Mario Guerrero, playing against his former club, smashed a three-run homer with two out in the eighth inning to bring the A's a 4-2 victory over the Angels. Nolan Ryan pitched the first six innings for the Angels, allowing only two hits and striking out 13 before manager Dave Garcia removed the righthander because he had thrown 123 pitches.

The A's began the eighth with a run off reliever Paul Hartzell before Dave LaRoche took over with two men on base. After retiring two batters, LaRoche fell victim to Guerrero's homer. Guerrero played out his option with the Angels last season and signed with the Giants, who then sent him to the A's as part of the deal for Vida Blue. [The Sporting News]

Oakland Athletics 4, California Angels 2

Game Played on Saturday, April 8, 1978 (Night game) at Anaheim Stadium

A's 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 4 0 - 4 7 0 Angels 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 - 2 7 1 A's AB R H RBI BB SO AVG Angels AB R H RBI BB SO AVG Dilone lf 3 0 0 0 0 2 .286 R. Miller rf 5 1 2 0 0 1 .333 Alexander ph 1 0 0 0 0 0 .200 Grich 2b 3 0 0 0 1 0 .200 Murphy lf 1 0 0 0 0 0 .000 Bostock cf 4 0 0 1 0 0 .000 North cf 3 0 0 0 1 2 .000 Rudi lf 3 0 0 0 1 1 .200 Thomasson 1b,rf 4 1 1 0 1 1 .125 Baylor dh 3 0 1 0 1 0 .167 Armas rf 3 0 0 0 0 3 .000 Fairly 1b 3 0 1 0 0 2 .167 Picciolo pr 0 1 0 0 0 0 .000 Jackson ph,1b 1 0 0 0 0 0 .000 Adams 3b 1 0 0 0 0 0 .000 Chalk 3b 3 1 1 0 1 0 .167 Revering dh 5 1 1 1 0 2 .200 Mulliniks ss 3 0 1 0 0 0 .167 Essian c 2 0 0 0 1 1 .167 Lansford ph 1 0 0 0 0 0 .000 Gross 3b,1b 4 0 0 0 0 2 .000 Humphrey c 3 0 1 1 0 1 .333 Guerrero ss 3 1 3 3 1 0 .667 Solaita ph 1 0 0 0 0 1 .000 Staggs 2b 3 0 2 0 1 1 .500 Ryan p 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000 Keough p 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000 Hartzell p 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000 Lacey p 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000 LaRoche p 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000 Heaverlo p 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000 Totals 33 4 7 4 5 14 Totals 33 2 7 2 4 6 Time of Game: 3:04 Attendance: 18,131 Left on Base: A's 10, Angels 8 DP: A's 0, Angels 0 Errors: Mulliniks Home Runs: Guerrero (1) Stolen Bases: Thomasson (1), Staggs (1), R. Miller (1) Caught Stealing: North (1), Bostock (2) Sacrifice Hits: Essian (1) Hit by Pitch: North (1,by Ryan), Armas (1,by Hartzell) A's IP H R ER BB SO HR BFP ERA Keough 6 7 2 2 2 5 0 27 3.00 Lacey W(1-0) 2 0 0 0 2 0 0 7 0.00 Heaverlo SV(1) 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 3 0.00 Totals 9 7 2 2 4 6 0 37 Angels IP H R ER BB SO HR BFP ERA Ryan 6 2 0 0 4 13 0 24 0.00 Hartzell L(0-1) 1 3 3 3 1 1 0 8 27.00 LaRoche 2 2 1 1 0 0 1 9 4.50 Totals 9 7 4 4 5 14 1 41 Hit by Pitch: Ryan (1), Hartzell (1) Umpires: HP - Dave Phillips, 1B - Larry McCoy, 2B - Steve Palermo, 3B - Don Denkinger ATHLETICS 1ST: Dilone was called out on strikes; North was hit by a pitch; North was caught stealing second (catcher to shortstop); Thomasson walked; Thomasson stole second; Armas struck out; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 1 LOB. Athletics 0, Angels 0. ANGELS 1ST: R. Miller singled to center; R. Miller stole second; Grich grounded out (pitcher to first) [R. Miller to third]; Bostock grounded out (first unassisted) [R. Miller scored]; Rudi walked; Baylor walked [Rudi to second]; Fairly struck out; 1 R, 1 H, 0 E, 2 LOB. Athletics 0, Angels 1. ATHLETICS 2ND: Revering struck out; Debut game for Dave Revering; Essian struck out; Gross struck out; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB. Athletics 0, Angels 1. ANGELS 2ND: Chalk grounded out (shortstop to first); Mulliniks flied to center; Humphrey flied to left; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB. Athletics 0, Angels 1. ATHLETICS 3RD: Guerrero walked; Staggs singled to right [Guerrero to third]; Staggs stole