“Jacked-up” Halos’ take 2 of 3 from A’s

Aug 18 – Aug 20 – Anaheim Stadium
Game 1 – Angels 6, Athletics 5
Wright vs. Blue
Gene Tenace’s 3-run HR in the top of the 1st made Clyde Wright’s first start of the season an auspicious one for the A’s and an ominous one for Wright.  Fortunately for the Angels, Oakland could manage to plate only 4 runs over Wright’s 111 pitches and 4-innings of work, despite yielding 6 hits and 4 walks.  And thanks to a Doug DeCinces 2-run HR, the Athletic only led 5-2 after 6.5 innings.  But in the bottom of the 7th, 4 of the first 5 California hitters reached, with Bobby Grich’s pinch-hit, 2-run double keying the rally and tying the game at 5.  The game was still tied after 8.5 innings, and extra innings looked to be a certainty when Vida Blue retired the first two Angels in the bottom of the 9th. But in his second at-bat of the game, Bobby Grich parked one over the left field wall to give the Angels a stunning 6-5 win.                  

Game 2 – Angels 4, Athletics 3
Messersmith vs. Hunter
Jose Canseco’s 2-run 1st inning double and Rickey Henderson’s 2nd inning RBI single once again staked Oakland to a 3-0 lead against California starter Andy Messersmith.  And once again, the Angels came back in dramatic fashion.  After pitching brilliantly for 6 innings, Catfish Hunter faltered a bit in the 7th.  The Angels scored 2 runs on a sacrifice fly and a fielder’s choice ground ball.  But they were still down by 1 run with 2 outs and 1 on base.  Jack Howell was called on to pinch hit, and he delivered a 2-run HR to give the Halos their first lead of the game.  Messersmith pitched well in the 7th and 8th and turned it over to Doug Harvey in the 9th.  Harvey made it interesting by walking 2 batters, and setting up the final showdown against Reggie Jackson.   But the KOD12 AL Homerun leader fanned to the delight of the Angel fans to end the game.       

Game 3 – Athletics 4, Angels 3
Tanana vs. Langford
For the 3rd straight game Oakland broke out on top in the first, with Joe Rudi and Mark McGwire getting RBI hits to give the A’s an immediate 2-0 lead.  California got 1 back a few innings later on a Bobby Grich RBI single.  But the game was really a pitcher’s duel between Tanana and Langford until the 8th.  In the top of the frame McGwire’s solo blast gave Oakland a 2-run cushion.  But Reggie Jackson, playing for both teams, opened the bottom of the frame with a walk.  And once again Jack Howell made his presence felt with a 2-run jack (all puns intended) off Jim Aker that tied the game at 3.  However, unlike the first 2 games of the series, the breaks worked against the Angels in the top of the 9th when pitcher Kirk McCaskill fumbled a 2-out comebacker, allowing Bill North to score the unearned, go-ahead run.  Dennis Eckersley closed it out in the bottom of the 9th for his league leading 6th save. 
--submitted by Douglas Zaner--