The decision to pitch to Pete LaCock with first base open in the ninth inning backfired on the Angels, who lost to the Royals. 3-2, and fell 4½ games behind the pace-setters in the West division. With two out, pinch-hitter Clint Hurdle tripled off Nolan Ryan. George Brett drew an intentional pass and stole second.

LaCock, who was the next batter, and Darrell Porter, who followed LaCock, both swing lefthanded. The Angels chose to pitch to LaCock and lost when the Royals' first baseman singled to drive in the winning run. [The Sporting News]
Kansas City Royals 3, California Angels 2

Game Played on Friday, September 15, 1978 (Night game) at Royals Stadium

Angels       0  0  0    0  0  1    0  0  1  -   2  8  1
Royals       0  0  0    0  0  0    1  1  1  -   3  9  1


Angels               AB   R   H RBI    BB  SO    AVG      Royals               AB   R   H RBI    BB  SO    AVG
R. Miller cf          4   0   0   0     0   1   .267      Braun lf              4   0   2   0     0   1   .263
Lansford 3b           4   1   2   1     0   1   .283        Silverio pr,lf      0   1   0   0     0   0  1.000
Bostock rf            3   0   0   0     1   0   .295        Hurdle ph           1   1   1   0     0   0   .263
Baylor dh             2   1   2   0     2   0   .260      Brett 3b              4   0   0   0     1   0   .278
Rudi lf               4   0   2   1     0   0   .252      LaCock 1b             3   0   2   1     2   1   .304
  Landreaux pr,lf     0   0   0   0     0   0   .222      Porter c              4   0   1   1     0   0   .277
Jackson 1b            4   0   0   0     0   0   .298      McRae dh              1   0   0   0     2   0   .270
Downing c             4   0   0   0     0   0   .261        Wilson pr,dh        0   0   0   0     0   0   .217
Grich 2b              3   0   1   0     0   0   .234        Poquette ph,dh      1   0   0   0     0   0   .213
  Solaita ph          0   0   0   0     0   0   .223      Cowens rf             3   0   0   0     1   2   .280
  Rettenmund ph       1   0   0   0     0   0   .269      Otis cf               4   1   2   1     0   0   .294
  Anderson ss         0   0   0   0     0   0   .214      Patek ss              4   0   1   0     0   1   .262
Chalk ss,2b           3   0   1   0     0   0   .258      White 2b              4   0   0   0     0   0   .273
Ryan p                0   0   0   0     0   0   .000      Gale p                0   0   0   0     0   0   .000
                                                            McGilberry p        0   0   0   0     0   0   .000
                                                            Hrabosky p          0   0   0   0     0   0   .000

Totals               32   2   8   2     3   2             Totals               33   3   9   3     6   5

Time of Game: 2:48   Attendance: 30,847
Left on Base: Angels 6, Royals 10
DP: Angels 1, Royals 2
Errors: Jackson, Silverio
Doubles: Rudi (24), Braun (13)
Triples: Hurdle (5)
Home Runs: Lansford (5), Otis (22)
Stolen Bases: Lansford (17), Bostock (14), Otis (29), Patek (34), Brett (19)
Caught Stealing: McRae (8), White (9)
GIDP: Jackson (7), R. Miller (13), Cowens (7)


Angels                 IP     H   R  ER  BB  SO  HR BFP    ERA
Ryan L(7-13)            8.2   9   3   3   6   5   1  39   3.75
Totals                  8.2   9   3   3   6   5   1  39

Royals                 IP     H   R  ER  BB  SO  HR BFP    ERA
Gale                    8     7   2   2   3   2   1  31   2.95
McGilberry              0.2   1   0   0   0   0   0   3   3.38
Hrabosky W(8-6)         0.1   0   0   0   0   0   0   1   2.86
Totals                  9     8   2   2   3   2   1  35

Umpires: HP - Durwood Merrill, 1B - Marty Springstead, 2B - Rich Garcia, 3B - Jim Evans


ANGELS 1ST: R. Miller grounded out (first unassisted); Lansford
singled to shortstop; Bostock flied out to center; Lansford
stole second; Baylor walked; Rudi forced Baylor (second to
shortstop); 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 2 LOB.  Angels 0, Royals 0.

ROYALS 1ST: Braun flied out to center; Brett grounded out
(second to first); LaCock walked; Porter popped to catcher in
foul territory; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Angels 0, Royals 0.

ANGELS 2ND: Jackson flied out to right; Downing grounded out
(pitcher to first); Grich popped to second; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0
LOB.  Angels 0, Royals 0.

