Amos Otis decided the pitching encounter between Steve Busby and Bert Blyleven by hitting a two-run homer in the ninth inning to give the Royals a 3-2 victory over the Twins. The Royals counted their initial run in the sixth on a double by George Brett, infield hit by Fred Patek and groundout by Vada Pinson. The Twins got a matching tally when Eric Soderholm and Larry  Hisle doubled in their half of the sixth.

After John Mayberry singled and Otis homered in the ninth, Steve Busby ran into trouble in the Twins' half and was removed with the bases loaded and one out. Doug Bird, in relief, gave up a sacrifice fly by Glenn Borgmann before retiring Soderholm on a grounder to save the game. [The Sporting News]



Kansas City Royals 3, Minnesota Twins 2
Game Played on Wednesday, July      31, 1974 (Day game) at Metropolitan Stadium
Royals       0  0  0    0  0  1    0  0  2  -   3  7  0
Twins        0  0  0    0  0  1    0  0  1  -   2  8  0


Royals               AB   R   H RBI    BB  SO    AVG      Twins                AB   R   H RBI    BB  SO    AVG
Patek ss              3   0   1   0     1   1   .221      Soderholm 3b          5   1   1   0     0   0   .278
Pinson rf             4   0   0   1     0   1   .243      Carew 2b              4   0   1   0     0   0   .373
  Cowens rf           0   0   0   0     0   0   .207      Hisle cf              4   0   1   1     0   1   .288
Rojas 2b              4   0   1   0     0   0   .291      Oliva dh              3   0   0   0     1   0   .287
  White 2b            0   0   0   0     0   0   .223      Darwin rf             4   1   2   0     0   1   .275
Mayberry 1b           4   1   1   0     0   1   .263      Braun lf              4   0   0   0     0   0   .302
Solaita dh            3   0   1   0     1   2   .286      Holt 1b               3   0   0   0     0   3   .269
Otis cf               4   1   1   2     0   1   .274        Killebrew ph        1   0   1   0     0   0   .235
Wohlford lf           4   0   1   0     0   1   .299        Gomez pr            0   0   0   0     0   0   .197
Brett 3b              4   1   1   0     0   0   .241      Thompson ss           4   0   2   0     0   0   .286
Martinez c            3   0   0   0     0   2   .156        Terrell pr          0   0   0   0     0   0   .246
Busby p               0   0   0   0     0   0   .000      Borgmann c            2   0   0   1     1   0   .254
  Bird p              0   0   0   0     0   0   .000      Blyleven p            0   0   0   0     0   0   .000

Totals               33   3   7   3     2   9             Totals               34   2   8   2     2   5

Time of Game: 2:22   Attendance: 18,479
Left on Base: Royals 5, Twins 8
DP: Royals 0, Twins 0
Doubles: Brett (9), Soderholm (10), Hisle (15), Thompson (3)
Home Runs: Otis (9)
Stolen Bases: Patek 2 (24), Carew (25)
Caught Stealing: Rojas (4)
Sacrifice Flies: Borgmann (6)


Royals                 IP     H   R  ER  BB  SO  HR BFP    ERA
Busby W(15-9)           8.1   8   2   2   2   5   0  35   3.15
Bird SV(8)              0.2   0   0   0   0   0   0   2   3.00
Totals                  9     8   2   2   2   5   0  37

Twins                  IP     H   R  ER  BB  SO  HR BFP    ERA
Blyleven L(10-12)       9     7   3   3   2   9   1  35   3.20
Totals                  9     7   3   3   2   9   1  35

Umpires: HP - Jim McKean, 1B - Jim Evans, 2B - Larry Napp, 3B - Larry Barnett


ROYALS 1ST: Patek was called out on strikes; Pinson lined to
left; Rojas grounded out (third to first); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.
 Royals 0, Twins 0.

TWINS 1ST: Soderholm flied out to center; Carew singled to
center; Carew stole second; Hisle flied out to center [Carew to
third]; Oliva flied out to left; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Royals
0, Twins 0.

