The Athletics, after winning the first game of a doubleheader, 4-2, slipped 4½ lengths behind the Royals in the West Division race by losing the second game to the Twins, 4-3. Vida Blue was the winner of the opener with batting help from Gene Tenace, who drove in three runs with a single and homer. Dan Ford rapped a round-tripper for the Twins.

In the nightcap, the A's had a circuit clout by Claudell Washington, while Mike Cubbage connected with a man on base for the Twins. With the score tied, 3-3, Craig Kusick opened the Twins' ninth with a double, Cubbage beat out an infield hit and Ford singled to drive in the winning run. [The Sporting News]



Oakland Athletics 4, Minnesota Twins 2 (Game 1)
Game Played on Tuesday, September 14, 1976 (Day game) at Metropolitan Stadium
A's          0  0  0    2  0  0    0  2  0  -   4  9  1
Twins        0  1  0    0  0  0    0  0  1  -   2  8  2


A's                  AB   R   H RBI    BB  SO    AVG      Twins                AB   R   H RBI    BB  SO    AVG
North cf              4   0   2   0     1   0   .274      Terrell 3b            4   0   2   0     0   0   .244
Washington rf         3   1   0   0     2   3   .252      Randall 2b            4   0   0   0     0   1   .267
Baylor dh             5   0   0   0     0   3   .246      Hisle lf              3   0   1   0     1   0   .268
Rudi lf               5   1   1   1     0   1   .286      Kusick 1b             4   0   1   0     0   0   .254
Bando 3b              3   1   0   0     1   0   .232      Ford rf               4   2   3   1     0   0   .263
Tenace 1b             4   1   3   3     0   0   .259      Brye cf               4   0   0   0     0   0   .263
Garner 2b             3   0   0   0     1   0   .259      Wynegar dh            4   0   0   1     0   1   .270
Sandt ss              4   0   1   0     0   0   .214      Borgmann c            3   0   0   0     1   1   .245
Newman c              4   0   2   0     0   0   .203      Gomez ss              3   0   1   0     0   0   .200
Blue p                0   0   0   0     0   0   .000      Luebber p             0   0   0   0     0   0   .000
                                                            Campbell p          0   0   0   0     0   0   .000

Totals               35   4   9   4     5   7             Totals               33   2   8   2     2   3

Time of Game: 2:31
Left on Base: A's 9, Twins 6
DP: A's 1, Twins 1
Errors: Sandt, Borgmann, Luebber
Doubles: Newman (4)
Triples: Ford (6)
Home Runs: Tenace (20), Ford (17)
Stolen Bases: Washington (33), Bando (16), North (69)
Caught Stealing: Hisle (15), Brye (2)
GIDP: Randall (6)


A's                    IP     H   R  ER  BB  SO  HR BFP    ERA
Blue W(15-12)           9     8   2   2   2   3   1  35   2.45
Totals                  9     8   2   2   2   3   1  35

Twins                  IP     H   R  ER  BB  SO  HR BFP    ERA
Luebber L(4-5)          8     7   4   4   5   4   1  35   4.07
Campbell                1     2   0   0   0   3   0   5   3.18
Totals                  9     9   4   4   5   7   1  40

Umpires: HP - Russ Goetz, 1B - George Maloney, 2B - Jim McKean, 3B - Nick Bremigan


ATHLETICS 1ST: North grounded out (first unassisted); Washington
struck out; Baylor struck out; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Athletics
0, Twins 0.

TWINS 1ST: Terrell singled; Randall was called out on strikes;
Hisle flied out to center; Kusick made an out to second; 0 R, 1
H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Athletics 0, Twins 0.

ATHLETICS 2ND: Rudi popped to first in foul territory; Bando
made an out to third; Tenace singled; Garner flied out to
center; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Athletics 0, Twins 0.

TWINS 2ND: Ford tripled to right; Brye made an out to first;
Wynegar grounded out (first unassisted) [Ford scored]; Borgmann
walked; Gomez singled [Borgmann to second]; Terrell lined to
shortstop; 1 R, 2 H, 0 E, 2 LOB.  Athletics 0, Twins 1.

ATHLETICS 3RD: Sandt singled; Newman flied out to right; North
lined into a double play (shortstop to first) [Sandt out at
first]; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Athletics 0, Twins 1.

TWINS 3RD: Randall flied out to left; Hisle walked; Hisle was
picked off and caught stealing second (pitcher to first); Kusick
popped to first in foul territory; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.
Athletics 0, Twins 1.

ATHLETICS 4TH: Washington walked; Washington stole second
[Washington to third (error by Borgmann)]; Baylor flied out to
center; Rudi singled [Washington scored]; Bando grounded out
(first unassisted) [Rudi to second]; Tenace singled to left
[Rudi scored]; Garner walked [Tenace to second]; Sandt forced
Garner (shortstop to second); 2 R, 2 H, 1 E, 2 LOB.  Athletics
2, Twins 1.

TWINS 4TH: Ford grounded out (shortstop to first); Brye reached
on an error by Sandt; Brye was caught stealing second (catcher
to second); Wynegar lined to left; 0 R, 0 H, 1 E, 0 LOB.
Athletics 2, Twins 1.

ATHLETICS 5TH: Newman flied out to center; North singled; North
was picked off first but was safe on an error by Luebber [North
to second]; Washington walked; Baylor flied out to center; Rudi
forced North (third unassisted); 0 R, 1 H, 1 E, 2 LOB.
Athletics 2, Twins 1.

TWINS 5TH: Borgmann grounded out (shortstop to first); Gomez
lined to second; Terrell made an out to first; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0
LOB.  Athletics 2, Twins 1.

ATHLETICS 6TH: Bando made an out to shortstop; Tenace grounded
out (pitcher to first); Garner grounded out (pitcher to first);
0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Athletics 2, Twins 1.

TWINS 6TH: Randall flied out to center; Hisle grounded out
(shortstop to first); Kusick singled; Ford singled [Kusick to
second]; Brye flied out to center; 0 R, 2 H, 0 E, 2 LOB.
Athletics 2, Twins 1.

ATHLETICS 7TH: Sandt grounded out (third to first); Newman
singled; North walked [Newman to second]; Washington struck out;
Baylor was called out on strikes; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 2 LOB.
Athletics 2, Twins 1.

TWINS 7TH: Wynegar flied out to left; Borgmann was called out on
strikes; Gomez grounded out (shortstop to first); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E,
0 LOB.  Athletics 2, Twins 1.

ATHLETICS 8TH: Rudi grounded out (second to first); Bando
walked; Bando stole second; Tenace homered [Bando scored];
Garner flied out to center; Sandt lined to left; 2 R, 1 H, 0 E,
0 LOB.  Athletics 4, Twins 1.

TWINS 8TH: Terrell singled; Randall grounded into a double play
(shortstop to first) [Terrell out at second]; Hisle singled;
Kusick forced Hisle (third to second); 0 R, 2 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.
Athletics 4, Twins 1.

ATHLETICS 9TH: CAMPBELL REPLACED LUEBBER (PITCHING); Newman
doubled to left; On a bunt North singled [Newman to third];
North stole second; Washington struck out; Baylor struck out;
Rudi struck out; 0 R, 2 H, 0 E, 2 LOB.  Athletics 4, Twins 1.

TWINS 9TH: Ford homered; Brye flied out to right; Wynegar struck
out; Borgmann grounded out (second to first); 1 R, 1 H, 0 E, 0
LOB.  Athletics 4, Twins 2.