Trading four-hit shutouts, the A's won the first game of a twi-night doubleheader, 1-0, and the Rangers took the second game, 5-0. Alan Wirth, who pitched the opener for the A's, was the winner in a duel with Doyle Alexander when Dell Alston smashed a homer in the fourth inning. The shutout and complete game both were firsts for Wirth's major league career.

Steve Comer pitched his second shutout in the nightcap. The Rangers broke through against Pete Broberg for three runs in the sixth inning. Mike Jorgensen singled and took third on a single by Bump Wills. Bert Campaneris bunted, scoring Jorgensen, and was safe himself at first when Rob Picciolo dropped the throw covering the bag. One out later, Al Oliver singled, driving in Wills and Campaneris. Richie Zisk closed out the scoring with a two-run single in the eighth. [The Sporting News]

Oakland Athletics 1, Texas Rangers 0 (Game 1)

Game Played on Friday, September 15, 1978 (Night game) at Arlington Stadium

A's 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 - 1 6 0 Rangers 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 - 0 4 0 A's AB R H RBI BB SO AVG Rangers AB R H RBI BB SO AVG Edwards 2b 4 0 1 0 0 0 .273 Hargrove 1b 3 0 1 0 1 0 .250 Alston rf 4 1 1 1 0 1 .222 Wills 2b 3 0 1 0 0 0 .235 Page lf 3 0 2 0 1 0 .293 Beniquez cf 2 0 0 0 0 1 .256 Dilone lf 0 0 0 0 0 0 .226 Oliver dh 3 0 1 0 0 1 .317 Carty dh 3 0 0 0 1 0 .282 Bonds rf 3 0 1 0 0 2 .273 Revering 1b 4 0 0 0 0 0 .271 Grubb lf 3 0 0 0 0 0 .265 Guerrero ss 4 0 1 0 0 0 .278 J. Ellis c 3 0 0 0 0 0 .217 Gross 3b 3 0 0 0 0 1 .196 Harrah ss 3 0 0 0 0 0 .218 Burke cf 3 0 1 0 0 0 .247 Alomar 3b 2 0 0 0 0 0 .176 Robinson c 3 0 0 0 0 0 .250 Zisk ph 1 0 0 0 0 1 .254 Wirth p 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000 Alexander p 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000 Totals 31 1 6 1 2 2 Totals 26 0 4 0 1 5 Time of Game: 1:43 Left on Base: A's 5, Rangers 2 DP: A's 2, Rangers 0 Home Runs: Alston (1) Caught Stealing: Edwards (20), Page (18), Oliver (8), Bonds (21) Sacrifice Hits: Wills (4), Beniquez (10) GIDP: Wills (11) A's IP H R ER BB SO HR BFP ERA Wirth W(4-4) 9 4 0 0 1 5 0 29 3.00 Totals 9 4 0 0 1 5 0 29 Rangers IP H R ER BB SO HR BFP ERA Alexander L(8-10) 9 6 1 1 2 2 1 33 3.94 Totals 9 6 1 1 2 2 1 33 Wild Pitches: Alexander (4) Umpires: HP - Dave Phillips, 1B - Larry McCoy, 2B - Steve Palermo, 3B - Don Denkinger ATHLETICS 1ST: Edwards grounded out (second to first); Alston was called out on strikes; Page walked; Carty flied out to right; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 1 LOB. Athletics 0, Rangers 0. RANGERS 1ST: Hargrove walked; Wills grounded into a double play (shortstop to first) [Hargrove out at second]; Beniquez flied out to center; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB. Athletics 0, Rangers 0. ATHLETICS 2ND: Revering made an out to third; Guerrero grounded out (shortstop to first); Gross struck out; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB. Athletics 0, Rangers 0. RANGERS 2ND: Oliver singled to right; Bonds struck out while Oliver was caught stealing second (catcher to second); Grubb grounded out (first to pitcher); 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 0 LOB. Athletics 0, Rangers 0. ATHLETICS 3RD: Burke singled to left; Robinson grounded out (shortstop to first) [Burke to second]; Edwards reached on a fielder's choice [Burke out at third (shortstop to third)]; Edwards was caught stealing second (catcher to shortstop); 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 0 LOB. Athletics 0, Rangers 0. RANGERS 3RD: J. Ellis grounded out (shortstop to first); Harrah grounded out (first unassisted); Alomar grounded out (second to first); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB. Athletics 0, Rangers 0. ATHLETICS 4TH: Alston homered; Page flied out to center; Carty walked; Revering flied out to left; Guerrero singled to third [Carty to second]; Gross grounded out (first unassisted); 1 R, 2 H, 0 E, 2 LOB. Athletics 1, Rangers 0. RANGERS 4TH: Hargrove singled to right; Wills out on a sacrifice bunt (first to second) [Hargrove to second]; Beniquez struck out; Oliver grounded out (third to first); 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB. Athletics 1, Rangers 0. ATHLETICS 5TH: Burke grounded out (first unassisted); Robinson grounded out (shortstop to first); Edwards singled to center; Alston flied out to center; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB. Athletics 1, Rangers 0. RANGERS 5TH: Bonds singled to center; Bonds was caught stealing second (catcher to shortstop); Grubb grounded out (second to first); J. Ellis flied out to center; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 0 LOB. Athletics 1, Rangers 0. ATHLETICS 6TH: Page singled to left; Page was picked off and caught stealing second (pitcher to first to shortstop); Carty popped to first in foul territory; Revering flied out to center; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 0 LOB. Athletics 1, Rangers 0. RANGERS 6TH: Harrah flied out to center; Alomar grounded out (second to first); Hargrove flied out to right; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB. Athletics 1, Rangers 0. ATHLETICS 7TH: Guerrero grounded out (pitcher to first); Gross flied out to center; Burke grounded out (shortstop to first); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB. Athletics 1, Rangers 0. RANGERS 7TH: Wills singled to left; Beniquez out on a sacrifice bunt (first to second) [Wills to second]; Oliver was called out on strikes; Bonds was called out on strikes; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB. Athletics 1, Rangers 0. ATHLETICS 8TH: Robinson grounded out (first unassisted); Edwards grounded out (shortstop to first); Alston flied out to center; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB. Athletics 1, Rangers 0. RANGERS 8TH: Grubb flied out to center; J. Ellis flied out to center; Harrah grounded out (third to first); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB. Athletics 1, Rangers 0. ATHLETICS 9TH: Page singled to center; Alexander threw a wild pitch [Page to second]; Carty grounded out (third to first); Revering flied out to center; Guerrero grounded out (second to first); 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB. Athletics 1, Rangers 0. RANGERS 9TH: DILONE REPLACED PAGE (PLAYING LF); ZISK BATTED FOR ALOMAR; Zisk struck out; Hargrove grounded out (first unassisted); Wills grounded out (second to first); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB. Athletics 1, Rangers 0.

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