A two-run homer in the ninth inning by Roy Howell lifted the Blue Jays to a 3-1 triumph over the Royals. The big blow was preceded by a leadoff walk to Willie Upshaw and sacrifice bunt by Bob Bailor. The game marked pitcher Paul Splittorff's first loss after 11 consecutive wins dating back to last August.

The Royals got an unearned run in the second frame when Freddie Patek singled home Amos Otis, who had walked and moved to second on Howell's error. Ex-Royal John Mayberry tied the score in the fifth with a home run. [The Sporting News]



Toronto Blue Jays 3, Kansas City Royals 1
Game Played on Wednesday, April     26, 1978 (Night game) at Royals Stadium
Blue Jays    0  0  0    0  1  0    0  0  2  -   3  4  1
Royals       0  1  0    0  0  0    0  0  0  -   1  4  0


Blue Jays            AB   R   H RBI    BB  SO    AVG      Royals               AB   R   H RBI    BB  SO    AVG
Bosetti cf            3   0   1   0     0   0   .264      Wilson lf             4   0   2   0     0   0   .279
  Upshaw pr,lf        0   1   0   0     1   0   .125      McRae dh              4   0   0   0     0   0   .237
Bailor rf,cf          3   0   0   0     0   0   .358      Brett 3b              3   0   0   0     1   0   .190
Howell 3b             4   1   1   2     0   0   .318      Cowens rf             4   0   0   0     0   1   .286
Carty dh              4   0   1   0     0   0   .246      Otis cf               3   1   0   0     1   0   .268
Velez lf,rf           4   0   0   0     0   1   .222      Wathan 1b             3   0   0   0     0   0   .222
Mayberry 1b           3   1   1   1     0   1   .250        Hurdle ph           1   0   0   0     0   0   .220
Cerone c              2   0   0   0     1   0   .237      Porter c              4   0   1   0     0   2   .370
Iorg 2b               3   0   0   0     0   0   .188      Patek ss              3   0   1   1     0   1   .217
Gomez ss              3   0   0   0     0   0   .156      White 2b              3   0   0   0     0   0   .119
Underwood p           0   0   0   0     0   0   .000      Splittorff p          0   0   0   0     0   0   .000
  Murphy p            0   0   0   0     0   0   .000

Totals               29   3   4   3     2   2             Totals               32   1   4   1     2   4

Time of Game: 1:54   Attendance: 19,545
Left on Base: Blue Jays 2, Royals 6
DP: Blue Jays 0, Royals 1
Errors: Howell
Doubles: Wilson (3)
Home Runs: Mayberry (3), Howell (2)
Stolen Bases: Wilson (6)
Sacrifice Hits: Bailor (3)
GIDP: Velez (1)


Blue Jays              IP     H   R  ER  BB  SO  HR BFP    ERA
Underwood               7     3   1   0   1   3   0  26   5.60
Murphy W(2-0)           2     1   0   0   1   1   0   8   0.00
Totals                  9     4   1   0   2   4   0  34

Royals                 IP     H   R  ER  BB  SO  HR BFP    ERA
Splittorff L(4-1)       9     4   3   3   2   2   2  32   1.79
Totals                  9     4   3   3   2   2   2  32

Umpires: HP - Bill Kunkel, 1B - Bill Deegan, 2B - Terry Cooney, 3B - Al Clark


BLUE JAYS 1ST: Bosetti grounded out (shortstop to first); Bailor
grounded out (third to first); Howell grounded out (pitcher to
first); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Blue Jays 0, Royals 0.

ROYALS 1ST: Wilson grounded out (second to first); McRae flied
out to center; Brett flied out to center; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.
Blue Jays 0, Royals 0.

BLUE JAYS 2ND: Carty grounded out (third to first); Velez struck
out; Mayberry struck out; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Blue Jays 0,
Royals 0.

ROYALS 2ND: Cowens flied out to right; Otis walked; Wathan
reached on an error by Howell [Otis to second]; Porter struck
out; Patek singled to center [Otis scored (unearned), Wathan to
third, Patek to second (on throw to home)]; White grounded out
(shortstop to first); 1 R (0 ER), 1 H, 1 E, 2 LOB.  Blue Jays 0,
Royals 1.

BLUE JAYS 3RD: Cerone flied out to center; Iorg grounded out
(pitcher to first); Gomez flied out to right; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0
LOB.  Blue Jays 0, Royals 1.

ROYALS 3RD: Wilson singled to right; McRae popped to first in
foul territory; Wilson stole second; Brett lined to third;
Cowens flied out to left; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Blue Jays 0,
Royals 1.

BLUE JAYS 4TH: Bosetti grounded out (shortstop to first); Bailor
lined to left; Howell grounded out (first unassisted); 0 R, 0 H,
0 E, 0 LOB.  Blue Jays 0, Royals 1.

ROYALS 4TH: Otis lined to center; Wathan lined to shortstop;
Porter struck out; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Blue Jays 0, Royals 1.

BLUE JAYS 5TH: Carty grounded out (first unassisted); Velez
flied out to center; Mayberry homered; Cerone walked; Iorg
grounded out (third to first); 1 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Blue Jays
1, Royals 1.

ROYALS 5TH: Patek struck out; White popped to shortstop; Wilson
grounded out (shortstop to first); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Blue
Jays 1, Royals 1.

BLUE JAYS 6TH: Gomez popped to second; Bosetti singled to left;
Bailor grounded out (shortstop to first) [Bosetti to second];
UPSHAW RAN FOR BOSETTI; Howell lined to center; Rick Bosetti
suffered slight pull in right hamstring sliding in 2B; 0 R,
1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Blue Jays 1, Royals 1.

ROYALS 6TH: UPSHAW STAYED IN GAME (PLAYING LF); BAILOR CHANGED
POSITIONS (PLAYING CF); VELEZ CHANGED POSITIONS (PLAYING RF);
McRae grounded out (pitcher to first); Brett grounded out
(second to first); Cowens popped to shortstop; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0
LOB.  Blue Jays 1, Royals 1.

BLUE JAYS 7TH: Carty singled to center; Velez grounded into a
double play (third to second to first) [Carty out at second];
Mayberry grounded out (second to first); 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.
Blue Jays 1, Royals 1.

ROYALS 7TH: Otis flied out to center; Wathan grounded out (third
to first); Porter singled to left; Patek forced Porter (third to
second); 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Blue Jays 1, Royals 1.

BLUE JAYS 8TH: Cerone grounded out (shortstop to first); Iorg
lined to right; Gomez grounded out (first unassisted); 0 R, 0 H,
0 E, 0 LOB.  Blue Jays 1, Royals 1.

ROYALS 8TH: MURPHY REPLACED UNDERWOOD (PITCHING); White flied
out to right; Wilson doubled to left; McRae grounded out (third
to first); Brett was walked intentionally; Cowens struck out; 0
R, 1 H, 0 E, 2 LOB.  Blue Jays 1, Royals 1.

BLUE JAYS 9TH: Upshaw walked; Bailor out on a sacrifice bunt
(pitcher to second) [Upshaw to second]; Howell homered [Upshaw
scored]; Carty grounded out (pitcher to first); Velez grounded
out (third to first); 2 R, 1 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Blue Jays 3, Royals
1.

ROYALS 9TH: Otis grounded out (pitcher to first); HURDLE BATTED
FOR WATHAN; Hurdle grounded out (second to first); Porter lined
to second; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Blue Jays 3, Royals 1.