The Royals swept an extra-inning pair in a twi-night doubleheader with the Athletics, 7-6 and 5-4, to extend their winning streak to 16 games, longest in the major leagues in 24 years since the Yankees reeled off 18 in a row in 1953. In the opener, the Royals came from behind twice, tying the score at 5-5 with a three-run rally in the sixth inning and pulling even again at 6-6 in the seventh when Al Cowens tripled and Amos Otis hit a sacrifice fly. The West Division leaders then put over the winning run in the 11th. Willie Wilson singled and stole second. After an intentional pass to Darrell Porter, Pete LaCock singled to give the Royals their victory.

In the nightcap, another three-run rally in the sixth inning enabled the Royals to tie the score at 4-4. Cowens doubled to account for two runs and then homered in the 10th to win the game. Doug Bair, pitching in relief for the A's, was the loser in both ends. [The Sporting News]



Kansas City Royals 7, Oakland Athletics 6 (Game 1)
Game Played on Thursday, September 15, 1977 (Night game) at Royals Stadium
A's          2  2  0    0  0  1    1  0  0    0  0  -   6  8  5
Royals       0  0  1    1  0  3    1  0  0    0  1  -   7 13  1


A's                  AB   R   H RBI    BB  SO    AVG      Royals               AB   R   H RBI    BB  SO    AVG
Scott 2b              5   2   1   1     1   0   .265      Zdeb lf               4   0   0   1     1   1   .270
Picciolo ss           6   1   2   1     0   0   .194        Lahoud ph           0   0   0   0     1   0   .264
Tyrone rf             3   0   1   1     0   1   .242        Heise pr,2b         0   0   0   0     0   0   .255
  Alexander pr,rf,cf  1   1   1   0     0   0   .250      McRae dh              6   1   2   0     0   1   .291
E. Williams 1b        4   0   1   1     0   1   .241      Brett 3b              6   0   2   1     0   0   .314
  Lintz pr            0   0   0   0     0   0   .103      Cowens rf             6   1   2   0     0   1   .302
  Jorgensen 1b        1   0   0   0     0   0   .232      Otis cf               2   1   0   1     2   0   .249
Sanguillen dh         5   0   1   1     0   1   .266        Wilson pr,cf        1   1   1   0     0   0  1.000
Gross 3b              3   0   0   0     2   0   .233      Wathan c              4   2   4   1     0   0   .355
Armas cf              3   0   1   0     0   0   .252        Nelson pr           0   0   0   0     0   0   .205
  Mallory pr,lf       2   0   0   0     0   0   .219        Porter c            1   0   0   0     1   0   .281
Hosley c              4   0   0   0     1   1   .206      Mayberry 1b           3   1   1   0     1   0   .234
Murray lf,cf          2   2   0   0     2   0   .168        Washington pr       0   0   0   0     0   0   .000
  Page ph             1   0   0   0     0   0   .308        LaCock 1b           1   0   1   1     0   0   .291
  Crawford rf         0   0   0   0     0   0   .218      Patek ss              3   0   0   1     0   2   .262
Blue p                0   0   0   0     0   0   .000      White 2b              4   0   0   0     0   1   .244
  Bair p              0   0   0   0     0   0   .000        Poquette ph,lf      0   0   0   0     1   0   .292
                                                          Hassler p             0   0   0   0     0   0   .000
                                                            McGilberry p        0   0   0   0     0   0   .000
                                                            Bird p              0   0   0   0     0   0   .000

Totals               40   6   8   5     6   4             Totals               41   7  13   6     7   6

Time of Game: 3:26
Left on Base: A's 8, Royals 14
DP: A's 0, Royals 0
Errors: Scott, Picciolo, Tyrone, Mallory, Hosley, White
Doubles: Picciolo (8), Armas (7), Alexander (1), McRae (49), Mayberry (20)
Triples: Sanguillen (5), Cowens (11)
Stolen Bases: Scott (25), Murray (10), Alexander (21), Lintz (11), Otis (20), Brett 2 (13), Wilson (2)
Sacrifice Hits: Mayberry (1), Patek (12)
Sacrifice Flies: Tyrone (4), Patek (7), Otis (8)


