A’s sweep Royals in highly contested series

8/22-8/24 - Oakland Coliseum
GAME 1 - A's 3, Royals 2 (11 inn)
Paul Splittorff vs Dave Stewart
Sal Bando's 2 out 2 run double in the bottom of the 4th stood up until the 8th when Dave "Smoke" Stewart began to show some wear.  "Smoke" inexcusably let the bottom of KC's lineup do the damage.  After hitting the 8th place hitter (Macfarlane) and giving up an RBI double to the 9th place hitter (U.L. Washington), Stewart bounced one in the dirt that rolled past catcher Terry "Grapes of Wrath" Steinbach to allow Washington to score and tie the game.  Since runs come at a premium when these two teams meet the game was now destined to head to extra innings.  Stewart was removed after getting 1 out in the 9th and was destined for a no decision thanks to the unearned run in the 8th.  Splittorff rounded his day out with 2 earned runs in 8 innings.  Jeff Montgomery would pitch a scoreless 9th for KC, as would Paul Lindblad for Oakland (he would do the same in the 10th).  Doug Bird came on for KC to toss a scoreless 10th as did Oakland's Rollie Fingers.  Bird would start the bottom of the 11th by fanning Jose Canseco and Billy North to get 2 quick outs.  Sal Bando worked out a walk in a 9 pitch at bat.  A wild pitch by Bird allowed Bando to move into scoring position for Steinbach, who delivered the game winning single to end it.

GAME 2 - A's 3, Royals 2
Bret Saberhagen vs Vida Blue
This battle of former Cy Young Award winners did not disappoint.  Blue spent the better part of the first 4 innings walking a tightrope and barely staying out of trouble.  KC had runners in scoring position with less than 2 outs in each of those first 4 frames, but could not deliver the clutch hit to score.  The game remained scoreless until Billy North led off the bottom of the 6th with a triple and scored on Jerry Lumpe's ground out.  Blue was tasked with making that run stand up, but after playing with fire so many times he finally got burned by a 2 out single from the man with with the toothpick, U.L. Washington.  The game was now tied a 1-1, but not for long.  In the top of the 9th Frank White singled and stole second.  Amos Otis worked out a walk and Al Cowens delivered what seemed to be the knockout blow, an RBI single off of reliever Rollie Fingers.  Feris Fain started a beautiful 3-6-3 DP and Steve "Bye-Bye" Balboni struck out swinging to end the inning and limit KC's run production to 1 huge run.  Oakland headed to the home half of the 9th down 2-1.  Saberhagen would start the inning in hopes of finishing off the A's.  Joe Rudi would lead off  and fly out weakly to Willie Wilson in left.  The ever so clutch "Mr. October", Reggie Jackson slammed a double off the top of the wall to dead center narrowly missing a homer.  With the tying run on second KC went to "the Quiz". Dan Quisenberry's first submarine offering to Carney Lansford never found catcher Macfarlane's mitt.  Lansford turned on a breaking pitch that never broke and hit it into the left field bleachers for a 2 run walk off homer to win it.   Despite 4 errors (Mike Heath, Bert Campaneris & Vida Blue twice) the A’s were still able to come out on top.

GAME 3 - A's 4, Royals 2
Kevin Appier vs Jim "Catfish" Hunter
Appier entered the game with an unblemished 3-0 record.  He would not leave in the same condition thanks to an awakening by Oakland's bats and an error by the normally sure handed Frank White in a 3 run bottom of the 6th that erased KC's 2-1 lead.  KC got that 2 run lead thanks to a solo shot by George Brett in the 5th.  Oakland was able to counter with great base running from their sluggers. Both Jose Canseco and Reggie Jackson were able to swipe key bags off of KC backstop Ed Kirkpatrick and Appier.  Catfish Hunter, who had a tough go early in the season, seemed to right his ship as he went the distance allowing just 2 run on 6 hits, while fanning 6 and not walking a batter.  A much needed rest for Oakland's pen was much appreciated.  Oakland's injured parties, Rickey Henderson and Dick Green still look to be about a week away from returning to the action.  Joe Rudi and Jerry Lumpe have done admirable jobs filling in for the injured pair.