Thanks to the speed of Vada Pinson, Steve Busby became the first [sic] 20-game winner in Royals' history by defeating the Athletics, 2-1, Busby allowed only three hits, but the A's picked up an unearned run in the first when Bill North walked, stole second, advanced to third on a sacrifice and scored on a throwing error by Frank White. The Royals tied the score against Catfish Hunter in the fourth with a double by George Brett, a sacrifice and single by John Mayberry.

Pinson doubled with one away in the seventh. After Al Cowens lined out, Brett lashed a grounder which Bert Campaneris fielded behind second. His throw to first was too late to catch Brett. Pinson did not hesitate at third but the rounded bag and raced home to score, beating the throw from first baseman Gene Tenace. [The Sporting News]



Kansas City Royals 2, Oakland Athletics 1
Game Played on Tuesday, September 17, 1974 (Night game) at Royals Stadium
A's          1  0  0    0  0  0    0  0  0  -   1  3  2
Royals       0  0  0    1  0  0    1  0  x  -   2 10  1


A's                  AB   R   H RBI    BB  SO    AVG      Royals               AB   R   H RBI    BB  SO    AVG
North cf              3   1   2   0     1   0   .269      Pinson lf             4   1   2   0     0   0   .262
Campaneris ss         3   0   0   0     0   0   .294      Cowens rf             4   0   1   0     0   0   .244
Rudi lf               4   0   1   0     0   1   .290      Brett 3b              4   1   2   1     0   0   .274
Jackson rf            4   0   0   0     0   2   .292      McRae dh              2   0   1   0     1   0   .316
Bando 3b              4   0   0   0     0   1   .249      Mayberry 1b           2   0   1   1     2   0   .243
Tenace 1b             2   0   0   0     2   1   .215      Otis cf               4   0   1   0     0   1   .285
Alou dh               3   0   0   0     0   1   .276      Rojas 2b              4   0   1   0     0   0   .268
Maxvill 2b            0   0   0   0     0   0   .177      Healy c               4   0   0   0     0   1   .254
  Holt ph             1   0   0   0     0   0   .235      White ss              4   0   1   0     0   0   .222
  Kubiak 2b           0   0   0   0     0   0   .215      Busby p               0   0   0   0     0   0   .000
  Mangual ph          1   0   0   0     0   1   .229
  Green 2b            1   0   0   0     0   0   .218
Fosse c               3   0   0   0     0   1   .189
Hunter p              0   0   0   0     0   0   .000

Totals               29   1   3   0     3   8             Totals               32   2  10   2     3   2

Time of Game: 2:19   Attendance: 14,412
Left on Base: A's 6, Royals 10
DP: A's 1, Royals 0
Errors: Jackson, Bando, White
Doubles: Brett (19), Pinson (17)
Stolen Bases: North (52), Cowens (4)
Sacrifice Hits: Campaneris (11), Alou (3), McRae (5)
GIDP: White (5)


A's                    IP     H   R  ER  BB  SO  HR BFP    ERA
Hunter L(23-12)         8    10   2   2   3   2   0  36   2.57
Totals                  8    10   2   2   3   2   0  36

Royals                 IP     H   R  ER  BB  SO  HR BFP    ERA
Busby W(20-14)          9     3   1   0   3   8   0  34   3.40
Totals                  9     3   1   0   3   8   0  34

Umpires: HP - Nick Bremigan, 1B - Nestor Chylak, 2B - Larry McCoy, 3B - Joe Brinkman


ATHLETICS 1ST: North walked; North stole second; Campaneris out
on a sacrifice bunt (pitcher to first) [North to third]; Rudi
struck out; Jackson reached on an error by White [North scored
(unearned) (no RBI)]; Bando forced Jackson (third to second); 1
R (0 ER), 0 H, 1 E, 1 LOB.  Athletics 1, Royals 0.

ROYALS 1ST: Pinson flied out to center; Cowens popped to first
in foul territory; Brett lined to left; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.
Athletics 1, Royals 0.

ATHLETICS 2ND: Tenace walked; Alou grounded out (shortstop to
first) [Tenace to second]; HOLT BATTED FOR MAXVILL; Holt
grounded out (second to first) [Tenace to third]; Fosse grounded
out (shortstop to first); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Athletics 1,
Royals 0.

ROYALS 2ND: KUBIAK REPLACED HOLT (PLAYING 2B); McRae walked;
Mayberry lined to left; Otis forced McRae (shortstop to second);
Rojas grounded out (third to first); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.
Athletics 1, Royals 0.

ATHLETICS 3RD: North singled to center; Campaneris lined to
left; Rudi singled to left [North to third]; Jackson popped to
shortstop; Bando flied out to center; 0 R, 2 H, 0 E, 2 LOB.
Athletics 1, Royals 0.

ROYALS 3RD: Healy flied out to right; White singled to left
[White out at second (left to second)]; Pinson singled to right;
Cowens grounded out (second to first); 0 R, 2 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.
Athletics 1, Royals 0.

ATHLETICS 4TH: Tenace popped to catcher in foul territory; Alou
struck out; MANGUAL BATTED FOR KUBIAK; Mangual struck out; 0 R,
0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Athletics 1, Royals 0.

ROYALS 4TH: GREEN REPLACED MANGUAL (PLAYING 2B); Brett doubled
to left; McRae out on a sacrifice bunt (first unassisted) [Brett
to third]; Mayberry singled to center [Brett scored]; Otis
reached on an error by Bando [Mayberry to second]; Rojas flied
out to center [Mayberry to third]; Healy flied out to center; 1
R, 2 H, 1 E, 2 LOB.  Athletics 1, Royals 1.

ATHLETICS 5TH: Fosse struck out; North grounded out (first to
pitcher); Campaneris flied out to right; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.
Athletics 1, Royals 1.

ROYALS 5TH: White popped to second; Pinson flied out to center;
Cowens singled to center; Cowens stole second; Brett flied out
to left; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Athletics 1, Royals 1.

ATHLETICS 6TH: Rudi flied out to right; Jackson was called out
on strikes; Bando struck out; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Athletics
1, Royals 1.

ROYALS 6TH: McRae flied out to center; Mayberry walked; Otis
singled to center [Mayberry to second]; Rojas flied out to
center [Mayberry to third]; Healy flied out to left; 0 R, 1 H, 0
E, 2 LOB.  Athletics 1, Royals 1.

ATHLETICS 7TH: Tenace walked; Alou out on a sacrifice bunt
(pitcher to second) [Tenace to second]; Green flied out to
right; Fosse grounded out (shortstop to first); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 1
LOB.  Athletics 1, Royals 1.

ROYALS 7TH: White flied out to center; Pinson doubled to left;
Cowens lined to first; Brett singled to second [Pinson scored];
McRae singled to right [Brett to third (error by Jackson)];
Mayberry walked [McRae to second]; Otis struck out; 1 R, 3 H, 1
E, 3 LOB.  Athletics 1, Royals 2.

ATHLETICS 8TH: North singled to center; Campaneris grounded out
(shortstop to first) [North to second]; Rudi flied out to
center; Jackson struck out; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Athletics 1,
Royals 2.

ROYALS 8TH: Rojas singled to center; Healy struck out; White
grounded into a double play (second to shortstop to first)
[Rojas out at second]; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Athletics 1,
Royals 2.

ATHLETICS 9TH: Bando grounded out (shortstop to first); Tenace
was called out on strikes; Alou grounded out (shortstop to
first); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Athletics 1, Royals 2.