A's                    IP     H   R  ER  BB  SO  HR BFP    ERA
Blue                    7     9   6   3   3   3   0  34   3.82
Bair L(3-3)             3.1   4   1   1   4   3   0  18   3.62
Totals                 10.1  13   7   4   7   6   0  52

Royals                 IP     H   R  ER  BB  SO  HR BFP    ERA
Hassler                 3     3   4   2   5   2   0  18   4.30
McGilberry              3.1   3   2   2   0   1   0  12   3.38
Bird W(11-4)            4.2   2   0   0   1   1   0  17   3.96
Totals                 11     8   6   4   6   4   0  47

Wild Pitches: Blue 2 (11)

Umpires: HP - Jim McKean, 1B - Bill Haller, 2B - Mike Reilly, 3B - Bill Kunkel


ATHLETICS 1ST: Scott reached on an error by White; Picciolo
singled to center [Scott to second]; Scott stole third; Tyrone
lined out on a sacrifice fly to center [Scott scored
(unearned)]; E. Williams struck out; Sanguillen tripled to left
[Picciolo scored (unearned)]; Gross popped to shortstop; 2 R (0
ER), 2 H, 1 E, 1 LOB.  Athletics 2, Royals 0.

ROYALS 1ST: Zdeb lined to center; McRae singled to left; Brett
forced McRae (second to shortstop) [Brett to second (error by
Picciolo)]; Cowens grounded out (second to first); 0 R, 1 H, 1
E, 1 LOB.  Athletics 2, Royals 0.

ATHLETICS 2ND: Armas lined to center; Hosley flied out to left;
Murray walked; Murray stole second; Scott walked; Picciolo
doubled to right [Murray scored, Scott scored (on throw) (no
RBI)]; Tyrone struck out; 2 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Athletics 4,
Royals 0.

ROYALS 2ND: Otis grounded out (pitcher to first); Wathan singled
to left; Mayberry out on a sacrifice bunt (pitcher to first)
[Wathan to second]; Patek struck out; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.
Athletics 4, Royals 0.

ATHLETICS 3RD: E. Williams flied out to right; Sanguillen
grounded out (second to first); Gross walked; Armas forced Gross
(shortstop to second); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Athletics 4,
Royals 0.

ROYALS 3RD: White was called out on strikes; Zdeb grounded out
(shortstop to first); McRae doubled to left; Brett singled to
left [McRae scored]; Cowens singled to center [Brett to second];
Otis flied out to center; 1 R, 3 H, 0 E, 2 LOB.  Athletics 4,
Royals 1.

ATHLETICS 4TH: Hosley walked; Murray walked [Hosley to second];
MCGILBERRY REPLACED HASSLER (PITCHING); Scott popped to first;
Picciolo flied out to right; Tyrone flied out to center; 0 R, 0
H, 0 E, 2 LOB.  Athletics 4, Royals 1.

ROYALS 4TH: Wathan singled to right [Wathan to second (error by
Tyrone)]; Mayberry grounded out (first unassisted) [Wathan to
third]; Patek lined out on a sacrifice fly to center [Wathan
scored (unearned)]; White lined to third; 1 R (0 ER), 1 H, 1 E,
0 LOB.  Athletics 4, Royals 2.

ATHLETICS 5TH: E. Williams flied out to center; Sanguillen
struck out; Gross popped to shortstop; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.
Athletics 4, Royals 2.

ROYALS 5TH: Zdeb lined to second; McRae flied out to right;
Brett flied out to left; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Athletics 4,
Royals 2.

ATHLETICS 6TH: Armas doubled to right; MALLORY RAN FOR ARMAS;
Hosley grounded out (first to pitcher) [Mallory to third];
Murray reached on a fielder's choice [Mallory out at home
(shortstop to catcher to third), Murray to second]; Scott
singled to center [Murray scored]; Scott was picked off first
(pitcher to first); 1 R, 2 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Athletics 5, Royals 2.

