Bill North drove in the Athletics' tying run and scored the winning run in the sixth inning before being ejected for attacking pitcher Doug Bird in the eighth inning of a 5-4 victory over the Royals. With the Royals leading, 4-3, Dick Green doubled in the sixth and crossed the plate when North singled. North then stole second and scored on a single by Bert Campaneris.

In the eighth, North let his bat fly toward the mound, walked out and suddenly began punching Bird. Later, he disclosed that he had planned the attack in revenge for being hit by a pitched ball by Bird when both were playing in the Midwest League in 1970. [The Sporting News]

Oakland Athletics 5, Kansas City Royals 4

Game Played on Friday, May 18, 1973 (Night game) at Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum

Royals 1 1 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 - 4 8 0 A's 2 0 0 0 1 2 0 0 x - 5 12 2 Royals AB R H RBI BB SO AVG A's AB R H RBI BB SO AVG Patek ss 3 1 0 0 2 0 .225 Campaneris ss 4 2 3 1 0 0 .311 Rojas 2b 5 0 0 0 0 0 .286 Rudi lf 2 1 1 2 0 0 .242 Otis cf 5 1 1 1 0 0 .305 Mangual lf,cf 2 0 0 0 0 2 .179 Mayberry 1b 4 0 1 0 1 1 .264 Tenace 1b 3 0 0 0 1 0 .271 Piniella lf 4 0 1 1 0 1 .242 Hegan 1b,lf 0 0 0 0 0 0 .231 McRae rf 4 0 0 0 0 1 .169 Jackson rf 4 0 2 1 0 0 .297 Wohlford dh 4 2 2 1 0 0 .300 Johnson dh 4 0 1 0 0 1 .245 Schaal 3b 4 0 0 0 0 0 .268 Bando 3b 3 0 2 0 1 1 .252 Healy c 3 0 3 1 1 0 .270 Fosse c 3 0 1 0 0 0 .289 Busby p 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000 Green 2b 3 1 1 0 0 0 .224 Bird p 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000 North cf 3 1 1 1 0 0 .271 Marquez ph,1b 1 0 0 0 0 1 .316 Holtzman p 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000 Totals 36 4 8 4 4 3 Totals 32 5 12 5 2 5 Time of Game: 2:38 Attendance: 7,535 Left on Base: Royals 9, A's 7 DP: Royals 2, A's 1 Errors: Tenace, Holtzman Doubles: Otis (9), Piniella (6), Jackson (7), Fosse (5), Green (4) Triples: Wohlford (1) Home Runs: Wohlford (1), Rudi (5) Stolen Bases: Campaneris 2 (9), North (14) Sacrifice Hits: Green (4), Fosse (3) GIDP: Piniella (5) Royals IP H R ER BB SO HR BFP ERA Busby L(3-5) 5.2 11 5 5 2 2 1 28 4.98 Bird 2.1 1 0 0 0 3 0 8 1.08 Totals 8 12 5 5 2 5 1 36 A's IP H R ER BB SO HR BFP ERA Holtzman W(8-2) 9 8 4 3 4 3 1 40 1.44 Totals 9 8 4 3 4 3 1 40 Wild Pitches: Busby (2), Holtzman (5) Umpires: HP - Don Denkinger, 1B - Merle Anthony, 2B - Bill Deegan, 3B - Frank Umont ROYALS 1ST: Patek walked; Rojas grounded out (pitcher to first) [Patek to second]; Otis doubled [Patek scored]; Mayberry walked; Piniella was called out on strikes; McRae struck out; 1 R, 1 H, 0 E, 2 LOB. Royals 1, Athletics 0. ATHLETICS 1ST: Campaneris singled; Rudi homered [Campaneris scored]; Tenace lined to first; Jackson doubled; Johnson flied to left; Bando struck out; 2 R, 3 H, 0 E, 1 LOB. Royals 1, Athletics 2. ROYALS 2ND: Wohlford homered; Schaal lined to right; Healy singled; Patek walked [Healy to second]; Rojas grounded out (third to first) [Healy to third, Patek to second]; Otis flied to right; 1 R, 2 H, 0 E, 2 LOB. Royals 2, Athletics 2. ATHLETICS 2ND: Fosse doubled; Green out on a sacrifice bunt (pitcher to first) [Fosse to third]; North popped to third in foul territory; Campaneris grounded out (shortstop to first); 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB. Royals 2, Athletics 2. ROYALS 3RD: Mayberry singled; Piniella grounded into a double play (shortstop to second to