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Game 16, Tuesday April 26, 1977 ~
At Kansas City
Royals 4, Rangers 3
WP: Jim Colborn (2-0); LP: Nelson Briles (0-3); Sv: Mark Littell (2)
The Royals had to survive yet another terrifying ninth inning to put this in the ‘W’ column. Mark Littell allowed a run on 2 hits and 2 walks, but struck out backup catcher Rick Stelmaszek with the bases loaded to close the door.
Amos Otis belted a 2-run homer (his 3rd) in the sixth inning to break a 2-2 tie. Jim Colborn pitched seven strong innings, allowing 2 runs on just 3 hits. He walked 4, struck out 3.
This game was played in unseasonably chilly conditions: 42 degrees at first pitch. Brrrr!
The Rangers won the AL East in my 1976 SIM. The real-life team won 94 games in 1977. This is a Texas team to take seriously.
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Game 17, Wednesday April 27, 1977 ~
At Kansas City
Rangers 6, Royals 3 (10 innings)
WP: Adrian Devine (3-0); LP: Larry Gura (0-1)
KC starter Steve Renko gave up 3 runs in a rough first inning but stuck around into the sixth. The Royals managed to tie the game and send it to extra innings, but …. Yeah, that bullpen.
Freddie Patek hit his first HR of the season, so there’s that.
Next, KC gets to host the expansion Toronto Blue Jays, who are 8-12 at the moment.
The Royals are 1-3 against expansion teams (Seattle) so far.
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Game 18, Friday April 29, 1977 ~
At Kansas City
Blue Jays 5, Royals 3
WP: Jesse Jefferson (1-3); LP: Paul Splittorff (2-2); Sv: Pete Vuckovich (1)
Toronto’s Jefferson came into this game 0-3 and with an ERA over 15.50. The Royals scored 3 runs off him in the first inning, and then the bats went dead quiet.
The Jays got within 3-2 on a Pedro Garcia homer in the third inning, then took the lead with a 3-run seventh. Sam Ewing roped a bases-loaded double into the RF corner for the most-damaging blow.
Come on out to the ballpark tomorrow and get a good seat. Toronto’s Jerry Garvin (6.48 ERA) will pitch against KC’s Greg Shanahan (6.65). I know I’m excited.
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Game 19, Saturday April 30, 1977
At Kansas City
Royals 9, Blue Jays 7
WP: Greg Shanahan (1-3); LP: Jeff Garvin (1-2)
Fans who came to see bad pitching got their money’s worth. The Royals blasted four home runs. Darrell Porter & John Mayberry both hit their 5th round-trippers of the season. Freddie Patek hit his second in three days. George Brett uncorked his third, a 448-foot shot into the fountain in right centerfield.
Shanahan allowed 3 runs on 8 hits and 2 walks over 5.1 innings, then Doug Bird came in and allowed just 1 hit over 1.2 innings. But Mark Littell, now sporting an ERA of 12.46, yielded 4 runs on 5 hits and 2 walks over the last two innings, turning what had been a 9-3 Kansas City cruise into another ninth-inning nail-biter.
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Game 20, Sunday May 1, 1977 ~
At Kansas City
Royals 9, Blue Jays 7
WP: Steve Mingori (1-0); LP: Jeff Byrd (1-2); Sv: Marty Pattin (1)
Tom Poquette, one of five Royals with two hits in this game, raised his average to .379 with a double and a triple. The Blue Jays piled up 14 hits, including 5 doubles, but their expansion-team pitching staff was just a tad worse than Kansas City’s.
It’s early so there’s no reason for panic. But it’s hard to see this Royals team gaining much traction beyond a .500 record unless the bullpen shapes up. The rotation has dealt with injury and with bringing in a couple of new starters, which makes its struggles understandable. But the pen isn’t helping. Many times this team wins in spite of its bullpen and not because of it.
CURRENT RECORD: 11-9 (2nd place, 2 games behind Texas)
REAL LIFE: 12-8 (2nd place, 0.5 games behind Minnesota)
AROUND THE LEAGUE:
The Baltimore Orioles (13-8) now lead the AL East by 1 game over the Milwaukee Brewers. The Yankees (11-11) have lost four straight and are sitting in fourth place behind Boston (11-10) …. The Rangers lead the AL West and have the best record in the AL at 13-7.
In the NL East, the Pittsburgh Pirates (13-6) have won 5 in a row and lead the St. Louis Cardinals by 2.5 games. The Montreal Expos had a miserable April, and are in last place with a 3-15 record … In the NL West, the defending champion Cincinnati Reds (13-8) and rising Los Angeles Dodgers (13-8) are in a tie for first place, with San Francisco and San Diego each 1.5 games behind.
Don Money of the Milwaukee Brewers leads the AL in batting (.423) and RBIs (25). Bobby Bonds of the California Angels leads in HRs with 9.
Larry Biitner of the Chicago Cubs leads the NL in batting (.417) while Cincinnati’s George Foster and Philadelphia’s Greg Luzinski share the HR lead with 6 apiece. Willie Montanez of the Atlanta Braves leads the NL in RBIs with 19 — but the Braves aren’t benefitting much; they are 5-16 and dead last in the NL West.
The Top 5 songs in the USA on May 1, 1977 are:
1. Southern Nights — Glen Campbell
2. Hotel California — The Eagles
3. Don’t Leave Me This Way — Thelma Houston
4. When I Need You — Leo Sayer
5. I’ve Got Love On My Mind — Natalie Cole
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