A bases-empty homer by Pat Putnam in the eighth inning lifted the Rangers to a 3-2 victory over the Royals. Texas' other runs came in the first inning on a two-out single by Al Oliver, RBI double by Buddy Bell and a throwing error by catcher John Wathan.

The Royals evened the count in the fourth on singles by Hal McRae, George Brett and Willie Aikens and a sacrifice fly by Wathan. Brett suffered a sprained right ankle sliding home with the second run and was expected to be sidelined for 7-10 days. [The Sporting News]

Texas Rangers 3, Kansas City Royals 2

Game Played on Thursday, May 14, 1981 (Night game) at Royals Stadium

Rangers 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 - 3 6 0 Royals 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 - 2 6 1 Rangers AB R H RBI BB SO AVG Royals AB R H RBI BB SO AVG Wills 2b 4 0 0 0 0 0 .288 Wilson lf 4 0 0 0 0 0 .263 Rivers cf 4 0 2 0 0 0 .293 McRae dh 4 1 1 0 0 0 .235 Oliver dh 4 1 1 0 0 0 .311 G. Brett 3b 2 1 1 0 0 0 .296 Bell 3b 3 1 1 1 1 0 .305 Quirk 3b 2 0 1 0 0 0 .273 Roberts lf 4 0 1 1 0 0 .357 Garcia pr 0 0 0 0 0 0 .091 Grubb rf 4 0 0 0 0 0 .292 Aikens 1b 3 0 1 1 1 1 .321 Sundberg c 3 0 0 0 0 1 .253 Otis cf 4 0 0 0 0 1 .213 Putnam 1b 3 1 1 1 0 0 .293 Wathan c 2 0 1 1 0 1 .304 Mendoza ss 3 0 0 0 0 1 .247 Phelps ph 1 0 0 0 0 1 .111 Medich p 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000 White 2b 3 0 1 0 0 0 .207 J. Johnson p 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000 Geronimo rf 3 0 0 0 0 0 .200 Comer p 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000 Washington ss 3 0 0 0 0 1 .218 Splittorff p 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000 Martin p 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000 Totals 32 3 6 3 1 2 Totals 31 2 6 2 1 5 Time of Game: 2:16 Attendance: 25,892 Left on Base: Rangers 3, Royals 4 DP: Rangers 0, Royals 1 Errors: Washington Doubles: Bell (5), White (3), Quirk (4) Home Runs: Putnam (3) Stolen Bases: Rivers (4) Caught Stealing: Roberts (1), Wathan (2) Sacrifice Flies: Wathan (1) GIDP: Roberts (1) Rangers IP H R ER BB SO HR BFP ERA Medich W(3-2) 8 6 2 2 1 4 0 30 3.03 J. Johnson 0.1 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 2.08 Comer SV(3) 0.2 0 0 0 0 1 0 2 3.00 Totals 9 6 2 2 1 5 0 33 Royals IP H R ER BB SO HR BFP ERA Splittorff L(0-3) 8.1 6 3 3 0 2 1 30 6.04 Martin 0.2 0 0 0 1 0 0 3 5.11 Totals 9 6 3 3 1 2 1 33 Umpires: HP - George Maloney, 1B - Ken Kaiser, 2B - Bill Haller, 3B - Russ Goetz RANGERS 1ST: Wills lined to second; Rivers grounded out (second to first); Oliver singled to left; Bell doubled [Oliver scored]; Roberts singled to left [Bell scored]; Roberts was caught stealing second (catcher to shortstop); 2 R, 3 H, 0 E, 0 LOB. Rangers 2, Royals 0. ROYALS 1ST: Wilson popped to third; McRae flied out to right; G. Brett flied out to center; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB. Rangers 2, Royals 0. RANGERS 2ND: Grubb grounded out (pitcher to first); Sundberg struck out; Putnam flied out to center; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB. Rangers 2, Royals 0. ROYALS 2ND: Aikens walked; Otis popped to second; Wathan struck out; White flied out to right; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 1 LOB. Rangers 2, Royals 0. RANGERS 3RD: Mendoza grounded out (first unassisted); Wills popped to second; Rivers singled; Oliver flied out to left; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB. Rangers 2, Royals 0. ROYALS 3RD: Geronimo flied out to left; Washington grounded out (shortstop to first); Wilson flied out to center; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB. Rangers 2, Royals 0. RANGERS 4TH: Bell reached on an error by Washington; Roberts grounded into a double play (shortstop to second to first) [Bell out at second]; Grubb grounded out (shortstop to first); 0 R, 0 H, 1 E, 0 LOB. Rangers 2, Royals 0. ROYALS 4TH: McRae singled to left; G. Brett singled to left [McRae to second]; Aikens singled to right [McRae scored, G. Brett to third]; Otis struck out; Wathan hit a sacrifice fly to center [G. Brett scored]; George Brett suffered a sprained ankle from his slide into HP; White doubled to left [Aikens to third]; Geronimo flied out to center; 2 R, 4 H, 0 E, 2 LOB. Rangers 2, Royals 2. RANGERS 5TH: QUIRK REPLACED G. BRETT (PLAYING 3B); Sundberg flied out to left; Putnam grounded out (shortstop to first); Mendoza struck out; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB. Rangers 2, Royals 2. ROYALS 5TH: Washington struck out; Wilson popped to third; McRae grounded out (shortstop to first); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB. Rangers 2, Royals 2. RANGERS 6TH: Wills flied out to left; Rivers flied out to left; Oliver flied out to left; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB. Rangers 2, Royals 2. ROYALS 6TH: Quirk grounded out (second to first); Aikens struck out; Otis grounded out (second to first); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB. Rangers 2, Royals 2. RANGERS 7TH: Bell flied to left in foul territory; Roberts lined to left; Grubb grounded out (pitcher to first); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB. Rangers 2, Royals 2. ROYALS 7TH: Wathan singled; Wathan was caught stealing second (catcher to second); White flied out to left; Geronimo flied out to right; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 0 LOB. Rangers 2, Royals 2. RANGERS 8TH: Sundberg grounded out (third to first); Putnam homered; Mendoza flied out to right; Wills popped to first in foul territory; 1 R, 1 H, 0 E, 0 LOB. Rangers 3, Royals 2. ROYALS 8TH: Washington flied out to left; Wilson grounded out (second to first); McRae flied out to right; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB. Rangers 3, Royals 2. RANGERS 9TH: Rivers singled to shortstop; Rivers stole second; Oliver grounded out (shortstop to first); MARTIN REPLACED SPLITTORFF (PITCHING); Bell was walked intentionally; Roberts lined to left; Grubb flied out to center; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 2 LOB. Rangers 3, Royals 2. ROYALS 9TH: Quirk doubled to left; GARCIA RAN FOR QUIRK; J. JOHNSON REPLACED MEDICH (PITCHING); Aikens grounded out (shortstop to first); COMER REPLACED J. JOHNSON (PITCHING); Otis popped to second; PHELPS BATTED FOR WATHAN; Phelps was called out on strikes; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB. Rangers 3, Royals 2.

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