9/13-9/14 - Memorial Stadium
GAME 1 - Orioles 4, A's 3 (13 inn)
Classic matchup between 5th starters, who guiled their way through 5 to 6 innings of mediocre work. Dave Hamilton of the A's was staked to a 3-0 lead, but in classic 5th starter form he had that one blow up inning (the 4th) where he gave up 3 runs, which tied the game. Both bullpens were stretched to the limit due to the early exits of their respective starters and the anemic offenses that forced 13 innings of play. Oakland blew a great chance to win it in the 12th when Joe Rudi led off with a walk and Reggie Jackson singled him over to second. Sal Bando, who's expertise is in power hitting, was called on to bunt over the runners and failed miserably by forcing Rudi at third for out #1. With Gene Tenace at the plate Jackson and Bando executed a perfect double steal, which in essence made up for the botched bunt. Derron Johnson, who has been Oakland's lone clutch hitter all season was tasked with bringing in one or both runners with 1 out. Oriole reliever Pete Richert got away with making a bad pitch when Johnson smoked a hump backed liner to third. Unfortunately for Johnson and the A's third base is patrolled by the human vacuum cleaner, Brooks Robinson, who eats up line drives like it was candy. Dick Green followed the dejected Johnson, and met the same result. This time Robinson dove to his left to come up with a one hopper that he easily tossed to Boog Powell at first to nail the hustling Green. Innings like that usually spell doom for the team that couldn't capitalize. That doom would come in the form of a 1 out double by Don Buford off of Darrold Knowles
in the bottom of the 13th. Paul Blair would follow with a hard liner to left that was hit so hard Blair couldn't advance past third. With runners at the corners Boog Powell stepped to the plate to give the A's the lefty / lefty matchup they wanted. Powell, who is a free swinger, locked in and shortened his stroke to line one to right to easily score Buford for the win.
GAME 2 - Orioles 11, A's 5
The normally reliable Catfish Hunter (3-4, 3.30) faltered down the stretch by giving up 3 big homers to the O's. Hunter was struggling to protect a tenuous 4-3 lead when Ellie Hendricks launched a 2 out / 2 run shot in the 6th. A 2 run shot by Paul Blair in the 7th would put the O's up by 3. Baltimore would score 3 more runs in the 8th and take this game handily. Hunter has been a victim of lack of run support most of the season, but his penchant for giving up the inopportune long ball has not helped his cause one bit. Frank Robinson and Boog Powell both had 3 hits on the day with Powell increasing his average to .340 and Robinson boosting his to .327.
9/15 - Oakland Coliseum
GAME 3 - A's 7, Orioles 3
Call Kenny Holtzman "the stopper". Oakland's lanky
southpaw has consistently followed up A's losses with a clutch win. Holtzman (5-2, 3.02) had a 7 run lead going into the 9th when he gave up 2 meaningless runs, which only served as a blemish on his ERA, but not an indictment of his skill. The game was tied at 2 when Oakland exploded for 4 quick runs in the bottom of the 4th. Gene Tenace led the inning off with a solo blast to left. After Sal Bando walked and Jesus Alou singled, Derron Johnson hit a tape measure shot to dead center of of Oriole starter Mike Cuellar. Oakland would add 2 insurance runs in the 8th when Alou singled home Bando and Johnson singled home Alou, who reached second on an errant throw to the plate. Those two runs made is 7-1 and assured the A's of not getting swept.
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