second; Dilone struck out; North walked; Thomasson was called out on strikes; Armas was called out on strikes; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 3 LOB. Athletics 0, Angels 1. ANGELS 3RD: R. Miller singled to center; Grich grounded out (shortstop to first) [R. Miller to second]; Bostock grounded out (shortstop to first) [R. Miller to third]; Rudi was called out on strikes; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB. Athletics 0, Angels 1. ATHLETICS 4TH: Revering struck out; Essian walked; Gross struck out; Guerrero singled to right [Essian to third]; Staggs was called out on strikes; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 2 LOB. Athletics 0, Angels 1. ANGELS 4TH: Baylor flied out to left; Fairly was called out on strikes; Chalk singled to shortstop; Mulliniks singled to center [Chalk to second]; Humphrey singled to center [Chalk scored, Mulliniks to second]; R. Miller was called out on strikes; 1 R, 3 H, 0 E, 2 LOB. Athletics 0, Angels 2. ATHLETICS 5TH: Dilone grounded out (second to first); North struck out; Thomasson flied out to left; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB. Athletics 0, Angels 2. ANGELS 5TH: Grich flied out to left; Bostock grounded out (second to first); Rudi flied out to right; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB. Athletics 0, Angels 2. ATHLETICS 6TH: Armas was called out on strikes; Revering flied out to left; Essian flied out to right; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB. Athletics 0, Angels 2. ANGELS 6TH: Baylor singled to left; Fairly singled to left [Baylor to second]; On a bunt Chalk made an out to pitcher; Mulliniks grounded out (first to pitcher) [Baylor to third, Fairly to second]; Humphrey struck out; 0 R, 2 H, 0 E, 2 LOB. Athletics 0, Angels 2. ATHLETICS 7TH: HARTZELL REPLACED RYAN (PITCHING); Gross grounded out (first unassisted); Guerrero singled to center; Staggs walked [Guerrero to second]; ALEXANDER BATTED FOR DILONE; Alexander flied out to right [Guerrero to third]; North struck out; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 2 LOB. Athletics 0, Angels 2. ANGELS 7TH: MURPHY REPLACED ALEXANDER (PLAYING LF); LACEY REPLACED KEOUGH (PITCHING); On a bunt R. Miller popped to catcher in foul territory; Debut game for Dwayne Murphy; Grich walked; Bostock forced Grich (shortstop to second); Bostock was caught stealing second (catcher to second); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB. Athletics 0, Angels 2. ATHLETICS 8TH: Thomasson singled to center; Armas was hit by a pitch [Thomasson to second]; Revering singled to center [Thomasson scored, Armas to second]; LAROCHE REPLACED HARTZELL (PITCHING); Essian out on a sacrifice bunt (third to second) [Armas to third, Revering to second]; PICCIOLO RAN FOR ARMAS; Gross grounded out (second to first); Guerrero homered [Picciolo scored, Revering scored]; Staggs singled to second; Murphy flied out to center; 4 R, 4 H, 0 E, 1 LOB. Athletics 4, Angels 2. ANGELS 8TH: ADAMS REPLACED PICCIOLO (PLAYING 3B); GROSS CHANGED POSITIONS (PLAYING 1B); THOMASSON CHANGED POSITIONS (PLAYING RF); Rudi grounded out (third to first); Baylor grounded out (third to first); JACKSON BATTED FOR FAIRLY; Jackson flied out to center; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB. Athletics 4, Angels 2. ATHLETICS 9TH: JACKSON STAYED IN GAME (PLAYING 1B); North flied out to center; Thomasson reached on an error by Mulliniks; Adams grounded out (second to pitcher) [Thomasson to second]; Revering flied out to left; 0 R, 0 H, 1 E, 1 LOB. Athletics 4, Angels 2. ANGELS 9TH: Chalk walked; LANSFORD BATTED FOR MULLINIKS; HEAVERLO REPLACED LACEY (PITCHING); Lansford flied out to right; Debut game for Carney Lansford; SOLAITA BATTED FOR HUMPHREY; Solaita struck out; R. Miller flied out to left; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 1 LOB. Athletics 4, Angels 2.

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