Now it's time for the American League West second-place game from the Oakland Coliseum. The date is Tuesday, October 6:
Weather: 66 degrees, cloudy skies, west wind at 8 MPH.
Here are the umpires for today's game:
Home Plate: Jerry Neudecker
First Base: Larry McCoy
Second Base: Durwood Merrill
Third Base: Joe Brinkman
Left Field: Dale Ford
Right Field: Russ Goetz
Angels 3rd: Juan Beniquez led off with a lined single to left. He moved to second on third baseman Butch Hobson's bouncer to third. then stole third himself. Right fielder Larry Harlow beat out a bouncer to short for an infield single to bring Beniquez home and give the Halos a 1-0 lead. Shortstop Rick Burleson struck out swinging for the second out. First baseman Daryl Sconiers flew to Rickey Henderson in left center field to retire the side, but the Angels have scored first thanks to two hits, a groundout, and a stolen base. After two and a half, it's Angels 1, Athletics 0.
Angels 6th: With one out, Burleson lined a single to right center. Sconiers' single up the middle put runners at the corners, and designated hitter Don Baylor brought Burleson home with a sacrifice fly to Henderson in left that increased the Halos' lead to 2-0. Bobby Grich walked on five pitches to put two men on, but Brian Downing's popup was caught by the Athletics' Rob Picciolo to end the inning. The Halos settle for a run on two hits, a walk, and a sacrifice fly while leaving runners at first and second. After five and a half in Game 164, it's Halos 2, Swingins 0.
Athletics 6th: Right fielder Tony Armas led off with a fly ball down the line in left that fell in for a bloop double. Third baseman Wayne Gross' lined single to right put runners at the corners. First baseman Jim Spencer flew to Harlow in right for the first out. Second baseman Dave McKay forced Gross, which allowed Armas to come home and put the home squad on the board. Catcher Jeff Newman singled to left to put two men on.
That was all for Angels starter Geoff Zahn; Andy Hassler relieved and retired Picciolo on a shallow fly to Beniquez in center to end the inning. The Athletics are back in the game thanks to a run on three hits and a fielder's choice while leaving runners at first and second. At the end of six, it's California 2, Oakland 1.
Athletics 7th: With two out, designated hitter Cliff Johnson singled to left and was run for by Mitchell Page. Armas slapped a base hit past the mound and up the middle to put runners at the corners. Gross' bloop single to right scored Page to tie the game and moved Armas to third. With Spencer at the plate, Angels manager Gene Mauch replaced Hassler with Don Aase, whose first pitch sailed to the backstop, allowing Armas to score and giving the A's a 3-2 lead. Gross moved to second on the wild pitch, but Spencer's liner was caught by Sconiers to end the inning. The A's have taken the lead thanks to two runs on three hits and a wild pitch while leaving Gross at second. After seven, it's Athletics 3, Angels 2.
That was all the scoring. Baylor singled to lead off the ninth against Athletics' starter Steve McCatty. Bert Campaneris ran for him and stole second, then moved to third on Downing's bouncer to second. The California season came down to catcher Ed Ott. Here's Bob Costas with the count one ball and one strike:
"Even with the tying run at third and a decent hitter at the plate, no one's up in the Oakland bullpen. Whether that changes if Ott drives Campaneris in, we'll have to wait and see. McCatty's thrown 115 pitches, which is a reasonable day's work for anyone. Beniquez is waiting on deck should Ott get on, followed by Butch Hobson.
McCatty's ready. gets the sign from Newman, checks Campaneris at third, stretches, now the pitch......hit down to second, McKay up with it, has time, throws to first, AND THE A'S WIN SECOND PLACE!.....Not much jubilation from the A's, as they're thinking about five games in five days, three of them on the road against the relatively well-rested Rangers. In order to play here again this year. they'll need to win one of those three. The series starts tomorrow at Arlington Stadium,
Our Player of the Game is Steve McCatty, who pitched a complete game, allowing two runs on six hits while walking one and striking out eight, He threw 116 pitches. Wayne Gross was three for four with an RBI to lead the offense, and both Jeff Newman and Tony Armas were two for four; Newman also scored twice. Dwayne Murphy was hitless in two official at-bats, but he also drew two walks. The only Angel with more than one hit was Rick Burleson, who was two for four and scored a run, Starting pitcher Geoff Zahn held the A's to one run on six hits in five and two-thirds innings, but ended up with a no-decision.
That wraps it up from the Oakland Coliseum. Up next is Game 1 of the NLDS West from the Astrodome in Houston as the Astros host the Dodgers. Joe Garagiola and Tony Kubek will be on hand to bring you the action, but we have about ten minutes, so we'll take a quick break, then go to New York for a review of the day's action with Bryant Gumbel. If there's time, we'll show you Tim McCarver's interview with Steve McCatty from the Oakland clubhouse, If not, we'll show it just before Game 2 between the Expos and the Cardinals tomorrow.
Our final score: the Oakland A's 3, the California Angels 2. For Tim McCarver, I'm Bob Costas saying so long from Oakland. Bryant Gumbel is next after these messages."
Final totals: Athletics 3-10-0, Angels 2-6-1,
W- McCatty (22-13)
L- Hassler (4-8)
The A's went on to defeat the Rangers in four games to win the AL West, but they were swept in three games by the Yankees in the ALCS, as they were in real life. The Dodgers defeated the Yankees four games to two in the World Series to win the world championship, again as in real life.
Next: To be determined.
Thoughts