The Royals eased some tension in their drive to capture the West Division title by edging the Rangers, 2-1, in 14 innings to pull six games ahead of the Athletics with only eight games left for each club. The Rangers counted their run in the fourth on a single by Gene Clines, sacrifice by Toby Harrah, a wild pitch and sacrifice fly by Mike Hargrove.

The Royals' tying tally came in the sixth when George Brett walked, Amos Otis singled and Hal McRae hit a sacrifice fly. The contest, which took four hours, 35 minutes to complete, then proceeded with a parade of zeroes until the Royals finally broke the tie in the 14th. John Wathan opened the stanza with a single off Steve Foucault and Jim Wohlford walked. After relievers Craig Skok and Jeff Terpko each retired one batter, McRae came through with a clutch single, scoring Wathan. [The Sporting News]



Kansas City Royals 2, Texas Rangers 1
Game Played on Friday, September 24, 1976 (Night game) at Arlington Stadium
Royals       0  0  0    0  0  1    0  0  0    0  0  0    0  1  -   2 12  1
Rangers      0  0  0    1  0  0    0  0  0    0  0  0    0  0  -   1  7  1


Royals               AB   R   H RBI    BB  SO    AVG      Rangers              AB   R   H RBI    BB  SO    AVG
Wohlford rf           6   0   0   0     1   0   .243      Clines lf             6   1   2   0     0   1   .271
Brett 3b              6   1   3   0     1   0   .334      Harrah ss             4   0   1   0     1   0   .259
Otis cf               6   0   1   0     1   3   .283      Hargrove 1b           5   0   1   1     0   0   .286
McRae lf              6   0   3   2     0   0   .337      Burroughs rf          4   0   1   0     1   2   .237
Davis dh              7   0   1   0     0   0   .264      Howell 3b             3   0   0   0     0   0   .256
Mayberry 1b           5   0   1   0     1   1   .237        Fregosi ph          1   0   0   0     0   0   .235
Rojas 2b              5   0   1   0     0   1   .234        Thompson 3b         2   0   0   0     0   0   .224
  Wilson pr           0   0   0   0     0   0   .333      Grieve dh             3   0   1   0     0   1   .255
  White 2b,ss         0   0   0   0     1   0   .234        Moates pr,dh        0   0   0   0     0   0   .241
Patek ss              5   0   0   0     0   1   .245        Ault ph,dh          3   0   0   0     0   0   .176
  Poquette ph         1   0   0   0     0   1   .308      Randle 2b             5   0   1   0     0   0   .220
  D. Nelson 2b        0   0   0   0     0   0   .233      Beniquez cf           5   0   0   0     0   0   .257
Martinez c            2   0   0   0     1   0   .233      Sundberg c            2   0   0   0     0   0   .225
  Cowens ph           1   0   1   0     0   0   .264        Lahoud ph           0   0   0   0     1   0   .201
  Wathan c            2   1   1   0     0   1   .333        Fahey c             2   0   0   0     0   0   .234
Fitzmorris p          0   0   0   0     0   0   .000      Umbarger p            0   0   0   0     0   0   .000
  Gura p              0   0   0   0     0   0   .000        Bacsik p            0   0   0   0     0   0   .000
  Littell p           0   0   0   0     0   0   .000        Foucault p          0   0   0   0     0   0   .000
                                                            Skok p              0   0   0   0     0   0   .000
                                                            Terpko p            0   0   0   0     0   0   .000

Totals               52   2  12   2     6   8             Totals               45   1   7   1     3   4

Time of Game: 4:35   Attendance:  6,949
Left on Base: Royals 15, Rangers 8
DP: Royals 0, Rangers 1
Errors: Brett, Harrah
Doubles: Brett (30), Cowens (22), Grieve (22), Clines (12)
Stolen Bases: Wilson (2)
Caught Stealing: Wohlford (15), Randle (15), Harrah (4)
Sacrifice Hits: Harrah (5), Burroughs (2)
Sacrifice Flies: McRae (7), Hargrove (6)
GIDP: Davis (13)


