The Athletics got strong pitching from Glenn Abbott, Dave Hamilton and Jim Todd to defeat the Twins in a doubleheader, 4-1 and 5-1. Abbott gained his first victory of the season in the opener on a yield of six hits, including a homer by Bobby Darwin that deprived him of a shutout in the ninth inning. Bert Blyleven was the loser, although giving up only four hits. The A's loaded the bases in the second on singles by Reggie Jackson and Joe Rudi and a pass to Billy Williams. One run scored when Claudell Washington forced Williams and another run crossed the plate when Danny Thompson threw wildly trying for a double play. Thompson's second wild throw of the game and another by Glenn Borgmann resulted in two more runs for the A's in the sixth after a pass to Sal Bando and single by Jackson.

Mike Norris started the nightcap for the A's, but pulled a muscle in his arm while passing leadoff batter Rod Carew. Hamilton took over and pitched through the sixth inning to gain his first victory of the season. Jim Todd finished. The A's used a walk to Bill North and singles by Bert Campaneris, Bando and Rudi to score two runs in the first inning. Two singles, three walks and a sacrifice fly added a pair in the sixth. Two passes and a single by Williams capped the scoring in the seventh. [The Sporting News]



Oakland Athletics 4, Minnesota Twins 1 (Game 1)
Game Played on Sunday, April     20, 1975 (Day game) at Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum
Twins        0  0  0    0  0  0    0  0  1  -   1  6  3
A's          0  2  0    0  0  2    0  0  x  -   4  4  1


Twins                AB   R   H RBI    BB  SO    AVG      A's                  AB   R   H RBI    BB  SO    AVG
Carew 2b              3   0   1   0     1   0   .480      North cf              4   0   0   0     0   2   .273
Bostock cf            4   0   1   0     0   0   .219      Campaneris ss         4   0   0   0     0   2   .133
  Ford cf             0   0   0   0     0   0   .143      Bando 3b              3   1   0   0     1   3   .158
Hisle lf              4   0   1   0     0   1   .205      Jackson rf            3   2   2   0     1   1   .256
Oliva dh              4   0   0   0     0   0   .200      Rudi 1b,lf            3   1   1   0     0   0   .326
Darwin rf             4   1   2   1     0   1   .209      Williams dh           2   0   0   0     1   1   .212
Soderholm 3b          4   0   0   0     0   0   .275      C. Washington lf      3   0   1   1     0   0   .295
Braun 1b              3   0   0   0     1   1   .226        Tenace 1b           0   0   0   0     0   0   .172
Thompson ss           4   0   1   0     0   0   .294      Fosse c               3   0   0   0     0   1   .000
Borgmann c            3   0   0   0     0   2   .270      Garner 2b             3   0   0   0     0   2   .182
Blyleven p            0   0   0   0     0   0   .000      Abbott p              0   0   0   0     0   0   .000

Totals               33   1   6   1     2   5             Totals               28   4   4   1     3  12

Time of Game: 2:10
Left on Base: Twins 7, A's 3
DP: Twins 0, A's 0
Errors: Thompson 2, Borgmann, Abbott
Home Runs: Darwin (1)
Stolen Bases: Jackson (1), C. Washington (4)


Twins                  IP     H   R  ER  BB  SO  HR BFP    ERA
Blyleven L(2-1)         8     4   4   2   3  12   0  31   2.97
Totals                  8     4   4   2   3  12   0  31

A's                    IP     H   R  ER  BB  SO  HR BFP    ERA
Abbott W(1-0)           9     6   1   1   2   5   1  35   2.61
Totals                  9     6   1   1   2   5   1  35

Umpires: HP - Russ Goetz, 1B - Merle Anthony, 2B - George Maloney, 3B - Bill Deegan


TWINS 1ST: Carew grounded out (shortstop to first); Bostock
grounded out (second to first); Hisle lined to left; 0 R, 0 H, 0
E, 0 LOB.  Twins 0, Athletics 0.

ATHLETICS 1ST: North was called out on strikes; Campaneris
struck out; Bando was called out on strikes; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0
LOB.  Twins 0, Athletics 0.

TWINS 2ND: Oliva flied out to center; Darwin struck out;
Soderholm flied out to center; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Twins 0,
Athletics 0.

ATHLETICS 2ND: Jackson singled to center; Rudi singled [Jackson
to second]; Williams walked [Jackson to third, Rudi to second];
C. Washington forced Williams (second to shortstop) [Jackson
scored, Rudi scored (error by Thompson) (unearned), C.
Washington to second]; Fosse struck out; Garner grounded out
(second to first); 2 R (1 ER), 2 H, 1 E, 1 LOB.  Twins 0,
Athletics 2.

TWINS 3RD: Braun walked; Braun was picked off first but was safe
on an error by Abbott [Braun to second]; Thompson grounded out
(shortstop to first); Borgmann popped to catcher in foul
territory; Carew walked; Bostock grounded out (second to first);
0 R, 0 H, 1 E, 2 LOB.  Twins 0, Athletics 2.

ATHLETICS 3RD: North was called out on strikes; Campaneris
struck out; Bando struck out; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Twins 0,
Athletics 2.

TWINS 4TH: Hisle struck out; Oliva popped to third in foul
territory; Darwin singled to left; Soderholm forced Darwin
(third to second); 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Twins 0, Athletics 2.

ATHLETICS 4TH: Jackson walked; Rudi popped to shortstop;
Williams popped to second; C. Washington lined to second; 0 R, 0
H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Twins 0, Athletics 2.

TWINS 5TH: Braun popped to third; Thompson popped to first in
foul territory; Borgmann struck out; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.
Twins 0, Athletics 2.

ATHLETICS 5TH: Fosse grounded out (shortstop to first); Garner
struck out; North grounded out (second to first); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E,
0 LOB.  Twins 0, Athletics 2.

TWINS 6TH: Carew singled to center; Bostock singled to right
[Carew to second]; Hisle flied out to right [Carew to third];
Oliva popped to shortstop; Darwin flied out to center; 0 R, 2 H,
0 E, 2 LOB.  Twins 0, Athletics 2.

ATHLETICS 6TH: Campaneris grounded out (third to first); Bando
walked; Jackson singled to right [Bando to third]; Jackson stole
second [Bando scored, Jackson scored (error by Borgmann) (error
by Thompson) (unearned)]; Rudi flied out to left; Williams was
called out on strikes; 2 R (1 ER), 1 H, 2 E, 0 LOB.  Twins 0,
Athletics 4.

TWINS 7TH: Soderholm grounded out (shortstop to first); Braun
flied to left in foul territory; Thompson singled to center;
Borgmann struck out; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Twins 0, Athletics 4.

ATHLETICS 7TH: C. Washington singled to left; C. Washington
stole second; Fosse grounded out (pitcher to first); Garner
struck out; North flied out to center; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.
Twins 0, Athletics 4.

TWINS 8TH: RUDI CHANGED POSITIONS (PLAYING LF); TENACE REPLACED
C. WASHINGTON (PLAYING 1B); Carew grounded out (second to
first); Bostock grounded out (pitcher to first); Hisle singled
to center; Oliva grounded out (second to first); 0 R, 1 H, 0 E,
1 LOB.  Twins 0, Athletics 4.

ATHLETICS 8TH: FORD REPLACED BOSTOCK (PLAYING CF); Campaneris
flied out to center; Bando struck out; Jackson was called out on
strikes; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Twins 0, Athletics 4.

TWINS 9TH: Darwin homered; Soderholm popped to first in foul
territory; Braun struck out; Thompson grounded out (shortstop to
first); 1 R, 1 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Twins 1, Athletics 4.