ROYALS 2ND: McRae walked; McRae was caught stealing second
(catcher to second); Cowens struck out; Otis grounded out
(catcher to first); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Angels 0, Royals 0.

ANGELS 3RD: Chalk grounded out (third to first); R. Miller flied
out to center; Lansford was called out on strikes; 0 R, 0 H, 0
E, 0 LOB.  Angels 0, Royals 0.

ROYALS 3RD: Patek struck out; White flied to left in foul
territory; Braun singled to center; Brett flied out to center; 0
R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Angels 0, Royals 0.

ANGELS 4TH: Bostock walked; Bostock stole second; Baylor walked;
Rudi forced Bostock (third unassisted) [Baylor to second];
Jackson grounded into a double play (second to shortstop to
first) [Rudi out at second]; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Angels 0,
Royals 0.

ROYALS 4TH: LaCock was called out on strikes; Porter flied out
to right; McRae grounded out (second to first); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0
LOB.  Angels 0, Royals 0.

ANGELS 5TH: Downing flied out to center; Grich singled to right;
Chalk singled to left [Grich to second]; R. Miller grounded into
a double play (second to shortstop to first) [Chalk out at
second]; 0 R, 2 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Angels 0, Royals 0.

ROYALS 5TH: Cowens struck out; Otis singled to left; Otis stole
second; Patek popped to second; White flied out to center; 0 R,
1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Angels 0, Royals 0.

ANGELS 6TH: Lansford homered; Bostock grounded out (first
unassisted); Baylor singled to center; Rudi singled to left
[Baylor out at third (left to third), Rudi to second (on throw
to 3b)]; Jackson grounded out (shortstop to first); 1 R, 3 H, 0
E, 1 LOB.  Angels 1, Royals 0.

ROYALS 6TH: Braun was called out on strikes; Brett flied to left
in foul territory; LaCock singled to right; Porter grounded out
(pitcher to first); 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Angels 1, Royals 0.

ANGELS 7TH: Downing grounded out (shortstop to first); Grich
flied out to center; Chalk lined to third; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.
 Angels 1, Royals 0.

ROYALS 7TH: McRae walked; WILSON RAN FOR MCRAE; Cowens grounded
into a double play (shortstop to second to first) [Wilson out at
second]; Willie Wilson called for interference with Bobby
Grich; Royals Coach Chuck Hiller ejected by 2B umpire Rich
Garcia and Wilson ejected by HP umpire Durwood Merrill; Otis
homered; Patek singled to right; Patek stole second; White
grounded out (shortstop to first); 1 R, 2 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Angels
1, Royals 1.

ANGELS 8TH: WILSON STAYED IN GAME (PLAYING DH); R. Miller struck
out; Lansford flied out to left; Bostock flied out to right; 0
R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Angels 1, Royals 1.

ROYALS 8TH: Braun doubled to right; SILVERIO RAN FOR BRAUN;
Brett grounded out (shortstop to first) [Silverio to third];
LaCock walked; Porter singled to right [Silverio scored, LaCock
to second]; POQUETTE BATTED FOR WILSON; Poquette flied to left
in foul territory; Cowens walked [LaCock to third, Porter to
second]; Otis flied out to center; 1 R, 2 H, 0 E, 3 LOB.  Angels
1, Royals 2.

ANGELS 9TH: POQUETTE STAYED IN GAME (PLAYING DH); SILVERIO
STAYED IN GAME (PLAYING LF); Baylor singled to left [Baylor to
second (error by Silverio)]; MCGILBERRY REPLACED GALE
(PITCHING); Rudi doubled to right [Baylor scored]; LANDREAUX RAN
FOR RUDI; Jackson popped to third in foul territory; Downing
grounded out (second to first) [Landreaux to third]; SOLAITA
BATTED FOR GRICH; HRABOSKY REPLACED MCGILBERRY (PITCHING);
RETTENMUND BATTED FOR SOLAITA; Rettenmund grounded out (third to
first); 1 R, 2 H, 1 E, 1 LOB.  Angels 2, Royals 2.

ROYALS 9TH: ANDERSON REPLACED RETTENMUND (PLAYING SS); CHALK
CHANGED POSITIONS (PLAYING 2B); LANDREAUX STAYED IN GAME
(PLAYING LF); Patek reached on an error by Jackson (assist by
Anderson); White forced Patek (first to shortstop); HURDLE
BATTED FOR SILVERIO; White was caught stealing second (catcher
to shortstop); Hurdle tripled to center; Brett was walked
intentionally; Brett stole second; LaCock singled to left
[Hurdle scored, Brett to third]; 1 R, 2 H, 1 E, 2 LOB.  Angels
2, Royals 3.
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