Scoring four unearned runs in the third inning, the A's won the second game of a twi-night doubleheader, 5-4, to gain a split with the Royals, who won the first game, 5-3. In the opener, George Brett batted in three of the Royals' runs with a double and triple, while Al Cowens accounted for two others with a bases-loaded single. Paul Splittorff, pitching with a 5-1 lead, appeared to have the A's well in hand until the eighth inning when Mario Guerrero singled and Taylor Duncan homered. Al Hrabosky relieved and picked up his 10th save.

In a shuffle of 18-year-old pitchers, the A's sent Mike Morgan to Vancouver (Pacific Coast) and started Tim Conroy in the nightcap. The youngster allowed only two hits before being lifted after 3 1/3 innings, but he walked five batters and hit one with a pitch. Pete Broberg, the first of four relievers used by the A's, gained the decision. The A's third-inning scoring began with a pass to Jim Essian, a sacrifice and an error by Clint Hurdle in failing to hold the throw from Frank White on a grounder by Tito Fuentes. Essian scored and Fuentes reached second. Guerrero singled to drive in Fuentes and Mitchell Page followed with a two-run homer. [The Sporting News]

Kansas City Royals 5, Oakland Athletics 3 (Game 1)

Game Played on Friday, June 23, 1978 (Night game) at Royals Stadium

A's 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 2 0 - 3 7 1 Royals 2 0 2 0 0 0 1 0 x - 5 6 2 A's AB R H RBI BB SO AVG Royals AB R H RBI BB SO AVG Dilone rf 5 0 2 0 0 0 .268 Braun lf 1 2 1 0 3 0 .222 Fuentes 2b 4 0 0 0 0 0 .000 Wilson pr,cf 1 1 0 0 0 1 .230 Essian c 0 0 0 0 0 0 .235 McRae dh 4 2 1 0 0 0 .268 Guerrero ss 4 1 1 0 0 0 .279 Brett 3b 4 0 2 3 0 1 .299 Duncan 3b 4 2 2 2 0 0 .259 Porter c 4 0 0 0 0 1 .293 Page dh 4 0 1 0 0 0 .259 Hurdle 1b 2 0 0 0 2 1 .266 Newman c 3 0 0 0 1 0 .237 LaCock 1b 0 0 0 0 0 0 .208 Edwards pr,2b 0 0 0 0 0 0 .218 Cowens cf,rf 4 0 1 2 0 2 .242 Revering 1b 4 0 1 1 0 0 .260 Poquette rf 1 0 0 0 0 0 .214 Alston lf 3 0 0 0 0 1 .200 Zdeb ph,rf,lf 3 0 0 0 0 0 .259 Wallis ph 1 0 0 0 0 1 .303 Patek ss 3 0 1 0 1 0 .273 Armas cf 4 0 0 0 0 1 .229 White 2b 3 0 0 0 1 0 .281 Langford p 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000 Splittorff p 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000 Johnson p 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000 Hrabosky p 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000 Sosa p 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000 Totals 36 3 7 3 1 3 Totals 30 5 6 5 7 6 Time of Game: 2:29 Left on Base: A's 7, Royals 8 DP: A's 1, Royals 1 Errors: Newman, Brett, Patek Doubles: Duncan (3), Revering (8), Braun (6), Brett (19), Patek (12) Triples: Page (1), Brett (5) Home Runs: Duncan (2) Stolen Bases: Dilone 3 (25), Wilson (27) GIDP: Duncan (1) A's IP H R ER BB SO HR BFP ERA Langford L(1-5) 2.2 4 4 4 2 4 0 15 3.12 Johnson 5 2 1 1 5 1 0 21 2.66 Sosa 0.1 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 3.04 Totals 8 6 5 5 7 6 0 37 Royals IP H R ER BB SO HR BFP ERA Splittorff W(9-6) 7.2 6 3 3 0 1 1 31 2.73 Hrabosky SV(10) 1.1 1 0 0 1 2 0 6 1.99 Totals 9 7 3 3 1 3 1 37 Umpires: HP - Lou DiMuro, 1B - Ken Kaiser, 2B - Mike Reilly, 3B - Bill Haller ATHLETICS 1ST: Dilone reached on an error by Brett; Fuentes popped to second; Dilone stole second; Dilone stole third; Guerrero reached on a fielder's choice [Dilone stayed at third]; Duncan grounded into a double play (third to second to first) [Guerrero out at second]; 0 R, 0 H, 1 E, 1 LOB. Athletics 0, Royals 0. ROYALS 1ST: Braun doubled to right; McRae reached on a fielder's choice [Braun to third]; Brett tripled to right [Braun scored, McRae scored]; Porter grounded out (first to pitcher); Hurdle was called out on strikes; Cowens struck out; 2 R, 2 