This Date In Royals History--1985 Edition: June 23
Seattle scores four runs in the third inning and keep adding on in an 8-2 win over the Royals.
A four-run third inning was plenty for the Seattle Mariners, who cruised to an 8-2 victory over Kansas City at Royals Stadium on a hot, muggy Sunday afternoon.
Seattle scored all four runs off Royals starter Bud Black, who lasted just 2 2/3 innings. The Mariners had only had one hit in the first two innings, but Bob Kearney led off the third with a home run. After Spike Owen singled, Jack Perconte grounded into a force out. Phil Bradley drew a walk. Ivan Calderon doubled to drive in one run, and after an intentional walk to Gorman Thomas, Alvin Davis hit a sacrifice fly and Al Cowens doubled for the fourth run. Joe Beckwith replaced Black and got the final out of the inning.
Beckwith also pitched a scoreless fourth, but a two-out double by Jim Presley and an RBI single from Kearney in the fifth gave Seattle a 5-0 lead. Facing reliever Mike Jones, Owen led off the sixth with a home run for a 6-1 lead.
The Mariners finished off any comeback hopes with a two-run ninth. Thomas and Davis led off the innings with walks against Royals reliever Mike LaCoss, who then gave up doubles to Dave Henderson and Presley.
The Royals’ offense was baffled by Mariners starter Mike Moore. The young lefty worked 6 1/3 innings, allowing just two singles and a double. Moore issued three walks but also struck out seven.
Kansas City scored one run in the fifth. With one out, Jim Sundberg singled. With two outs, Willie Wilson walked. Lonnie Smith’s double scored one run, but George Brett whiffed to end the inning with the Royals still trailing 5-1.
From there, Moore and reliever Ed Vande Berg, who worked the final 2 2/3 innings, shut down the Royals until Steve Balboni’s solo home run with two outs in the ninth. But that was not nearly enough to keep Seattle from a fifth straight win over the Royals. Kansas City had scored 10 runs total in those games, with five coming in one game.
“We’re at the point in the season where the numbers are starting to mean something. Those numbers from our offense are starting to concern me a little. I have confidence that we have the potential to get it done, but we haven’t yet.”--Royals manager Dick Howser, quoted by the Associated Press, June 24, 1985
The Royals dropped to 33-33 with the loss. They were in fourth place in the AL West, 4.5 games behind California.
Box score and play-by-play:
https://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/KCA/KCA198506230.shtml
1985 baseball news: The Boston Red Sox and Toronto Blue Jays had a fun time at Exhibition Stadium in Toronto on Sunday. In the fourth inning of the Jays’ 8-1 win, Boston starter Bruce Kison hit George Bell with a pitch. Bell charged the mound and delivered a flying dropkick to Kison’s midsection as the benches cleared. Bell also appeared to give a right hook to Boston catcher Rich Gedman before those two were separated. Toronto bullpen coach John Sullivan wrestled Kison to the ground, only to get a kick in the face from Red Sox first baseman Bill Buckner. Order was restored and the game finished without further unpleasantries, but the Red Sox were still hot after the game. Right fielder Dwight Evans called Bell “gutless” and relief pitcher Bob Stanley promised to hit Bell with a pitch the next time he faced him. Stanley would have some time to plan that; the two teams were not scheduled to play again until September.
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