K-Fregosi, Burroughs, Sundberg, Cowens 2, Otis 3, Mayberry. BB-Clines, Fregosi, Grieve 2, Beniquez, Otis. SH-Randle,L. GWRBI: Grieve Temperature: 80, Field: wet, Sky: partly cloudy, Wind: left to right at 1 MPH. Attendance: 35,729 Game Time: 2:25