Aided by two errors that resulted in a pair of unearned runs, the Rangers defeated the A's, 4-3. After Richie Zisk homered for the Rangers' initial run in the fourth inning, Al Oliver walked in the sixth, Buddy Bell singled and Willie Montanez was safe on an error by Dave Chalk, Oliver scoring. Zisk reached first on another error by Rob Picciolo as Bell scored. After an infield out by Pat Putnam, Jim Sundberg singled, driving in Montanez with what proved to be the winning run.

Larry McCall, who made his first start of the season for the Rangers since his recall from Tucson (Pacific Coast), blanked the A's until the seventh when Waynr Gross doubled and scored on a single by Chalk. Joe Wallis hit a two-run homer off Sparky Lyle in the ninth. [The Sporting News]



Texas Rangers 4, Oakland Athletics 3
Game Played on Thursday, September 27, 1979 (Night game) at Arlington Stadium
A's          0  0  0    0  0  0    1  0  2  -   3  8  2
Rangers      0  0  0    1  0  3    0  0  x  -   4  8  0


A's                  AB   R   H RBI    BB  SO    AVG      Rangers              AB   R   H RBI    BB  SO    AVG
Henderson lf          4   0   1   0     0   0   .274      Rivers cf             4   0   2   0     0   0   .294
Murphy cf             4   0   1   0     0   0   .247      Wills 2b              2   0   1   0     1   1   .272
Revering dh           4   0   1   0     0   0   .291      Oliver lf             3   1   0   0     1   0   .322
Newman 1b             4   0   0   0     0   0   .230      Bell 3b               4   1   1   0     0   0   .298
Gross 3b              2   2   2   0     2   0   .228      Montanez 1b           4   1   2   1     0   0   .251
Wallis rf             4   1   1   2     0   1   .103      Zisk rf               4   1   1   1     0   2   .266
Essian c              4   0   1   0     0   0   .248      Putnam dh             4   0   0   0     0   2   .281
Chalk 2b              4   0   1   1     0   0   .221      Sundberg c            4   0   1   1     0   0   .273
Picciolo ss           3   0   0   0     0   1   .257      Norman ss             3   0   0   0     0   0   .218
Keough p              0   0   0   0     0   0   .000      McCall p              0   0   0   0     0   0   .000
                                                            Lyle p              0   0   0   0     0   0   .000

Totals               33   3   8   3     2   2             Totals               32   4   8   3     2   5

Time of Game: 2:14   Attendance:  6,360
Left on Base: A's 5, Rangers 7
DP: A's 0, Rangers 2
Errors: Chalk, Picciolo
Doubles: Essian (16), Gross (19)
Home Runs: Wallis (1), Zisk (18)
Stolen Bases: Rivers (10), Oliver (4)
Sacrifice Hits: Wills (14)
GIDP: Murphy (9), Revering (6)


A's                    IP     H   R  ER  BB  SO  HR BFP    ERA
Keough L(2-17)          8     8   4   2   2   5   1  35   5.04
Totals                  8     8   4   2   2   5   1  35

Rangers                IP     H   R  ER  BB  SO  HR BFP    ERA
McCall W(1-0)           7.1   6   1   1   2   2   0  29   2.16
Lyle SV(13)             1.2   2   2   2   0   0   1   6   3.13
Totals                  9     8   3   3   2   2   1  35

Umpires: HP - Rich Garcia, 1B - Ted Hendry, 2B - Dave Phillips, 3B - Dallas Parks


ATHLETICS 1ST: Henderson popped to first in foul territory;
Murphy grounded out (second to first); Revering flied out to
center; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Athletics 0, Rangers 0.

RANGERS 1ST: Rivers grounded out (first unassisted); Wills
singled to right; Oliver flied out to center; Bell made an out
to shortstop; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Athletics 0, Rangers 0.

ATHLETICS 2ND: Newman flied out to right; Gross walked; Wallis
struck out; Essian doubled to left [Gross to third]; Chalk flied
out to center; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 2 LOB.  Athletics 0, Rangers 0.

RANGERS 2ND: Montanez singled to right; Zisk struck out; Putnam
struck out; Sundberg flied out to right; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.
Athletics 0, Rangers 0.

ATHLETICS 3RD: Picciolo struck out; Henderson flied out to left;
Murphy grounded out (second to first); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.
Athletics 0, Rangers 0.

RANGERS 3RD: Norman grounded out (first to pitcher); Rivers
singled to right; Rivers stole second; Wills walked; Oliver
forced Wills (shortstop to second) [Rivers to third]; Bell
popped to first in foul territory; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 2 LOB.
Athletics 0, Rangers 0.

ATHLETICS 4TH: Revering flied out to right; Newman grounded out
(second to first); Gross walked; Wallis flied out to left; 0 R,
0 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Athletics 0, Rangers 0.

RANGERS 4TH: Montanez flied out to left; Zisk homered; Putnam
struck out; Sundberg grounded out (third to first); 1 R, 1 H, 0
E, 0 LOB.  Athletics 0, Rangers 1.

ATHLETICS 5TH: Essian flied out to left; Chalk grounded out
(third to first); Picciolo flied out to right; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0
LOB.  Athletics 0, Rangers 1.

RANGERS 5TH: Norman grounded out (pitcher to first); Rivers
lined to second; Wills struck out; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.
Athletics 0, Rangers 1.

ATHLETICS 6TH: Henderson singled to shortstop; Murphy grounded
into a double play (pitcher to shortstop to first) [Henderson
out at second]; Revering singled to right; Newman forced
Revering (third to second); 0 R, 2 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Athletics 0,
Rangers 1.

RANGERS 6TH: Oliver walked; Oliver stole second; Bell singled to
center [Oliver to third]; Montanez reached on an error by Chalk
[Oliver scored (RBI), Bell to second]; Zisk reached on an error
by Picciolo [Bell scored (unearned) (no RBI), Montanez to
second]; Putnam grounded out (first to pitcher) [Montanez to
third, Zisk to second]; Sundberg singled to left [Montanez
scored (unearned), Zisk out at home (left to catcher), Sundberg
to second (on throw to home)]; Norman grounded out (second to
first); 3 R (1 ER), 2 H, 2 E, 1 LOB.  Athletics 0, Rangers 4.

ATHLETICS 7TH: Gross doubled to right; Wallis grounded out
(shortstop to first); Essian flied out to left; Chalk singled to
right [Gross scored]; Picciolo lined to right; 1 R, 2 H, 0 E, 1
LOB.  Athletics 1, Rangers 4.

RANGERS 7TH: Rivers singled to left; Wills out on a sacrifice
bunt (pitcher unassisted) [Rivers to second]; Oliver grounded
out (catcher to first); Bell flied out to center; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E,
1 LOB.  Athletics 1, Rangers 4.

ATHLETICS 8TH: Henderson grounded out (shortstop to first);
Murphy singled to right; LYLE REPLACED MCCALL (PITCHING);
Revering grounded into a double play (first to shortstop)
[Murphy out at second]; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Athletics 1,
Rangers 4.

RANGERS 8TH: Montanez singled to right; Zisk struck out; Putnam
made an out to shortstop; Sundberg grounded out (pitcher to
first); 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Athletics 1, Rangers 4.

ATHLETICS 9TH: Newman flied out to right; Gross singled to
center; Wallis homered [Gross scored]; Essian grounded out
(shortstop to first); Chalk flied out to center; 2 R, 2 H, 0 E,
0 LOB.  Athletics 3, Rangers 4.