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. [The Sporting News]

California Angels 1, Texas Rangers 0

Game Played on Saturday, April 15, 1972 (Night game) at Anaheim Stadium

Rangers      0  0  0    0  0  0    0  0  0  -   0  2  2
Angels       0  0  0    0  0  0    0  0  1  -   1  5  1


Rangers              AB   R   H RBI    BB  SO    AVG      Angels               AB   R   H RBI    BB  SO    AVG
Randle 2b             4   0   0   0     0   1   .000      Alomar 2b             3   1   2   0     1   0   .667
Nelson 3b             4   0   0   0     0   2   .000      Rivers cf             3   0   0   0     0   0   .000
Mincher 1b            3   0   0   0     1   0   .000      Cardenas ss           3   0   1   0     1   1   .333
King c                2   0   1   0     2   0   .500      Spencer 1b            3   0   1   0     0   1   .333
Howard lf             4   0   0   0     0   1   .000      McMullen 3b           3   0   0   0     0   0   .000
  Maddox rf           0   0   0   0     0   0   .000      Pinson lf             3   0   1   0     0   2   .333
Biittner rf,lf        3   0   0   0     0   2   .000      Stanton rf            2   0   0   0     0   2   .000
Lovitto cf            2   0   0   0     1   1   .000      Torborg c             3   0   0   0     0   0   .000
Harrah ss             2   0   1   0     1   0   .500      Messersmith p         3   0   0   0     0   0   .000
Bosman p              2   0   0   0     0   2   .000
  Lindblad p          0   0   0   0     0   0   .000

Totals               26   0   2   0     5   9             Totals               26   1   5   0     2   6

Time of Game: 2:00   Attendance: 13,916
Left on Base: Rangers 5, Angels 5
DP: Rangers 1, Angels 3
Errors: King 2, Cardenas
Stolen Bases: Lovitto (1), Alomar (1)
Caught Stealing: Alomar (1)
Sacrifice Hits: Bosman (1), Stanton (1), Rivers (1)
GIDP: Howard 2 (2), Mincher (1), Spencer (1)


Rangers                IP     H   R  ER  BB  SO  HR BFP    ERA
Bosman L(0-1)           8     5   1   0   2   6   0  30   0.00
Lindblad                0     0   0   0   0   0   0   0   0.00
Totals                  8     5   1   0   2   6   0  30

Angels                 IP     H   R  ER  BB  SO  HR BFP    ERA
Messersmith W(1-0)      9     2   0   0   5   9   0  32   0.00
Totals                  9     2   0   0   5   9   0  32

Wild Pitches: Lindblad (1)

Umpires: HP - Frank Umont, 1B - Jim Odom, 2B - Don Denkinger, 3B - Ron Luciano


RANGERS 1ST: Randle struck out; Nelson grounded out (pitcher to
first); Mincher grounded out (second to first); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0
LOB.  Rangers 0, Angels 0.

ANGELS 1ST: Alomar singled to center; Rivers flied out to right;
Cardenas struck out; Alomar stole second [Alomar to third (error
by King)]; Spencer struck out; 0 R, 1 H, 1 E, 1 LOB.  Rangers 0,
Angels 0.

RANGERS 2ND: King walked; Howard grounded into a double play
(third to second to first) [King out at second]; Biittner struck
out; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Rangers 0, Angels 0.

ANGELS 2ND: McMullen flied out to center; Pinson struck out;
Stanton struck out; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Rangers 0, Angels 0.

RANGERS 3RD: Lovitto struck out; Debut game for Joe
Lovitto; Harrah grounded out (third to first); Bosman was
called out on strikes; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Rangers 0, Angels
0.

ANGELS 3RD: Torborg flied out to center; Messersmith flied out
to center; Alomar singled to left; Alomar was caught stealing
second (catcher to shortstop); 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Rangers 0,
Angels 0.

RANGERS 4TH: Randle grounded out (shortstop to first); Nelson
was called out on strikes; Mincher walked; King grounded out
(second to first); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Rangers 0, Angels 0.

ANGELS 4TH: Rivers grounded out (third to first); Cardenas
singled to right; Spencer grounded into a double play (first to
shortstop to pitcher) [Cardenas out at second]; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 0
LOB.  Rangers 0, Angels 0.

RANGERS 5TH: Howard was called out on strikes; Biittner struck
out; Lovitto walked; Lovitto stole second; Harrah walked; Bosman
struck out; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 2 LOB.  Rangers 0, Angels 0.

ANGELS 5TH: McMullen lined to pitcher; Pinson struck out;
Stanton struck out; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Rangers 0, Angels 0.

RANGERS 6TH: Randle flied out to center; Nelson was called out
on strikes; Mincher made an out to shortstop; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0
LOB.  Rangers 0, Angels 0.

ANGELS 6TH: Torborg grounded out (shortstop to first);
Messersmith grounded out (second to first); Alomar grounded out
(first unassisted); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Rangers 0, Angels 0.

RANGERS 7TH: King singled to right; Howard grounded into a
double play (shortstop to second to first) [King out at second];
Biittner grounded out (first to pitcher); 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.
Rangers 0, Angels 0.

ANGELS 7TH: Rivers grounded out (first unassisted); Cardenas
flied out to left; Spencer singled to left; McMullen made an out
to shortstop; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Rangers 0, Angels 0.

RANGERS 8TH: Lovitto flied out to left; Harrah singled to right;
Bosman out on a sacrifice bunt (first unassisted) [Harrah to
second]; Randle flied out to center; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.
Rangers 0, Angels 0.

ANGELS 8TH: Pinson singled to first; Stanton out on a sacrifice
bunt (pitcher to second) [Pinson to second]; Torborg popped to
catcher in foul territory; Messersmith made an out to shortstop;
0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Rangers 0, Angels 0.

RANGERS 9TH: Nelson reached on an error by Cardenas; Mincher
grounded into a double play (second to shortstop to first)
[Nelson out at second]; King walked; Howard grounded out
(pitcher to first); 0 R, 0 H, 1 E, 1 LOB.  Rangers 0, Angels 0.

ANGELS 9TH: MADDOX REPLACED HOWARD (PLAYING RF); BIITTNER
CHANGED POSITIONS (PLAYING LF); Alomar walked; Rivers reached on
an error by King on a sacrifice bunt [Alomar to second];
Cardenas walked [Alomar to third, Rivers to second]; LINDBLAD
REPLACED BOSMAN (PITCHING); Lindblad threw a wild pitch [Alomar
scored (unearned), Rivers to third, Cardenas to second]; 1 R (0
ER), 0 H, 1 E, 2 LOB.  Rangers 0, Angels 1.

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