Royals                 IP     H   R  ER  BB  SO  HR BFP    ERA
Fitzmorris              8     5   1   1   1   3   0  29   3.09
Gura W(3-0)             5     2   0   0   2   0   0  19   2.79
Littell SV(16)          1     0   0   0   0   1   0   3   2.04
Totals                 14     7   1   1   3   4   0  51

Rangers                IP     H   R  ER  BB  SO  HR BFP    ERA
Umbarger                9.1   9   1   1   3   3   0  38   3.09
Bacsik                  3.1   1   0   0   2   3   0  14   4.09
Foucault L(8-8)         0.1   1   1   1   1   1   0   3   3.33
Skok                    0.1   0   0   0   0   0   0   1  12.60
Terpko                  0.2   1   0   0   0   1   0   3   2.39
Totals                 14    12   2   2   6   8   0  59

Wild Pitches: Fitzmorris (3)

Umpires: HP - Don Denkinger, 1B - Larry Barnett, 2B - Dale Ford, 3B - Marty Springstead


ROYALS 1ST: Wohlford popped to shortstop; Brett singled to
center; Otis flied out to center; McRae singled to left [Brett
to second]; Davis forced McRae (shortstop to second); 0 R, 2 H,
0 E, 2 LOB.  Royals 0, Rangers 0.

RANGERS 1ST: Clines grounded out (pitcher to first); Harrah
flied out to center; Hargrove grounded out (first unassisted); 0
R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Royals 0, Rangers 0.

ROYALS 2ND: Mayberry grounded out (second to first); Rojas was
called out on strikes; Patek lined to third; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0
LOB.  Royals 0, Rangers 0.

RANGERS 2ND: Burroughs flied out to right; Howell grounded out
(first unassisted); Grieve was called out on strikes; 0 R, 0 H,
0 E, 0 LOB.  Royals 0, Rangers 0.

ROYALS 3RD: Martinez flied out to center; Wohlford lined to
center; Brett doubled to right; Otis was called out on strikes;
0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Royals 0, Rangers 0.

RANGERS 3RD: Randle singled to right; Randle was caught stealing
second (catcher to shortstop); Beniquez flied out to center;
Sundberg grounded out (third to first); 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.
Royals 0, Rangers 0.

ROYALS 4TH: McRae popped to second in foul territory; Davis
singled to center; Mayberry flied out to right; Rojas grounded
out (third to first); 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Royals 0, Rangers 0.

RANGERS 4TH: Clines singled to left; Harrah out on a sacrifice
bunt (pitcher to first) [Clines to second]; Fitzmorris threw a
wild pitch [Clines to third]; Hargrove hit a sacrifice fly to
left [Clines scored]; Burroughs was called out on strikes; 1 R,
1 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Royals 0, Rangers 1.

ROYALS 5TH: Patek grounded out (shortstop to first); Martinez
walked; Wohlford forced Martinez (shortstop to second); Wohlford
was picked off and caught stealing second (pitcher to first to
shortstop); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Royals 0, Rangers 1.

RANGERS 5TH: Howell flied out to center; Grieve flied out to
center; Randle grounded out (pitcher to first); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0
LOB.  Royals 0, Rangers 1.

ROYALS 6TH: Brett walked; Otis singled to left [Brett to third];
McRae hit a sacrifice fly to center [Brett scored]; Davis
grounded into a double play (shortstop to second to first) [Otis
out at second]; 1 R, 1 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Royals 1, Rangers 1.

RANGERS 6TH: Beniquez grounded out (shortstop to first);
Sundberg grounded out (shortstop to first); Clines struck out; 0
R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Royals 1, Rangers 1.

ROYALS 7TH: Mayberry singled to left; Rojas lined to third;
Patek forced Mayberry (shortstop to second); Martinez flied out
to center; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Royals 1, Rangers 1.

RANGERS 7TH: Harrah grounded out (shortstop to first); Hargrove
grounded out (second to first); Burroughs singled to right;
Howell lined to shortstop; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Royals 1,
Rangers 1.

ROYALS 8TH: On a bunt Wohlford grounded out (catcher to first);
Brett grounded out (shortstop to first); Otis walked; McRae
singled to center [Otis to second]; Davis forced McRae
(shortstop to second); 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 2 LOB.  Royals 1, Rangers
1.

