Trading four-hit shutouts, the A's won the first game of a twi-night doubleheader, 1-0, and the Rangers took the second game, 5-0. Alan Wirth, who pitched the opener for the A's, was the winner in a duel with Doyle Alexander when Dell Alston smashed a homer in the fourth inning. The shutout and complete game both were firsts for Wirth's major league career.

Steve Comer pitched his second shutout in the nightcap. The Rangers broke through against Pete Broberg for three runs in the sixth inning. Mike Jorgensen singled and took third on a single by Bump Wills. Bert Campaneris bunted, scoring Jorgensen, and was safe himself at first when Rob Picciolo dropped the throw covering the bag. One out later, Al Oliver singled, driving in Wills and Campaneris. Richie Zisk closed out the scoring with a two-run single in the eighth. [The Sporting News]



Oakland Athletics 1, Texas Rangers 0 (Game 1)
Game Played on Friday, September 15, 1978 (Night game) at Arlington Stadium
A's          0  0  0    1  0  0    0  0  0  -   1  6  0
Rangers      0  0  0    0  0  0    0  0  0  -   0  4  0


A's                  AB   R   H RBI    BB  SO    AVG      Rangers              AB   R   H RBI    BB  SO    AVG
Edwards 2b            4   0   1   0     0   0   .273      Hargrove 1b           3   0   1   0     1   0   .250
Alston rf             4   1   1   1     0   1   .222      Wills 2b              3   0   1   0     0   0   .235
Page lf               3   0   2   0     1   0   .293      Beniquez cf           2   0   0   0     0   1   .256
  Dilone lf           0   0   0   0     0   0   .226      Oliver dh             3   0   1   0     0   1   .317
Carty dh              3   0   0   0     1   0   .282      Bonds rf              3   0   1   0     0   2   .273
Revering 1b           4   0   0   0     0   0   .271      Grubb lf              3   0   0   0     0   0   .265
Guerrero ss           4   0   1   0     0   0   .278      J. Ellis c            3   0   0   0     0   0   .217
Gross 3b              3   0   0   0     0   1   .196      Harrah ss             3   0   0   0     0   0   .218
Burke cf              3   0   1   0     0   0   .247      Alomar 3b             2   0   0   0     0   0   .176
Robinson c            3   0   0   0     0   0   .250        Zisk ph             1   0   0   0     0   1   .254
Wirth p               0   0   0   0     0   0   .000      Alexander p           0   0   0   0     0   0   .000

Totals               31   1   6   1     2   2             Totals               26   0   4   0     1   5

Time of Game: 1:43
Left on Base: A's 5, Rangers 2
DP: A's 2, Rangers 0
Home Runs: Alston (1)
Caught Stealing: Edwards (20), Page (18), Oliver (8), Bonds (21)
Sacrifice Hits: Wills (4), Beniquez (10)
GIDP: Wills (11)


A's                    IP     H   R  ER  BB  SO  HR BFP    ERA
Wirth W(4-4)            9     4   0   0   1   5   0  29   3.00
Totals                  9     4   0   0   1   5   0  29

Rangers                IP     H   R  ER  BB  SO  HR BFP    ERA
Alexander L(8-10)       9     6   1   1   2   2   1  33   3.94
Totals                  9     6   1   1   2   2   1  33

Wild Pitches: Alexander (4)

Umpires: HP - Dave Phillips, 1B - Larry McCoy, 2B - Steve Palermo, 3B - Don Denkinger


ATHLETICS 1ST: Edwards grounded out (second to first); Alston
was called out on strikes; Page walked; Carty flied out to
right; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Athletics 0, Rangers 0.

RANGERS 1ST: Hargrove walked; Wills grounded into a double play
(shortstop to first) [Hargrove out at second]; Beniquez flied
out to center; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Athletics 0, Rangers 0.

ATHLETICS 2ND: Revering made an out to third; Guerrero grounded
out (shortstop to first); Gross struck out; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0
LOB.  Athletics 0, Rangers 0.

RANGERS 2ND: Oliver singled to right; Bonds struck out while
Oliver was caught stealing second (catcher to second); Grubb
grounded out (first to pitcher); 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.
Athletics 0, Rangers 0.

ATHLETICS 3RD: Burke singled to left; Robinson grounded out
(shortstop to first) [Burke to second]; Edwards reached on a
fielder's choice [Burke out at third (shortstop to third)];
Edwards was caught stealing second (catcher to shortstop); 0 R,
1 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Athletics 0, Rangers 0.

RANGERS 3RD: J. Ellis grounded out (shortstop to first); Harrah
grounded out (first unassisted); Alomar grounded out (second to
first); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Athletics 0, Rangers 0.

ATHLETICS 4TH: Alston homered; Page flied out to center; Carty
walked; Revering flied out to left; Guerrero singled to third
[Carty to second]; Gross grounded out (first unassisted); 1 R, 2
H, 0 E, 2 LOB.  Athletics 1, Rangers 0.

RANGERS 4TH: Hargrove singled to right; Wills out on a sacrifice
bunt (first to second) [Hargrove to second]; Beniquez struck
out; Oliver grounded out (third to first); 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.
 Athletics 1, Rangers 0.

ATHLETICS 5TH: Burke grounded out (first unassisted); Robinson
grounded out (shortstop to first); Edwards singled to center;
Alston flied out to center; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Athletics 1,
Rangers 0.

RANGERS 5TH: Bonds singled to center; Bonds was caught stealing
second (catcher to shortstop); Grubb grounded out (second to
first); J. Ellis flied out to center; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.
Athletics 1, Rangers 0.

ATHLETICS 6TH: Page singled to left; Page was picked off and
caught stealing second (pitcher to first to shortstop); Carty
popped to first in foul territory; Revering flied out to center;
0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Athletics 1, Rangers 0.

RANGERS 6TH: Harrah flied out to center; Alomar grounded out
(second to first); Hargrove flied out to right; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0
LOB.  Athletics 1, Rangers 0.

ATHLETICS 7TH: Guerrero grounded out (pitcher to first); Gross
flied out to center; Burke grounded out (shortstop to first); 0
R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Athletics 1, Rangers 0.

RANGERS 7TH: Wills singled to left; Beniquez out on a sacrifice
bunt (first to second) [Wills to second]; Oliver was called out
on strikes; Bonds was called out on strikes; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1
LOB.  Athletics 1, Rangers 0.

ATHLETICS 8TH: Robinson grounded out (first unassisted); Edwards
grounded out (shortstop to first); Alston flied out to center; 0
R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Athletics 1, Rangers 0.

RANGERS 8TH: Grubb flied out to center; J. Ellis flied out to
center; Harrah grounded out (third to first); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0
LOB.  Athletics 1, Rangers 0.

ATHLETICS 9TH: Page singled to center; Alexander threw a wild
pitch [Page to second]; Carty grounded out (third to first);
Revering flied out to center; Guerrero grounded out (second to
first); 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Athletics 1, Rangers 0.

RANGERS 9TH: DILONE REPLACED PAGE (PLAYING LF); ZISK BATTED FOR
ALOMAR; Zisk struck out; Hargrove grounded out (first
unassisted); Wills grounded out (second to first); 0 R, 0 H, 0
E, 0 LOB.  Athletics 1, Rangers 0.