A three-run double by Graig Nettles in the first inning triggered the Yankees to a 3-1 victory over the A's in the opening game of the American League Championship Series. Nettles' blow was set up by a one-out single by Larry Milbourne, a walk to Dave Winfield, forceout by Reggie Jackson, who stole second, and a walk to Oscar Gamble that loaded the bases. Nettles then drove an 0-2 pitch up the left-center field alley.

The A's scored in the fifth inning on a single by Rob Picciolo, double by Rickey Henderson and RBI groundout by Dwayne Murphy. Tommy John pitched the first six innings for the Yankees to receive credit for the win while relief aces Ron Davis and Rich Gossage  held Oakland hitless over the last three frames. [The Sporting News]



New York Yankees 3, Oakland Athletics 1
League Championship Series Game 1 Played on Tuesday, October   13, 1981 (Night game) at Yankee Stadium I
A's          0  0  0    0  1  0    0  0  0  -   1  6  1
Yankees      3  0  0    0  0  0    0  0  x  -   3  7  1


A's                  AB   R   H RBI    BB  SO    AVG      Yankees              AB   R   H RBI    BB  SO    AVG
Henderson lf          4   0   2   0     0   1   .000      Mumphrey cf           4   0   1   0     0   1   .000
Murphy cf             2   0   0   1     2   0   .000      Milbourne ss          4   1   3   0     0   0   .000
Johnson dh            3   0   0   0     1   1   .000      Winfield lf           3   0   0   0     1   0   .000
Armas rf              4   0   1   0     0   1   .000      Jackson rf            3   1   0   0     1   0   .000
Klutts 3b             3   0   2   0     0   0   .000      Gamble dh             2   1   0   0     1   2   .000
  Gross ph,3b         1   0   0   0     0   0   .000        Piniella ph,dh      1   0   1   0     0   0   .000
Moore 1b              4   0   0   0     0   0   .000      Nettles 3b            3   0   1   3     1   0   .000
Newman c              2   0   0   0     0   0   .000      Watson 1b             3   0   1   0     0   0   .000
  Drumright ph        1   0   0   0     0   0   .000        Brown pr            0   0   0   0     0   0   .000
  Heath c             1   0   0   0     0   0   .000        Revering 1b         1   0   0   0     0   0   .000
McKay 2b              4   0   0   0     0   1   .000      Cerone c              2   0   0   0     0   0   .000
Picciolo ss           3   1   1   0     0   2   .000      Randolph 2b           3   0   0   0     0   1   .000
Norris p              0   0   0   0     0   0   .000      John p                0   0   0   0     0   0   .000
  Underwood p         0   0   0   0     0   0   .000        Davis p             0   0   0   0     0   0   .000
                                                            Gossage p           0   0   0   0     0   0   .000

Totals               32   1   6   1     3   6             Totals               29   3   7   3     4   4

Time of Game: 2:52   Attendance: 55,740
Left on Base: A's 7, Yankees 7
DP: A's 0, Yankees 2
Errors: Henderson, Nettles
Doubles: Henderson 2 (2), Nettles (1)
Stolen Bases: Jackson (1)
Caught Stealing: Mumphrey (1)
Sacrifice Hits: Cerone (1)
GIDP: Newman (1), Moore (1)


A's                    IP     H   R  ER  BB  SO  HR BFP    ERA
Norris L(0-1)           7.1   6   3   3   2   4   0  30
Underwood               0.2   1   0   0   2   0   0   4
Totals                  8     7   3   3   4   4   0  34

Yankees                IP     H   R  ER  BB  SO  HR BFP    ERA
John W(1-0)             6     6   1   1   1   3   0  24
Davis                   1.1   0   0   0   2   3   0   6
Gossage SV(1)           1.2   0   0   0   0   0   0   5
Totals                  9     6   1   1   3   6   0  35

Umpires: HP - Nick Bremigan, 1B - Russ Goetz, 2B - Jerry Neudecker, 3B - Marty Springstead, LF - Durwood Merrill, RF - Vic Voltaggio


ATHLETICS 1ST: Henderson grounded out (second to first); Murphy
grounded out (first unassisted); Johnson struck out; 0 R, 0 H, 0
E, 0 LOB.  Athletics 0, Yankees 0.

YANKEES 1ST: Mumphrey struck out; Milbourne singled to right;
Winfield walked [Milbourne to second]; Jackson forced Winfield
(second to shortstop) [Milbourne to third]; Jackson stole
second; Gamble walked; Nettles doubled [Milbourne scored,
Jackson scored, Gamble scored]; Watson flied out to center; 3 R,
2 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Athletics 0, Yankees 3.