RANGERS 8TH: Grieve doubled to right; MOATES RAN FOR GRIEVE;
Randle grounded out (pitcher to first); Beniquez grounded out
(third to first) [Moates to third]; LAHOUD BATTED FOR SUNDBERG;
Lahoud was walked intentionally; Clines grounded out (pitcher to
first); 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 2 LOB.  Royals 1, Rangers 1.

ROYALS 9TH: MOATES STAYED IN GAME (PLAYING DH); FAHEY REPLACED
LAHOUD (PLAYING C ); Mayberry struck out; Rojas popped to second
in foul territory; Patek popped to shortstop; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0
LOB.  Royals 1, Rangers 1.

RANGERS 9TH: Harrah singled to center; GURA REPLACED FITZMORRIS
(PITCHING); Hargrove flied out to center; Harrah was caught
stealing second (catcher to second); Burroughs walked; FREGOSI
BATTED FOR HOWELL; Fregosi forced Burroughs (third to second); 0
R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Royals 1, Rangers 1.

ROYALS 10TH: THOMPSON REPLACED FREGOSI (PLAYING 3B); COWENS
BATTED FOR MARTINEZ; Cowens doubled to left; Wohlford reached on
a fielder's choice [Cowens out at third (first to third)]; Brett
singled to center [Wohlford to third]; BACSIK REPLACED UMBARGER
(PITCHING); Otis popped to catcher in foul territory; McRae
flied out to right; 0 R, 2 H, 0 E, 2 LOB.  Royals 1, Rangers 1.

RANGERS 10TH: WATHAN REPLACED COWENS (PLAYING C ); AULT BATTED
FOR MOATES; Ault grounded out (pitcher to first); Randle popped
to first in foul territory; Beniquez flied out to right; 0 R, 0
H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Royals 1, Rangers 1.

ROYALS 11TH: Davis popped to second; Mayberry grounded out
(second to first); Rojas singled to left; WILSON RAN FOR ROJAS;
Wilson stole second; Patek struck out; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.
Royals 1, Rangers 1.

RANGERS 11TH: WHITE REPLACED WILSON (PLAYING 2B); Fahey grounded
out (pitcher to first); Clines grounded out (second to first);
Harrah flied out to right; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Royals 1,
Rangers 1.

ROYALS 12TH: Wathan was called out on strikes; Wohlford reached
on an error by Harrah; Brett grounded out (third to first)
[Wohlford to second]; Otis struck out; 0 R, 0 H, 1 E, 1 LOB.
Royals 1, Rangers 1.

RANGERS 12TH: Hargrove singled to right; Burroughs out on a
sacrifice bunt (pitcher to first) [Hargrove to second]; Thompson
grounded out (third to first); Ault reached on an error by Brett
[Hargrove to third]; Randle popped to third in foul territory; 0
R, 1 H, 1 E, 2 LOB.  Royals 1, Rangers 1.

ROYALS 13TH: McRae flied out to center; Davis grounded out
(second to first); Mayberry walked; White walked [Mayberry to
second]; FOUCAULT REPLACED BACSIK (PITCHING); POQUETTE BATTED
FOR PATEK; Poquette struck out; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 2 LOB.  Royals 1,
Rangers 1.

RANGERS 13TH: D. NELSON REPLACED POQUETTE (PLAYING 2B); WHITE
CHANGED POSITIONS (PLAYING SS); Beniquez popped to second; Fahey
flied out to center; Clines doubled to left; Harrah was walked
intentionally; Hargrove popped to shortstop; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 2
LOB.  Royals 1, Rangers 1.

ROYALS 14TH: Wathan singled to center; Wohlford walked [Wathan
to second]; SKOK REPLACED FOUCAULT (PITCHING); Brett flied out
to center; TERPKO REPLACED SKOK (PITCHING); Otis struck out;
McRae singled to right [Wathan scored, Wohlford to third]; Davis
grounded out (third to first); 1 R, 2 H, 0 E, 2 LOB.  Royals 2,
Rangers 1.

RANGERS 14TH: LITTELL REPLACED GURA (PITCHING); Burroughs was
called out on strikes; Thompson grounded out (second to first);
Ault flied out to right; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Royals 2,
Rangers 1.