ROYALS 2ND: Mayberry flied out to right; Solaita walked; Otis
popped to first; Wohlford struck out; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.
Royals 0, Twins 0.

TWINS 2ND: Darwin struck out; On a bunt Braun made an out to
pitcher; Holt struck out; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Royals 0, Twins
0.

ROYALS 3RD: Brett flied out to left; Martinez grounded out
(shortstop to first); Patek flied out to right; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0
LOB.  Royals 0, Twins 0.

TWINS 3RD: Thompson popped to second; Borgmann grounded out
(third to first); Soderholm grounded out (third to first); 0 R,
0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Royals 0, Twins 0.

ROYALS 4TH: Pinson struck out; Rojas singled to right; Rojas was
picked off and caught stealing second (pitcher to first to
shortstop); Mayberry grounded out (second to first); 0 R, 1 H, 0
E, 0 LOB.  Royals 0, Twins 0.

TWINS 4TH: Carew grounded out (third to first); Hisle struck
out; Oliva grounded out (pitcher unassisted); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0
LOB.  Royals 0, Twins 0.

ROYALS 5TH: Solaita was called out on strikes; Otis struck out;
Wohlford popped to shortstop; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Royals 0,
Twins 0.

TWINS 5TH: Darwin singled to center; Braun popped to shortstop
in foul territory; Holt struck out; Thompson grounded out
(pitcher to first); 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Royals 0, Twins 0.

ROYALS 6TH: Brett doubled to left; Martinez struck out; Patek
singled to shortstop [Brett to third]; Patek stole second;
Pinson grounded out (shortstop to first) [Brett scored]; Rojas
flied out to left; 1 R, 2 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Royals 1, Twins 0.

TWINS 6TH: Borgmann grounded out (second to first); Soderholm
doubled to left; Carew grounded out (pitcher to second to first)
[Soderholm to third]; Hisle doubled to left [Soderholm scored];
Oliva was walked intentionally; Darwin flied out to center; 1 R,
2 H, 0 E, 2 LOB.  Royals 1, Twins 1.

ROYALS 7TH: Mayberry was called out on strikes; Solaita singled
to left; Otis grounded out (catcher unassisted) [Solaita stayed
at first]; Wohlford singled to right [Solaita to third]; Brett
forced Wohlford (pitcher to second to shortstop); 0 R, 2 H, 0 E,
2 LOB.  Royals 1, Twins 1.

TWINS 7TH: Braun grounded out (second to first); Holt struck out
(catcher to first); Thompson doubled to right; Borgmann walked;
Soderholm grounded out (pitcher to first); 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 2 LOB.
 Royals 1, Twins 1.

ROYALS 8TH: Martinez was called out on strikes; Patek walked;
Patek stole second; Pinson grounded out (first to pitcher)
[Patek to third]; On a bunt Rojas grounded out (third to
first); Cookie Rojas ejected by 1B umpire Jim Evans, who
called Rojas safe then out; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Royals 1,
Twins 1.

TWINS 8TH: WHITE REPLACED ROJAS (PLAYING 2B); Carew flied out to
left; Hisle popped to second; Oliva grounded out (second to
first); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Royals 1, Twins 1.

ROYALS 9TH: Mayberry singled to right; Solaita struck out; Otis
homered [Mayberry scored]; Wohlford grounded out (shortstop to
first); Brett grounded out (shortstop to first); 2 R, 2 H, 0 E,
0 LOB.  Royals 3, Twins 1.

TWINS 9TH: COWENS REPLACED PINSON (PLAYING RF); Darwin singled
to left; Braun lined to center; KILLEBREW BATTED FOR HOLT;
Killebrew singled to left [Darwin to second]; GOMEZ RAN FOR
KILLEBREW; Thompson singled to center [Darwin to third, Gomez to
second]; BIRD REPLACED BUSBY (PITCHING); TERRELL RAN FOR
THOMPSON; Borgmann hit a sacrifice fly to left [Darwin scored,
Gomez to third, Terrell to second]; Soderholm grounded out
(shortstop to first); 1 R, 3 H, 0 E, 2 LOB.  Royals 3, Twins 2.