The world champion Athletics opened the defense of their A. L. pennant by defeating the Rangers, 7-2, to the disappointment of the Texas opening-game crowd of 21,907. Reggie Jackson had a banner night for the A's, hitting a homer, two doubles and a single.

Jim Bibby, who allowed the A's only three runs in 26 1/3 innings last season, including a no-hitter July 28, was the Rangers' loser, giving up eight runs on six hits and four walks before being yanked in the fifth. Catfish Hunter, who started for the A's, was lifted in the eighth when the Rangers staged a mild rally with two runs on singles by Jim Fregosi and Dick Billings and a double by Dave Nelson. [The Sporting News]

Oakland Athletics 7, Texas Rangers 2

Game Played on Thursday, April 4, 1974 (Night game) at Arlington Stadium

A's          0  4  0    0  2  0    1  0  0  -   7 11  1
Rangers      0  0  0    0  0  0    0  2  0  -   2  7  2


A's                  AB   R   H RBI    BB  SO    AVG      Rangers              AB   R   H RBI    BB  SO    AVG
North cf              5   0   0   0     0   0   .000      Nelson 2b             4   0   1   2     0   0   .250
Campaneris ss         5   0   0   0     0   2   .000      Tovar rf              4   0   0   0     0   0   .000
Bando 3b              4   1   1   0     1   2   .250      Johnson lf            4   0   0   0     0   1   .000
Jackson rf            5   3   4   1     0   0   .800      Burroughs dh          4   0   0   0     0   2   .000
Tenace 1b             3   1   0   0     2   1   .000      Spencer 1b            4   0   0   0     0   1   .000
Rudi lf               3   1   3   2     1   0  1.000      Harrah ss             4   0   3   0     0   0   .750
  H. Washington pr    0   0   0   0     0   0   .000      Lovitto cf            3   0   0   0     0   0   .000
  Davalillo lf        0   0   0   0     1   0   .000      Fregosi 3b            4   1   1   0     0   0   .250
Johnson dh            5   0   0   0     0   2   .000      Billings c            3   0   2   0     0   0   .667
Fosse c               5   1   2   1     0   0   .400        Randle pr           0   1   0   0     0   0   .000
Green 2b              3   0   1   2     1   0   .333        Sundberg c          0   0   0   0     0   0   .000
Hunter p              0   0   0   0     0   0   .000      Bibby p               0   0   0   0     0   0   .000
  Fingers p           0   0   0   0     0   0   .000        Foucault p          0   0   0   0     0   0   .000
                                                            Hargan p            0   0   0   0     0   0   .000
                                                            Allen p             0   0   0   0     0   0   .000

Totals               38   7  11   6     6   7             Totals               34   2   7   2     0   4

Time of Game: 2:43   Attendance: 21,907
Left on Base: A's 10, Rangers 6
DP: A's 0, Rangers 1
Errors: Tenace, Nelson, Hargan
Doubles: Jackson 2 (2), Rudi (1), Bando (1), Nelson (1)
Home Runs: Jackson (1)
Stolen Bases: Jackson (1), Nelson (1)
Sacrifice Hits: Lovitto (1)


A's                    IP     H   R  ER  BB  SO  HR BFP    ERA
Hunter W(1-0)           7     6   2   2   0   2   0  28   2.57
Fingers                 2     1   0   0   0   2   0   7   0.00
Totals                  9     7   2   2   0   4   0  35

Rangers                IP     H   R  ER  BB  SO  HR BFP    ERA
Bibby L(0-1)            4.1   8   6   6   4   3   0  24  12.46
Foucault                1.2   0   0   0   0   1   0   5   0.00
Hargan                  2     3   1   1   0   3   1  10   4.50
Allen                   1     0   0   0   2   0   0   5   0.00
Totals                  9    11   7   7   6   7   1  44

Wild Pitches: Hargan (1)
Balks: Bibby (1)

Umpires: HP - Bill Haller, 1B - Bill Kunkel, 2B - Merle Anthony, 3B - Armando Rodriguez


ATHLETICS 1ST: Debut for umpire Armando Rodriguez; North
grounded out (shortstop to first); Campaneris popped to
shortstop; Bando flied out to right; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.
Athletics 0, Rangers 0.

RANGERS 1ST: Nelson grounded out (third to first); Tovar flied
out to left; Johnson grounded out (second to first); 0 R, 0 H, 0
E, 0 LOB.  Athletics 0, Rangers 0.

