This Date In Royals History--1984 Edition: September 12

The Royals move back into first with a win over Minnesota.

The Royals got just what they needed on Wednesday night in Minneapolis. Well, several things they needed. A 3-2 win over the Twins pushed Kansas City back into a tie for first place in the AL West. A well-pitched game from Bud Black followed two games where the Twins totaled 12 runs. And shortstop Onix Concepcion and third baseman George Brett returned to the lineup, ready or not, giving Kansas City a boost on defense and offense.

The Royals took their first lead of the series in the fifth inning. Despite five singles in the first four innings, Twins starter John Butcher had kept them off the scoreboard, thanks in large part to two double plays. Concepcion singled with one out, but was forced out at second on Willie Wilson’s grounder. Wilson then stole second, and after a Pat Sheridan walk, Brett singled to score Wilson.

Kansas City added a run in the seventh. Don Slaught led off with a single, followed by Concepcion’s third single of the game. That moved Slaught to third, and Wilson hit a sacrifice fly for a 2-0 lead. Reliever Pete Filson replaced Butcher and retired Sheridan and Brett to end the inning.

Black retired the first 17 batters he faced before Chris Speier and Kirby Puckett singled in the sixth. Nothing came of that, but the Twins tied the game in the seventh, and had an excellent chance to take the lead. With one out, Kent Hrbek singled and Tom Brunansky homered to knot things up at 2-2. Gary Gaetti and Dave Engle followed with singles, and pinch-hitter Mickey Hatcher drew a walk to load the bases. Speier attempted a suicide squeeze, but Black quickly sprang off the mound, jumped to catch the ball barehanded, and in the same motion threw to Slaught for the forceout at the plate. Puckett grounded out, and the inning was over.

“I knew it was a do-or-die play but fortunately it was bunted right at me and I fielded it perfectly. A play like that is bang-bang. It’s all instinct.”--Black, quoted by the Associated Press, September 13, 1984

“Blackie’s a great athlete. If he fools around with the glove on the play, the run scores.”--Royals manager Dick Howser, quoted by the Associated Press, September 13, 1984

The Royals couldn’t cash in a two-out walk and single in the eighth, but took the lead in the ninth. Facing reliever Rick Lysander, Concepcion and Wilson started the inning with singles. Ron Davis replaced Lysander, and Sheridan bunted the runners to second and third. After an intentional walk to pinch-hitter Dane Iorg loaded the bases, Jorge Orta’s sacrifice fly gave Kansas City a 3-2 lead.

Dan Quisenberry worked around a two-out single in the ninth to pick up his 40th save of the year and put the Royals back in first place 17 games left.

“We have a heck of a chance and now it’s just a race between us and Minnesota to see who wins more games the next 17 days.”--Brett, quoted by the Associated Press, September 13, 1984

Brett had missed three weeks with a partially-torn hamstring sustained on August 20, while Concepcion had suffered a broken hand after being hit by a pitch on August 10. Neither player was completely healthy by their own admission, but were well enough to play in this crucial game.

“It was real boring not playing for five weeks and I was playing real well before I broke my hand. I was surprised he (Howser) played me because I’ve only been swinging for a couple days and I’m not comfortable in the batting cage or at the plate.”--Concepcion, quoted by the Associated Press, September 13, 1984

“I can only run at half-speed and my range isn’t as good at third base, but time’s running out and under the circumstances, I thought I had to play.”--Brett, quoted by the Associated Press, September 13, 1984

With the win, the Royals improved to 74-71. California lost, so the Twins and Royals were both two games ahead of the Angels in the AL West.

Box score and play-by-play: https://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/MIN/MIN198409120.shtml

1984 baseball news: Dwight Gooden of the New York Mets set a major league record for strikeouts by a rookie when he slipped a fastball past Pittsburgh’s Marvell Wynne. That gave him 11 Ks on the night and 246 for the season. Gooden moved past Herb Score, who set the mark pitching for Cleveland in 1955. Gooden ended up with 16 strikeouts in the Mets’ 2-0 win, which was his 16th victory of the season.

Today’s birthdays: Greg Keatley (1953), Scotti Madison (1959)