ATHLETICS 2ND: Armas singled to right; Klutts singled to pitcher
[Armas to second]; Moore forced Klutts (second to shortstop)
[Armas to third]; Newman grounded into a double play (third to
second to first) [Moore out at second]; 0 R, 2 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.
Athletics 0, Yankees 3.

YANKEES 2ND: Cerone grounded out (third to first); Randolph
flied out to center; Mumphrey flied out to right; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E,
0 LOB.  Athletics 0, Yankees 3.

ATHLETICS 3RD: McKay flied out to right; Picciolo struck out;
Henderson doubled to left; Murphy walked; Johnson reached on an
error by Nettles [Henderson to third, Murphy to second]; Armas
forced Johnson (shortstop to second); 0 R, 1 H, 1 E, 3 LOB.
Athletics 0, Yankees 3.

YANKEES 3RD: Milbourne flied out to center; Winfield grounded
out (second to first); Jackson flied out to center; 0 R, 0 H, 0
E, 0 LOB.  Athletics 0, Yankees 3.

ATHLETICS 4TH: Klutts flied out to center; Moore grounded out
(third to first); Newman lined to shortstop; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0
LOB.  Athletics 0, Yankees 3.

YANKEES 4TH: Gamble was called out on strikes; Nettles flied out
to center; Watson singled to left; Cerone flied out to left; 0
R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Athletics 0, Yankees 3.

ATHLETICS 5TH: McKay grounded out (shortstop to first); Picciolo
singled to left; Henderson doubled to left [Picciolo to third];
Murphy grounded out (second to first) [Picciolo scored,
Henderson to third]; Johnson grounded out (second to first); 1
R, 2 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Athletics 1, Yankees 3.

YANKEES 5TH: Randolph struck out; Mumphrey singled to pitcher;
Mumphrey was caught stealing second (catcher to shortstop);
Milbourne singled to right; Winfield flied out to center; 0 R, 2
H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Athletics 1, Yankees 3.

ATHLETICS 6TH: Armas struck out; Klutts singled to center; Moore
grounded into a double play (shortstop to second to first)
[Klutts out at second]; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Athletics 1,
Yankees 3.

YANKEES 6TH: Jackson grounded out (pitcher to first); Gamble
struck out; Nettles grounded out (first to pitcher); 0 R, 0 H, 0
E, 0 LOB.  Athletics 1, Yankees 3.

ATHLETICS 7TH: DAVIS REPLACED JOHN (PITCHING); DRUMRIGHT BATTED
FOR NEWMAN; Drumright flied out to left; McKay struck out;
Picciolo struck out; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Athletics 1, Yankees
3.

YANKEES 7TH: HEATH REPLACED DRUMRIGHT (PLAYING C ); Watson
reached on an error by Henderson; BROWN RAN FOR WATSON; Cerone
out on a sacrifice bunt (pitcher to second) [Brown to second];
Randolph reached on a fielder's choice [Brown out at third
(shortstop to third)]; Mumphrey popped to shortstop; 0 R, 0 H, 1
E, 1 LOB.  Athletics 1, Yankees 3.

ATHLETICS 8TH: REVERING REPLACED BROWN (PLAYING 1B); Henderson
struck out; Murphy walked; Johnson walked [Murphy to second];
GOSSAGE REPLACED DAVIS (PITCHING); Armas forced Johnson (second
unassisted) [Murphy to third]; GROSS BATTED FOR KLUTTS; Gross
grounded out (second to first); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 2 LOB.  Athletics
1, Yankees 3.

YANKEES 8TH: GROSS STAYED IN GAME (PLAYING 3B); Milbourne
singled to right; Winfield flied out to right; UNDERWOOD
REPLACED NORRIS (PITCHING); Jackson walked [Milbourne to
second]; PINIELLA BATTED FOR GAMBLE; Piniella singled to right
[Milbourne out at home (right to catcher), Jackson to second];
Nettles walked [Jackson to third, Piniella to second]; Revering
popped to first in foul territory; 0 R, 2 H, 0 E, 3 LOB.
Athletics 1, Yankees 3.

ATHLETICS 9TH: PINIELLA STAYED IN GAME (PLAYING DH); Moore
grounded out (shortstop to first); Heath popped to first in foul
territory; McKay flied out to left; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.
Athletics 1, Yankees 3.