Hal McRae hit a two-run homer in the fifth while George Brett contributed solo homers in the fourth and eighth to power the Royals to a 4-2 decision over the Twins and their 19th victory in 20 games. Paul Splittorff pitched a seven-hitter for his sixth straight triumph. [The Sporting News]



Kansas City Royals 4, Minnesota Twins 2
Game Played on Tuesday, September 20, 1977 (Night game) at Royals Stadium
Twins        0  0  1    0  1  0    0  0  0  -   2  7  1
Royals       0  0  0    1  2  0    0  1  x  -   4  9  0


Twins                AB   R   H RBI    BB  SO    AVG      Royals               AB   R   H RBI    BB  SO    AVG
Norwood cf            4   0   3   1     0   0   .200      Zdeb lf               3   1   1   0     1   0   .285
Bostock lf            3   0   0   0     1   2   .329      McRae dh              4   1   1   2     0   0   .294
Ford rf               4   0   0   0     0   1   .271      Brett 3b              4   2   2   2     0   0   .312
Kusick 1b             3   0   2   0     1   0   .255      Cowens rf             4   0   1   0     0   0   .306
Wolfe 3b              3   0   0   0     0   0   .214      Otis cf               3   0   1   0     1   1   .248
Smalley ss            4   0   0   0     0   1   .231      Wathan c              4   0   1   0     0   0   .347
Wynegar c             4   1   1   1     0   1   .262      Mayberry 1b           3   0   0   0     1   0   .231
Gorinski dh           3   0   0   0     0   1   .193      Patek ss              4   0   1   0     0   0   .262
Randall 2b            3   1   1   0     0   0   .241      White 2b              3   0   1   0     0   0   .249
Zahn p                0   0   0   0     0   0   .000      Splittorff p          0   0   0   0     0   0   .000
  T. Johnson p        0   0   0   0     0   0   .000

Totals               31   2   7   2     2   6             Totals               32   4   9   4     3   1

Time of Game: 2:21   Attendance: 24,549
Left on Base: Twins 5, Royals 7
DP: Twins 0, Royals 2
Errors: Kusick
Doubles: Norwood (3), White (20)
Home Runs: Wynegar (10), Brett 2 (21), McRae (19)
Stolen Bases: Otis (21)
Caught Stealing: Patek (11), Cowens (12)
Sacrifice Hits: Wolfe (1)
GIDP: Ford (11), Smalley (12)


Twins                  IP     H   R  ER  BB  SO  HR BFP    ERA
Zahn L(12-13)           7     7   3   3   1   1   2  28   4.54
T. Johnson              1     2   1   1   2   0   1   7   3.18
Totals                  8     9   4   4   3   1   3  35

Royals                 IP     H   R  ER  BB  SO  HR BFP    ERA
Splittorff W(15-6)      9     7   2   2   2   6   1  34   3.69
Totals                  9     7   2   2   2   6   1  34

Umpires: HP - Larry McCoy, 1B - Dale Ford, 2B - Durwood Merrill, 3B - Don Denkinger


TWINS 1ST: Norwood singled to right; Bostock struck out; Ford
grounded into a double play (shortstop to second to first)
[Norwood out at second]; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Twins 0, Royals
0.

ROYALS 1ST: Zdeb popped to second; McRae flied out to center;
Brett grounded out (shortstop to first); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.
Twins 0, Royals 0.

TWINS 2ND: Kusick walked; Wolfe flied out to left; Smalley
grounded into a double play (third to second to first) [Kusick
out at second]; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Twins 0, Royals 0.

ROYALS 2ND: Cowens grounded out (third to first); Otis singled
to center; Wathan flied out to right; Mayberry grounded out
(first unassisted); 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Twins 0, Royals 0.

TWINS 3RD: Wynegar homered; Gorinski grounded out (third to
first); Randall lined to right; Norwood singled to right;
Bostock walked [Norwood to second]; Ford forced Bostock
(shortstop unassisted); 1 R, 2 H, 0 E, 2 LOB.  Twins 1, Royals 0.

ROYALS 3RD: Patek singled to center; Patek was caught stealing
second (catcher to shortstop); White grounded out (shortstop to
first); Zdeb singled to right; McRae flied out to left; 0 R, 2
H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Twins 1, Royals 0.

TWINS 4TH: Kusick singled to left; Wolfe out on a sacrifice bunt
(pitcher to second) [Kusick to second]; Smalley grounded out
(third to first); Wynegar grounded out (shortstop to first); 0
R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Twins 1, Royals 0.

ROYALS 4TH: Brett homered; Cowens grounded out (second to
first); Otis was called out on strikes; Wathan singled to left;
Mayberry grounded out (second to first); 1 R, 2 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.
Twins 1, Royals 1.

TWINS 5TH: Gorinski struck out; Randall singled to center;
Norwood doubled to left [Randall scored]; Bostock grounded out
(third to first); Ford grounded out (second to first); 1 R, 2 H,
0 E, 1 LOB.  Twins 2, Royals 1.

ROYALS 5TH: Patek lined to third; White flied out to left; Zdeb
walked; McRae homered [Zdeb scored]; Brett grounded out (pitcher
to first); 2 R, 1 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Twins 2, Royals 3.

TWINS 6TH: Kusick singled to left; Wolfe forced Kusick (second
to shortstop); Smalley was called out on strikes; Wynegar struck
out; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Twins 2, Royals 3.

ROYALS 6TH: Cowens flied out to left; Otis lined to third;
Wathan grounded out (shortstop to first); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.
Twins 2, Royals 3.

TWINS 7TH: Gorinski grounded out (shortstop to first); Randall
grounded out (third to first); Norwood grounded out (shortstop
to first); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Twins 2, Royals 3.

ROYALS 7TH: Mayberry popped to shortstop; Patek grounded out
(third to first); White doubled to center; Zdeb grounded out
(pitcher to first); 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Twins 2, Royals 3.

TWINS 8TH: Bostock struck out; Ford struck out; Kusick flied out
to left; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Twins 2, Royals 3.

ROYALS 8TH: T. JOHNSON REPLACED ZAHN (PITCHING); McRae grounded
out (second to first); Brett homered; Cowens singled to center;
Cowens was picked off and caught stealing second but was safe at
third (error by Kusick; assist by T. Johnson); Otis walked; Otis
stole second; Wathan lined to pitcher; Mayberry was walked
intentionally; Patek lined to left; 1 R, 2 H, 1 E, 3 LOB.  Twins
2, Royals 4.

TWINS 9TH: Wolfe grounded out (third to first); Smalley grounded
out (second to first); Wynegar grounded out (third to first); 0
R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Twins 2, Royals 4.