The Royals clinched a playoff spot in the A.L. West with a 5-2 triumph over the Twins as Larry Gura twirled a four-hitter in going the distance. K.C. broke a 2-2 tie in the fourth inning on a single by Hal McRae, two-run homer by Clint Hurdle, double by U.L. Washington and run-scoring single by Willie Wilson.

The game was the Twins' last contest, after 21 years, in Metropolitan Stadium. The team will play next season in the new domed stadium in downtown Minneapolis. [The Sporting News]



Kansas City Royals 5, Minnesota Twins 2
Game Played on Wednesday, September 30, 1981 (Day game) at Metropolitan Stadium
Royals       0  2  0    3  0  0    0  0  0  -   5 16  0
Twins        0  2  0    0  0  0    0  0  0  -   2  4  0


Royals               AB   R   H RBI    BB  SO    AVG      Twins                AB   R   H RBI    BB  SO    AVG
Wilson lf             5   0   3   2     0   0   .306      Ward cf               4   0   1   0     0   2   .262
White 2b              5   0   2   0     0   1   .240      Washington ss         4   0   1   0     0   0   .211
G. Brett 3b           5   0   2   0     0   0   .308      Engle rf              4   0   0   0     0   0   .258
Aikens 1b             5   0   2   0     0   0   .261      Smalley dh            4   0   0   0     0   0   .259
Otis cf               5   0   0   0     0   3   .261      Hatcher 1b            3   0   0   0     0   0   .255
McRae dh              4   2   2   0     1   0   .278      Gaetti 3b             3   1   1   0     0   0   .208
Hurdle rf             3   1   1   2     1   0   .318      Mackanin 2b           3   1   1   2     0   0   .228
  Motley ph,rf        0   0   0   0     1   0   .233      Laudner c             3   0   0   0     0   0   .194
Wathan c              4   1   2   0     1   0   .254      Funderburk lf         3   0   0   0     0   1   .154
Washington ss         5   1   2   1     0   1   .229      Arroyo p              0   0   0   0     0   0   .000
Gura p                0   0   0   0     0   0   .000        Veselic p           0   0   0   0     0   0   .000
                                                            O'Connor p          0   0   0   0     0   0   .000
                                                            Verhoeven p         0   0   0   0     0   0   .000

Totals               41   5  16   5     4   5             Totals               31   2   4   2     0   3

Time of Game: 2:37   Attendance: 15,900
Left on Base: Royals 13, Twins 2
DP: Royals 0, Twins 1
Doubles: Washington (19)
Home Runs: Hurdle (4), Mackanin (4)
Stolen Bases: Washington (4)
GIDP: Aikens (11)


Royals                 IP     H   R  ER  BB  SO  HR BFP    ERA
Gura W(11-7)            9     4   2   2   0   3   1  31   2.61
Totals                  9     4   2   2   0   3   1  31

Twins                  IP     H   R  ER  BB  SO  HR BFP    ERA
Arroyo L(7-10)          3.1  10   5   5   0   1   1  18   3.86
Veselic                 4.1   6   0   0   2   4   0  21   2.84
O'Connor                0.2   0   0   0   2   0   0   4   6.11
Verhoeven               0.2   0   0   0   0   0   0   2   3.71
Totals                  9    16   5   5   4   5   1  45

Wild Pitches: Veselic (1)

Umpires: HP - Marty Springstead, 1B - Joe Brinkman, 2B - Dale Ford, 3B - Derryl Cousins


ROYALS 1ST: Last major league game at Metropolitan
Stadium; Wilson singled to left; White singled to left
[Wilson to second]; G. Brett popped to third in foul territory;
Aikens grounded into a double play (second to shortstop to
first) [White out at second]; 0 R, 2 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Royals 0,
Twins 0.

TWINS 1ST: Ward was called out on strikes; Washington flied out
to left; Engle lined to pitcher; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Royals
0, Twins 0.

