A fifth-inning homer by Al Oliver proved the difference as the Rangers edged the Royals, 3-2. The Rangers' initial run came in the first inning on singles by Billy Sample and Johnny Grubb and a double by Buddy Bell

The second tally came in the fourth frame on a double by Pat Putnam, single by Nelson Norman and squeeze bunt by Sample. Oliver's blow was a 425-foot shot into the wind over the center field wall. [The Sporting News]



Texas Rangers 3, Kansas City Royals 2
Game Played on Wednesday, May       2, 1979 (Night game) at Royals Stadium
Rangers      1  0  0    1  1  0    0  0  0  -   3 10  1
Royals       0  0  1    0  1  0    0  0  0  -   2  8  2


Rangers              AB   R   H RBI    BB  SO    AVG      Royals               AB   R   H RBI    BB  SO    AVG
Sample lf             3   0   1   1     1   0   .281      White 2b              5   1   0   0     0   0   .284
Grubb dh              5   1   1   0     0   0   .171      Brett 3b              5   0   2   0     0   0   .268
Oliver cf             4   1   2   1     0   0   .370      Otis cf               4   0   3   1     0   0   .346
Bell 3b               4   0   1   1     0   0   .200      Porter c              3   0   0   1     1   0   .351
Zisk rf               4   0   0   0     0   1   .214      Cowens rf             4   0   0   0     0   0   .310
Sundberg c            4   0   1   0     0   0   .176      LaCock 1b             2   0   0   0     2   0   .317
Putnam 1b             4   1   1   0     0   0   .320        Wilson pr,lf        0   0   0   0     0   0   .286
  Jorgensen 1b        0   0   0   0     0   0   .256      McRae dh              4   0   1   0     0   0   .244
Wills 2b              4   0   2   0     0   0   .195      Hurdle lf             3   1   1   0     0   0   .273
Norman ss             3   0   1   0     0   0   .217        Wathan ph,1b        1   0   0   0     0   0   .346
Comer p               0   0   0   0     0   0   .000      Patek ss              2   0   1   0     0   0   .329
  Lyle p              0   0   0   0     0   0   .000        Braun ph            1   0   0   0     0   0   .250
                                                            Washington ss       0   0   0   0     0   0   .500
                                                            Zdeb ph             1   0   0   0     0   0   .143
                                                          Leonard p             0   0   0   0     0   0   .000

Totals               35   3  10   3     1   1             Totals               35   2   8   2     3   0

Time of Game: 2:24   Attendance: 20,155
Left on Base: Rangers 8, Royals 9
DP: Rangers 0, Royals 2
Errors: Oliver, Brett, Cowens
Doubles: Bell (7), Putnam (3), Oliver (5), Otis (5), McRae (8)
Home Runs: Oliver (3)
Stolen Bases: Oliver (1), Cowens (4)
Sacrifice Hits: Sample (1), Norman (5)
GIDP: Grubb (2)


Rangers                IP     H   R  ER  BB  SO  HR BFP    ERA
Comer W(2-3)            7.1   8   2   2   3   0   0  33   2.97
Lyle SV(4)              1.2   0   0   0   0   0   0   5   3.00
Totals                  9     8   2   2   3   0   0  38

Royals                 IP     H   R  ER  BB  SO  HR BFP    ERA
Leonard L(3-3)          9    10   3   3   1   1   1  38   3.06
Totals                  9    10   3   3   1   1   1  38

Umpires: HP - Harold Easley, 1B - Duane Shaw, 2B - Larry Zirbel, 3B - Ted Hendry


RANGERS 1ST: 28 minute rain delay before start of game;
Sample singled to center; Grubb singled to left [Sample to
second]; Oliver lined into a double play (second to shortstop)
[Sample out at second]; Bell doubled to center [Grubb scored];
Zisk grounded out (shortstop to first); 1 R, 3 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.
Rangers 1, Royals 0.

ROYALS 1ST: White grounded out (pitcher to first); Brett flied
out to center; Otis doubled to right; Porter flied out to left;
0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Rangers 1, Royals 0.

