Arlington Stadium
GAME 1 - OAK 8, TEX 6
Catfish Hunter vs Nolan Ryan
The wind was blowing out to the tune of 20 mph, which compromised what should have been a classic HOF pitcher's duel. All this game was missing was Mark Scott to do the play by play for this home run derby. 6 long balls in total were hit by 6 different players...3 on each team. Texas was up 3-0 after 5, but the 40+ year old version of "Von Ryan's Express" began to tire. A two run, two out, shot by Jose Canseco brought the A's to within 1. Texas would increase their lead with 3 unearned runs in the bottom of the 7th courtesy of a Bill North dropped fly ball in center, which would have been the third out of the inning. Time and time again, those errors come back to bite you and this one certainly did when "the Capital Punisher", Frank Howard, launched a moon shot that is now orbiting Jupiter. Catfish was frustrated and everyone in the house knew it. However he was able to collect his composure to get out of the inning. Jeff Russell would start the 8th for the Rangers and never make it out of the inning. A 3 run shot by "Mr. October", Reggie Jackson matched Howard's homer and once again made it a 1 run game. The fans in Arlington could have lived with the present result, but Oakland was not through scoring just yet. Back to back singles by Sal Bando and Terry "Grapes of Wrath" Steinbach put runners on the corners with 1 out. Carney Lansford was called on to pinch hit for Tony Phillips, and hit a sharp grounder to short to score Bando to tie the game at 6-6. Rollie Fingers would pitch a scoreless 8th to preserve the tie. Casey Cox, who relieved the embattled Russell to get the final outs in the 8th made one of the cardinal sins of baseball: he walked Rickey Henderson. Texas dodged a bullet as Henderson did not steal second and instead had to rely on a sac bunt by Bill North to get there, which setup the turning point of the game. With Feris Fain due up it was time to go to the
bench and look for some power. Mark McGwire grabbed a bat and put on his helmet and strolled to the plate. Big Mac didn't waste a moment of time as he stepped into reliever Darrold Knowles' 1-0 offering and lined it just inside the foul poll for a 2 run shot to give the A's their first lead of the day. "The Eck" was called on to close the game out and after Buddy Bell hit one to the track, Eckersley easily got Palmeiro and Howard to make out and end this wild shootout.
GAME 2 - OAK 11, TEX 5
Dave Stewart vs Dick Bosman
Dave "Smoke" Stewart was treated to a 5-0 lead even before he took the mound for his first pitch. 10 batters in all would come to the plate in the opening inning for the A's as Dick Bosman wilted under the 100 degree Texas heat. Back to back jacks by Canseco and Reggie powered the A's. A two out error by Tony Phillips in the bottom of the inning was followed by a 2 run shot by "Hondo" to cut Oakland's lead to 3. Bosman remained in the game and settled into a nice groove for the next 4 innings. That groove would abruptly end, just like his day, as once again Oakland exploded for another 5 run inning. Four of those runs would be served up by a grand slam by Jose Canseco, who would go on to post 10 RBI's in the series. Stewart would exit the game after 7 innings of work where he allowed just 3 unearned runs. Reliever Jack Aker was tasked with throwing the ball down the middle of the plate and getting the game over quickly. Aker did what he had to do and allowed two meaningless runs as Oakland would win this one walking away.
GAME 3 - OAK 8, TEX 6
Vida Blue vs Charlie Hough
Vida Blue struggled with his control all day, but that was nothing
compared to the struggles that Charlie Hough had with his knuckle ball not knuckling. When his knuckle ball was dancing it usually resulted in a walk. That happened with the bases loaded in the first. After battling back to fan Canseco and Jackson, Hough walked Sal Bando to force in Rickey Henderson to make it 1-0 Oakland. Gene Tenace flew out to end the inning and Hough was able to dodge a bullet to get out of the first with only one run against. The veteran knuckle ball ace would not be so lucky in the second as Oakland for the second day in a row posted a huge 5 run inning. Canseco and Jackson were also back up to their old tricks. Jose's 2 run single was followed up by Reggie's 2 run homer to make it 6-0. Oakland would make it 8-0 with 2 more homers in the fourth. Joe Rudi, starting at first base, lined an opposite field shot and Reggie Jackson hit his 4th homer of the young season. Oakland went into cruise control mode and it nearly cost them dearly. Texas posted solo runs in the 6th and 7th innings to make it 8-2. Vida Blue would come out to start the 8th and leave two batters later after giving up a 2 run shot to DH Larry Parrish. Mike Norris would finish out the inning and start up the 9th defending a 4 run lead. Julio Franco would lead off the inning with a double and pinch hitter Pete O'Brien would work out a walk to put runners on 1st and 2nd with nobody out. A single by Rafael Palmeiro would score Franco and make it 8-5. A single by Frank Howard would load the bases up with nobody out. Norris just couldn't get anybody out, so a call to the bullpen was made and out came Dennis Eckersley, who got Juan "Gone" to fly out to left. That fly ball would score O'Brien and make it a 2 run game. Parrish would get a hold of a 2-1 fastball and hit it to the wall in dead center for the second out of 
the inning. 4 more feet and Texas walks off with a win. Instead the ball wound up in the webbing of vic Power's mitt. Mickey Rivers would ever so slowly stroll to the plate to pinch hit for Geno Petralli. Mick "the quick" would shoot a low liner to left that Rickey would catch on his shoe top to end the game. Oakland escaped with a lucky win in a game that they almost let get away thanks to their complacency and Texas' resolve not to quit.
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