Homers by Wayne Gross and Dwayne Murphy backed the four-hit pitching of Mike Norris as the A's began the A.L. West playoffs with a 4-0 blanking of the Royals. With one out in the fourth inning, Murphy walked and reached second on a groundout by Keith Drumright. When Tony Armas hit a grounder to third base, George Brett's errant throw permitted Armas to reach first. Gross followed with a clout over the right field fence. Murphy added a solo round-tripper in the eighth. [The Sporting News]



Oakland Athletics 4, Kansas City Royals 0
Division Series Game 1 Played on Tuesday, October   6, 1981 (Day game) at Royals Stadium
A's          0  0  0    3  0  0    0  1  0  -   4  8  2
Royals       0  0  0    0  0  0    0  0  0  -   0  4  1


A's                  AB   R   H RBI    BB  SO    AVG      Royals               AB   R   H RBI    BB  SO    AVG
Henderson lf          4   0   0   0     0   0   .000      Wilson lf             4   0   1   0     0   0   .250
Murphy cf             3   2   2   1     1   0   .667      White 2b              3   0   0   0     1   0   .000
Drumright dh          4   0   1   0     0   0   .250      Brett 3b              4   0   0   0     0   0   .000
Armas rf              4   1   1   0     0   1   .250      Aikens 1b             4   0   1   0     0   1   .250
Gross 3b              4   1   2   3     0   0   .500      Otis cf               4   0   0   0     0   1   .000
Spencer 1b            4   0   1   0     0   0   .250      McRae dh              4   0   0   0     0   0   .000
Heath c               4   0   0   0     0   1   .000      Hurdle rf             3   0   1   0     1   0   .333
McKay 2b              4   0   1   0     0   0   .250      Wathan c              2   0   0   0     1   0   .000
Stanley ss            4   0   0   0     0   1   .000      Washington ss         3   0   1   0     0   0   .333
Norris p              0   0   0   0     0   0   .000      Leonard p             0   0   0   0     0   0   .000
                                                            Martin p            0   0   0   0     0   0   .000

Totals               35   4   8   4     1   3             Totals               31   0   4   0     3   2

Time of Game: 2:35   Attendance: 40,592
Left on Base: A's 5, Royals 7
DP: A's 2, Royals 1
Errors: McKay, Norris, Brett
Doubles: Spencer (1)
Home Runs: Gross (1), Murphy (1)
GIDP: Drumright (1), Otis (1)


A's                    IP     H   R  ER  BB  SO  HR BFP    ERA
Norris W(1-0)           9     4   0   0   3   2   0  34   0.00
Totals                  9     4   0   0   3   2   0  34

Royals                 IP     H   R  ER  BB  SO  HR BFP    ERA
Leonard L(0-1)          8     7   4   1   1   3   2  32   1.13
Martin                  1     1   0   0   0   0   0   4   0.00
Totals                  9     8   4   1   1   3   2  36

Umpires: HP - George Maloney, 1B - Joe Brinkman, 2B - Steve Palermo, 3B - Don Denkinger, LF - Jim Evans, RF - Jim McKean


ATHLETICS 1ST: Henderson flied out to center; Murphy singled to
center; Drumright grounded into a double play (second to
shortstop to first) [Murphy out at second]; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 0
LOB.  Athletics 0, Royals 0.

ROYALS 1ST: Wilson made an out to shortstop; White grounded out
(pitcher to first); Brett grounded out (second to first); 0 R, 0
H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Athletics 0, Royals 0.

ATHLETICS 2ND: Armas struck out; Gross flied out to right;
Spencer popped to second; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Athletics 0,
Royals 0.

ROYALS 2ND: Aikens singled to left; Otis grounded into a double
play (third to second to first) [Aikens out at second]; McRae
flied out to left; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Athletics 0, Royals 0.

ATHLETICS 3RD: Heath grounded out (shortstop to first); McKay
grounded out (first unassisted); Stanley flied out to right; 0
R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Athletics 0, Royals 0.

ROYALS 3RD: Hurdle walked; Wathan reached on an error by Norris
[Hurdle to second]; Washington flied out to center; On a bunt
Wilson singled to pitcher [Hurdle to third, Wathan to second];
White forced Hurdle (third to catcher) [Wathan to third, Wilson
to second]; Brett flied out to center; 0 R, 1 H, 1 E, 3 LOB.
Athletics 0, Royals 0.

ATHLETICS 4TH: Henderson flied out to center; Murphy walked;
Drumright grounded out (first unassisted) [Murphy to second];
Armas reached on an error by Brett [Murphy to third]; Gross
homered (unearned) [Murphy scored (unearned), Armas scored
(unearned)]; Spencer doubled to right; Heath struck out; 3 R (0
ER), 2 H, 1 E, 1 LOB.  Athletics 3, Royals 0.

ROYALS 4TH: Aikens flied out to center; Otis struck out; McRae
flied out to center; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Athletics 3, Royals
0.

ATHLETICS 5TH: McKay flied out to left; Stanley flied out to
right; Henderson grounded out (shortstop to first); 0 R, 0 H, 0
E, 0 LOB.  Athletics 3, Royals 0.

ROYALS 5TH: Hurdle singled to right; Wathan walked [Hurdle to
second]; On a bunt Washington singled to pitcher [Hurdle to
third, Wathan to second]; Wilson popped to shortstop; White
lined into a double play (third to second) [Wathan out at
second]; 0 R, 2 H, 0 E, 2 LOB.  Athletics 3, Royals 0.

ATHLETICS 6TH: Murphy grounded out (second to first); On a bunt
Drumright grounded out (catcher to first); Armas singled to
left; Gross singled to right [Armas to third]; Spencer flied out
to left; 0 R, 2 H, 0 E, 2 LOB.  Athletics 3, Royals 0.

ROYALS 6TH: Brett grounded out (first to pitcher); Aikens was
called out on strikes; Otis flied out to center; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E,
0 LOB.  Athletics 3, Royals 0.

ATHLETICS 7TH: Heath flied to left in foul territory; McKay
grounded out (second to first); Stanley was called out on
strikes; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Athletics 3, Royals 0.

ROYALS 7TH: McRae flied out to left; Hurdle flied out to center;
Wathan grounded out (shortstop to first); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.
Athletics 3, Royals 0.

ATHLETICS 8TH: Henderson grounded out (pitcher to first); Murphy
homered; Drumright singled to left; Armas grounded out (third to
first) [Drumright to second]; Gross lined to right; 1 R, 2 H, 0
E, 1 LOB.  Athletics 4, Royals 0.

ROYALS 8TH: Washington reached on an error by McKay; Wilson
flied out to center; White walked [Washington to second]; Brett
flied out to left; Aikens grounded out (first unassisted); 0 R,
0 H, 1 E, 2 LOB.  Athletics 4, Royals 0.

ATHLETICS 9TH: MARTIN REPLACED LEONARD (PITCHING); Spencer flied
out to right; Heath grounded out (second to first); McKay
singled to left; Stanley popped to second; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.
 Athletics 4, Royals 0.

ROYALS 9TH: Otis flied out to right; McRae grounded out (third
to first); Hurdle grounded out (first to pitcher); 0 R, 0 H, 0
E, 0 LOB.  Athletics 4, Royals 0.