ROYALS 2ND: Otis made an out to second; McRae singled to center;
Hurdle lined to center; Wathan singled to right [McRae to
third]; Washington singled to left [McRae scored, Wathan to
third]; Wilson singled to left [Wathan scored, Washington to
third]; White flied out to center; 2 R, 4 H, 0 E, 2 LOB.  Royals
2, Twins 0.

TWINS 2ND: Smalley grounded out (third to first); Hatcher lined
to third; Gaetti singled to left; Mackanin homered [Gaetti
scored]; last HR by a Twin in Metropoitan Stadium;
Laudner flied out to center; 2 R, 2 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Royals 2,
Twins 2.

ROYALS 3RD: G. Brett made an out to shortstop; Aikens flied out
to left; Otis struck out; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Royals 2, Twins
2.

TWINS 3RD: Funderburk lined to third; Ward popped to first in
foul territory; Washington singled to shortstop; Washington
stole second; Engle flied out to left; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.
Royals 2, Twins 2.

ROYALS 4TH: McRae singled to center; Hurdle homered [McRae
scored]; last HR hit at Metropolitan Stadium; Wathan
singled to left [Wathan out at second (left to second)];
Washington doubled to center; VESELIC REPLACED ARROYO
(PITCHING); Wilson singled to center [Washington scored]; White
struck out; G. Brett flied out to center; 3 R, 5 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.
Royals 5, Twins 2.

TWINS 4TH: Smalley popped to first in foul territory; Hatcher
lined to shortstop; Gaetti flied out to left; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0
LOB.  Royals 5, Twins 2.

ROYALS 5TH: Aikens singled to center; Otis struck out; McRae
made an out to second; Hurdle walked [Aikens to second]; Wathan
walked [Aikens to third, Hurdle to second]; Washington struck
out; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 3 LOB.  Royals 5, Twins 2.

TWINS 5TH: Mackanin grounded out (shortstop to first); Laudner
popped to catcher in foul territory; Funderburk struck out; 0 R,
0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Royals 5, Twins 2.

ROYALS 6TH: Wilson lined to right; White flied out to right; G.
Brett singled to right; Aikens singled to center [G. Brett to
second]; Veselic threw a wild pitch [G. Brett to third, Aikens
to second]; Otis struck out; 0 R, 2 H, 0 E, 2 LOB.  Royals 5,
Twins 2.

TWINS 6TH: Ward struck out; Washington flied out to center;
Engle flied out to center; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Royals 5,
Twins 2.

ROYALS 7TH: McRae grounded out (third to first); Hurdle grounded
out (second to first); Wathan grounded out (shortstop to first);
0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Royals 5, Twins 2.

TWINS 7TH: Smalley flied out to right; Hatcher popped to catcher
in foul territory; Gaetti grounded out (catcher to first); 0 R,
0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Royals 5, Twins 2.

ROYALS 8TH: Washington grounded out (second to first); Wilson
flied out to center; White singled to third; G. Brett singled to
second [White to second]; O'CONNOR REPLACED VESELIC (PITCHING);
Aikens forced G. Brett (shortstop to second); 0 R, 2 H, 0 E, 2
LOB.  Royals 5, Twins 2.

TWINS 8TH: Mackanin popped to first in foul territory; Laudner
lined to center; Funderburk flied out to left; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0
LOB.  Royals 5, Twins 2.

ROYALS 9TH: Otis flied out to right; McRae walked; MOTLEY BATTED
FOR HURDLE; Motley walked [McRae to second]; VERHOEVEN REPLACED
O'CONNOR (PITCHING); Wathan lined to right; Washington lined to
center; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 2 LOB.  Royals 5, Twins 2.

TWINS 9TH: MOTLEY STAYED IN GAME (PLAYING RF); Ward singled to
right; the last hit at Metropolitan Stadium; Washington
lined to left; Engle forced Ward (second to shortstop); Smalley
made an out to shortstop; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Royals 5, Twins
2.