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.

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