H, 0 E, 1 LOB. Athletics 0, Royals 2. ATHLETICS 2ND: Page popped to shortstop; Newman reached on an error by Patek; Revering flied out to right; Alston popped to shortstop; 0 R, 0 H, 1 E, 1 LOB. Athletics 0, Royals 2. ROYALS 2ND: Poquette grounded out (second to first); Patek grounded out (shortstop to first); White flied out to center; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB. Athletics 0, Royals 2. ATHLETICS 3RD: Armas lined to shortstop; Dilone singled to right; Dilone stole second; Fuentes flied out to left; Guerrero flied out to center; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB. Athletics 0, Royals 2. ROYALS 3RD: Braun walked; McRae singled to center [Braun to second]; Brett was called out on strikes; Porter struck out; Hurdle walked [Braun to third, McRae to second]; Cowens singled to right [Braun scored, McRae scored, Hurdle to third]; JOHNSON REPLACED LANGFORD (PITCHING); ZDEB BATTED FOR POQUETTE; Zdeb flied out to left; 2 R, 2 H, 0 E, 2 LOB. Athletics 0, Royals 4. ATHLETICS 4TH: ZDEB STAYED IN GAME (PLAYING RF); Duncan doubled; Page popped to second; Newman popped to second; Revering doubled to right [Duncan scored]; Alston was called out on strikes; 1 R, 2 H, 0 E, 1 LOB. Athletics 1, Royals 4. ROYALS 4TH: Patek grounded out (shortstop to first); White popped to third in foul territory; Braun walked; McRae flied out to center; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 1 LOB. Athletics 1, Royals 4. ATHLETICS 5TH: Armas flied out to center; Dilone singled to center; Fuentes lined to center; Guerrero grounded out (third to first); 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB. Athletics 1, Royals 4. ROYALS 5TH: Brett lined to center; Porter grounded out (first to pitcher); Hurdle walked; Cowens flied out to center; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 1 LOB. Athletics 1, Royals 4. ATHLETICS 6TH: Duncan flied out to left; Page lined to right; Newman grounded out (third to first); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB. Athletics 1, Royals 4. ROYALS 6TH: Zdeb flied out to right; Patek walked; White lined into a double play (second to first) [Patek out at first]; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB. Athletics 1, Royals 4. ATHLETICS 7TH: Revering lined to right; Alston grounded out (first to pitcher); Armas flied out to center; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB. Athletics 1, Royals 4. ROYALS 7TH: Braun walked; WILSON RAN FOR BRAUN; McRae flied out to right; Wilson stole second [Wilson to third (error by Newman)]; Brett doubled to right [Wilson scored]; Porter flied out to center [Brett to third]; Hurdle grounded out (pitcher to first); 1 R, 1 H, 1 E, 1 LOB. Athletics 1, Royals 5. ATHLETICS 8TH: WILSON STAYED IN GAME (PLAYING CF); LACOCK REPLACED HURDLE (PLAYING 1B); COWENS CHANGED POSITIONS (PLAYING RF); ZDEB CHANGED POSITIONS (PLAYING LF); Dilone grounded out (shortstop to first); Fuentes lined to shortstop; Guerrero singled to center; Duncan homered [Guerrero scored]; HRABOSKY REPLACED SPLITTORFF (PITCHING); Page tripled to center; Newman walked; EDWARDS RAN FOR NEWMAN; Revering popped to second; 2 R, 3 H, 0 E, 2 LOB. Athletics 3, Royals 5. ROYALS 8TH: EDWARDS STAYED IN GAME (PLAYING 2B); ESSIAN REPLACED FUENTES (PLAYING C ); Cowens struck out; Zdeb flied out to right; Patek doubled to left; White was walked intentionally; SOSA REPLACED JOHNSON (PITCHING); Wilson struck out; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 2 LOB. Athletics 3, Royals 5. ATHLETICS 9TH: WALLIS BATTED FOR ALSTON; Wallis struck out; Armas struck out; Dilone popped to second; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB. Athletics 3, Royals 5.

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