This Date In Royals History--1985 Edition: June 29
A tight game turns into a rout as California scores six times in the late innings for a win over the Royals.
The Angels broke open a tight 1-1 game with eight singles combined in the seventh and eighth innings, scoring six runs for a 7-1 victory over Kansas City at Royals Stadium on Saturday night.
Royals starter Bud Black did not allow a hit until Gary Pettis singled in the fifth. Even that turned into an out when Bob Boone, who had been hit by a pitch leading off the inning, was caught in a rundown after getting too far past third base. A fielder’s choice and a groundout later and the Royals were out of the inning, still with a 1-0 lead.
But Kansas City’s luck ran out in the sixth. Brian Downing led off with a double. Doug DeCinces singled, but Downing had to stay at second on the play. He did take third on a fly out to right field, and then scored on a Reggie Jackson single.
Black got the last two outs of the sixth to keep the score tied, but California began collecting base hits like mad in the seventh. Pettis led off with a single and took second on a sacrifice bunt. Juan Beniquez singled for a 2-1 Angels lead. Downing singled to end Black’s evening. Reliever Mike LaCoss allowed RBI singles to DeCinces and Grich before a double play ended the inning.
The eighth inning was more of the same. Dick Schofield and Pettis started the inning with singles. After a sacrifice bunt and intentional walk, Downing singled to drive in two runs, opening up a 6-1 lead. Reliever Mike Jones got DeCinces to fly out to left, but one more run scored for a 7-1 lead.
“It looked like it was going to be one of those games, 2-1 or 3-2. It just got out of hand. Our middle-line pitching couldn’t hold it.”--Royals manager Dick Howser, quoted by the Associated Press, June 30, 1985
The Royals managed seven hits against Angels starter Urbano Lugo, but only the one run. The rookie right-hander pitched a complete game, allowing two walks and striking out two. Kansas City’s only run came in the second, when Frank White homered with one out. Jim Sundberg followed that with a single and Steve Balboni doubled, but Dave Leeper fouled out and Onix Concepcion grounded out to end the inning. That was the Royals’ best scoring chance of the night.
Box score and play-by-play:
https://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/KCA/KCA198506290.shtml
Today’s birthdays: Harmon Killebrew (1936), Jason Rakers (1973), Shawn Sedlacek (1977), Dusty Hughes (1982), Frank Schwindel (1992), Emmanuel Rivera (1996)