first) [Mayberry out at second]; McRae flied to center; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 0 LOB. Royals 2, Athletics 2. ATHLETICS 3RD: Rudi grounded out (second to first); Tenace lined to third; Jackson grounded out (second to first); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB. Royals 2, Athletics 2. ROYALS 4TH: Wohlford tripled; Schaal grounded out (second to first); Healy singled [Wohlford scored]; Holtzman threw a wild pitch [Healy to second]; Patek grounded out (second to first) [Healy to third]; Rojas grounded out (shortstop to first); 1 R, 2 H, 0 E, 1 LOB. Royals 3, Athletics 2. ATHLETICS 4TH: Johnson singled; Bando singled [Johnson to second]; Fosse lined into a double play (shortstop to second) [Johnson out at second]; Green forced Bando (shortstop to second); 0 R, 2 H, 0 E, 1 LOB. Royals 3, Athletics 2. ROYALS 5TH: MANGUAL REPLACED RUDI (PLAYING LF); Otis reached on an error by Holtzman [Otis to second]; Mayberry popped to third in foul territory; Piniella doubled [Otis scored (unearned)]; McRae lined to right; Wohlford grounded out (pitcher to first); 1 R (0 ER), 1 H, 1 E, 1 LOB. Royals 4, Athletics 2. ATHLETICS 5TH: North grounded out (shortstop to first); Campaneris singled; Campaneris stole second; Mangual was called out on strikes; Tenace walked; Jackson singled [Campaneris scored, Tenace to third]; Johnson popped to third; 1 R, 2 H, 0 E, 2 LOB. Royals 4, Athletics 3. ROYALS 6TH: Schaal grounded out (second to first); Healy singled; Patek forced Healy (first to shortstop); Rojas reached on an error by Tenace [Patek to third, Rojas to first]; Otis popped to first in foul territory; 0 R, 1 H, 1 E, 2 LOB. Royals 4, Athletics 3. ATHLETICS 6TH: Bando walked; Fosse lined into a double play (center to first) [Bando out at first]; Green doubled; Busby threw a wild pitch [Green to third]; North singled [Green scored]; North stole second; Campaneris singled [North scored]; BIRD REPLACED BUSBY (PITCHING); Campaneris stole second; Mangual struck out; 2 R, 3 H, 0 E, 1 LOB. Royals 4, Athletics 5. ROYALS 7TH: Mayberry struck out; Piniella grounded out (shortstop to first); McRae popped to first in foul territory; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB. Royals 4, Athletics 5. ATHLETICS 7TH: Tenace grounded out (third to first); Jackson grounded out (second to first); Johnson was called out on strikes; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB. Royals 4, Athletics 5. ROYALS 8TH: HEGAN REPLACED TENACE (PLAYING 1B); Wohlford lined to first; Schaal popped to second; Healy walked; Patek grounded out (third to first); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 1 LOB. Royals 4, Athletics 5. ATHLETICS 8TH: Bando singled; Fosse out on a sacrifice bunt (catcher to second) [Bando to second]; Green grounded out (first unassisted) [Bando to third]; MARQUEZ BATTED FOR NORTH; Marquez struck out; Bill North ducked an inside pitch, threw his bat at Doug Bird and then charged the mound; North ejected by HP umpire Don Denkinger; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB. Royals 4, Athletics 5. ROYALS 9TH: MANGUAL CHANGED POSITIONS (PLAYING CF); HEGAN CHANGED POSITIONS (PLAYING LF); MARQUEZ STAYED IN GAME (PLAYING 1B); Rojas grounded out (third to first); Otis popped to second; Mayberry grounded out (second to first); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB. Royals 4, Athletics 5.

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