ATHLETICS 2ND: Jackson doubled to right; Tenace walked; Rudi
doubled to center [Jackson scored, Tenace to third]; Johnson
struck out; Fosse singled to left [Tenace scored, Rudi to third,
Fosse to second (on throw to home)]; Green singled to right
[Rudi scored, Fosse scored]; North hit into a double play (left
to second) [Green out at second]; 4 R, 4 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.
Athletics 4, Rangers 0.

RANGERS 2ND: Burroughs struck out; Spencer lined to second;
Harrah grounded out (third to first); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.
Athletics 4, Rangers 0.

ATHLETICS 3RD: Campaneris struck out; Bando walked; Jackson
doubled to right [Bando to third]; Tenace struck out; Rudi
walked; Johnson flied out to center; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 3 LOB.
Athletics 4, Rangers 0.

RANGERS 3RD: Lovitto flied out to center; Fregosi reached on an
error by Tenace (assist by Bando); Billings singled to left
[Fregosi to second]; Nelson popped to second; Tovar lined to
left; 0 R, 1 H, 1 E, 2 LOB.  Athletics 4, Rangers 0.

ATHLETICS 4TH: Fosse flied out to center; Green walked; North
forced Green (pitcher to second); Bibby balked [North to
second]; Campaneris flied out to right; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.
Athletics 4, Rangers 0.

RANGERS 4TH: Johnson grounded out (shortstop to first);
Burroughs grounded out (third to first); Spencer flied out to
center; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Athletics 4, Rangers 0.

ATHLETICS 5TH: Bando doubled to left; Jackson singled to second
[Bando scored (error by Nelson), Jackson to second]; Tenace
flied out to right; Jackson stole third; Rudi singled to left
[Jackson scored]; FOUCAULT REPLACED BIBBY (PITCHING); Johnson
was called out on strikes; Fosse flied out to right; 2 R, 3 H, 1
E, 1 LOB.  Athletics 6, Rangers 0.

RANGERS 5TH: Harrah singled to left; Lovitto out on a sacrifice
bunt (first to pitcher) [Harrah to second]; Fregosi grounded out
(shortstop to first); Billings lined to second; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1
LOB.  Athletics 6, Rangers 0.

ATHLETICS 6TH: Green flied out to center; North flied out to
left; Campaneris grounded out (shortstop to first); 0 R, 0 H, 0
E, 0 LOB.  Athletics 6, Rangers 0.

RANGERS 6TH: Nelson flied out to center; Tovar flied out to
right; Johnson flied out to center; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.
Athletics 6, Rangers 0.

ATHLETICS 7TH: HARGAN REPLACED FOUCAULT (PITCHING); Bando struck
out; Jackson homered; Tenace flied out to right; Rudi singled;
H. WASHINGTON RAN FOR RUDI; Hargan threw a wild pitch [H.
Washington to second]; Debut game for Herb Washington;
Johnson grounded out (third to first); 1 R, 2 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.
Athletics 7, Rangers 0.

RANGERS 7TH: DAVALILLO REPLACED H. WASHINGTON (PLAYING LF);
Burroughs grounded out (shortstop to first); Spencer struck out;
Harrah singled to center; Lovitto flied out to right; 0 R, 1 H,
0 E, 1 LOB.  Athletics 7, Rangers 0.

ATHLETICS 8TH: Fosse singled; Green flied out to center; North
reached on an error by Hargan [Fosse to second]; Campaneris
struck out; Bando struck out; 0 R, 1 H, 1 E, 2 LOB.  Athletics
7, Rangers 0.

RANGERS 8TH: Fregosi singled to left; Billings singled to left
[Fregosi to second]; RANDLE RAN FOR BILLINGS; Nelson doubled
[Fregosi scored, Randle scored]; FINGERS REPLACED HUNTER
(PITCHING); Nelson stole third; Tovar popped to shortstop;
Johnson was called out on strikes; Burroughs struck out; 2 R, 3
H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Athletics 7, Rangers 2.

ATHLETICS 9TH: SUNDBERG REPLACED RANDLE (PLAYING C ); ALLEN
REPLACED HARGAN (PITCHING); Jackson flied out to left; Debut
game for Jim Sundberg; Tenace walked; Davalillo walked
[Tenace to second]; Johnson flied out to center; Fosse flied out
to right; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 2 LOB.  Athletics 7, Rangers 2.

RANGERS 9TH: Spencer grounded out (second to first); Harrah
singled to left; Lovitto grounded out (second to first) [Harrah
to second]; Fregosi flied out to left; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.
Athletics 7, Rangers 2.

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