RANGERS 2ND: Sundberg singled to right; Putnam flied out to
center; Wills singled to shortstop [Sundberg to second]; Norman
forced Wills (right to second) [Sundberg to third (error by
Cowens)]; Sample walked [Norman to second]; Grubb flied out to
left; 0 R, 2 H, 1 E, 3 LOB.  Rangers 1, Royals 0.

ROYALS 2ND: Cowens grounded out (shortstop to first); LaCock
flied out to center; McRae flied out to right; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0
LOB.  Rangers 1, Royals 0.

RANGERS 3RD: Oliver reached on an error by Brett; Oliver stole
second; Bell grounded out (pitcher to first) [Oliver to third];
Zisk struck out; Sundberg grounded out (second to first); 0 R, 0
H, 1 E, 1 LOB.  Rangers 1, Royals 0.

ROYALS 3RD: Hurdle popped to third in foul territory; Patek
singled to second; White forced Patek (third to second); Brett
singled to right [White to third]; Otis singled to third [White
scored, Brett out at third (third to first to third)]; 1 R, 3 H,
0 E, 1 LOB.  Rangers 1, Royals 1.

RANGERS 4TH: Putnam doubled to center; On a bunt Wills made an
out to pitcher; Norman singled to center [Putnam to third];
Sample reached on a fielder's choice on a sacrifice bunt [Putnam
scored, Norman to second]; Grubb grounded into a double play
(second to shortstop to first) [Sample out at second]; 1 R, 2 H,
0 E, 1 LOB.  Rangers 2, Royals 1.

ROYALS 4TH: Porter grounded out (first to pitcher); Cowens
grounded out (second to first); LaCock walked; McRae popped to
second; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Rangers 2, Royals 1.

RANGERS 5TH: Oliver homered; Bell grounded out (third to first);
Zisk grounded out (second to first); Sundberg flied out to
center; 1 R, 1 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Rangers 3, Royals 1.

ROYALS 5TH: Hurdle singled to right; Patek flied out to right;
White flied out to left; Brett singled to left [Hurdle to
second]; Otis singled to third [Hurdle to third, Brett to
second]; Porter walked [Hurdle scored, Brett to third, Otis to
second]; Cowens forced Porter (third to second); 1 R, 3 H, 0 E,
3 LOB.  Rangers 3, Royals 2.

RANGERS 6TH: Putnam flied out to right; Wills lined to
shortstop; Norman lined to right; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Rangers
3, Royals 2.

ROYALS 6TH: LaCock flied out to center; McRae doubled to left;
Hurdle popped to shortstop; BRAUN BATTED FOR PATEK; Braun
grounded out (pitcher to first); 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Rangers
3, Royals 2.

RANGERS 7TH: WASHINGTON REPLACED BRAUN (PLAYING SS); Sample
grounded out (second to first); Grubb flied out to left; Oliver
doubled to center; Bell flied out to right; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1
LOB.  Rangers 3, Royals 2.

ROYALS 7TH: White grounded out (pitcher to first); Brett flied
out to left; Otis flied out to left; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.
Rangers 3, Royals 2.

RANGERS 8TH: Zisk flied out to left; Sundberg grounded out
(second to first); Putnam grounded out (second to first); 0 R, 0
H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Rangers 3, Royals 2.

ROYALS 8TH: JORGENSEN REPLACED PUTNAM (PLAYING 1B); Porter
grounded out (first unassisted); Cowens reached on an error by
Oliver; Cowens stole second; LaCock walked; LYLE REPLACED COMER
(PITCHING); WILSON RAN FOR LACOCK; McRae popped to shortstop;
WATHAN BATTED FOR HURDLE; Wathan popped to catcher in foul
territory; 0 R, 0 H, 1 E, 2 LOB.  Rangers 3, Royals 2.

RANGERS 9TH: WILSON STAYED IN GAME (PLAYING LF); WATHAN STAYED
IN GAME (PLAYING 1B); Wills singled to center; Norman out on a
sacrifice bunt (pitcher unassisted) [Wills to second]; Sample
grounded out (shortstop to first) [Wills to third]; Grubb flied
out to left; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Rangers 3, Royals 2.

ROYALS 9TH: ZDEB BATTED FOR WASHINGTON; Zdeb flied to right in
foul territory; White flied out to left; Brett grounded out
(shortstop to first); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Rangers 3, Royals 2.