ROYALS 6TH: MALLORY STAYED IN GAME (PLAYING LF); MURRAY CHANGED
POSITIONS (PLAYING CF); Cowens flied out to left; Otis walked;
Otis stole second [Otis to third (error by Hosley)]; Wathan
singled to left [Otis scored]; Blue threw a wild pitch [Wathan
to second]; Mayberry walked; Patek was called out on strikes;
White reached on a fielder's choice [Wathan to third, Mayberry
to second (error by Scott)]; Zdeb walked [Wathan scored
(unearned), Mayberry to third, White to second]; Blue threw a
wild pitch [Mayberry scored (unearned), White to third, Zdeb to
second]; McRae lined to center; 3 R (1 ER), 1 H, 2 E, 2 LOB.
Athletics 5, Royals 5.

ATHLETICS 7TH: Picciolo lined to right; Tyrone singled to
center; BIRD REPLACED MCGILBERRY (PITCHING); ALEXANDER RAN FOR
TYRONE; Alexander stole second; E. Williams singled [Alexander
scored]; LINTZ RAN FOR E. WILLIAMS; Lintz stole second;
Sanguillen grounded out (shortstop to first); Gross walked;
Mallory forced Gross (shortstop unassisted); 1 R, 2 H, 0 E, 2
LOB.  Athletics 6, Royals 5.

ROYALS 7TH: ALEXANDER STAYED IN GAME (PLAYING RF); JORGENSEN
REPLACED LINTZ (PLAYING 1B); Brett lined to center; Cowens
tripled; Otis hit a sacrifice fly to right [Cowens scored];
Wathan singled to left [Wathan to second (error by Mallory)];
NELSON RAN FOR WATHAN; Mayberry popped to first; 1 R, 2 H, 1 E,
1 LOB.  Athletics 6, Royals 6.

ATHLETICS 8TH: PORTER REPLACED NELSON (PLAYING C ); Hosley
grounded out (third to first); Murray lined to right; Scott
grounded out (second to first); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Athletics
6, Royals 6.

ROYALS 8TH: BAIR REPLACED BLUE (PITCHING); Patek flied out to
center; White lined to left; Zdeb struck out; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0
LOB.  Athletics 6, Royals 6.

ATHLETICS 9TH: Picciolo grounded out (shortstop to first);
Alexander doubled to left; Jorgensen lined to first; Sanguillen
grounded out (second to first); 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Athletics
6, Royals 6.

ROYALS 9TH: McRae grounded out (shortstop to first); Brett
singled to left; Brett stole second; Cowens was called out on
strikes; Brett stole third; Otis walked; WILSON RAN FOR OTIS;
Wilson advanced to second because of defensive indifference
[Wilson to second]; Porter flied out to left; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 2
LOB.  Athletics 6, Royals 6.

ATHLETICS 10TH: WILSON STAYED IN GAME (PLAYING CF); Gross flied
out to center; Mallory lined to center; Hosley struck out; 0 R,
0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Athletics 6, Royals 6.

ROYALS 10TH: Mayberry doubled to right; WASHINGTON RAN FOR
MAYBERRY; Patek out on a sacrifice bunt (third to second)
[Washington to third]; POQUETTE BATTED FOR WHITE; Poquette was
walked intentionally; LAHOUD BATTED FOR ZDEB; Lahoud was walked
intentionally [Poquette to second]; HEISE RAN FOR LAHOUD; McRae
struck out; Brett flied out to center; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 3 LOB.
Athletics 6, Royals 6.

ATHLETICS 11TH: HEISE STAYED IN GAME (PLAYING 2B); POQUETTE
STAYED IN GAME (PLAYING LF); LACOCK REPLACED WASHINGTON (PLAYING
1B); PAGE BATTED FOR MURRAY; Page popped to catcher in foul
territory; Scott flied out to right; Picciolo grounded out
(pitcher to first); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Athletics 6, Royals 6.

ROYALS 11TH: CRAWFORD REPLACED PAGE (PLAYING RF); ALEXANDER
CHANGED POSITIONS (PLAYING CF); Cowens grounded out (third to
first); Wilson singled to left; Wilson stole second; Porter was
walked intentionally; LaCock singled to left [Wilson scored,
Porter to second]; 1 R, 2 H, 0 E, 2 LOB.  Athletics 6, Royals 7.