This Date In Royals History--1985 Edition: September 13
A five-run seventh inning and Mark Gubicza lead the Royals past Oakland.
A five-run outburst in the seventh inning and a sterling outing from starter Mark Gubicza lifted the Royals past the A’s, 5-2, at the Oakland Coliseum on Friday night.
Gubicza worked 6 2/3 innings, holding Oakland to four hits and two walks. He recorded six strikeouts as he improved to 13-7 on the year. The A’s managed just one hit through the first six innings, and that runner was promptly erased on a double play.
But Oakland starter Jose Rijo was almost as good. He held the Royals scoreless for six innings, limiting them to two hits while striking out nine in those innings.
“I’ve known Rijo since a couple of years ago when we were in the Florida Instructional League. I knew he’s a good pitcher and that I’d have to be at my best to win.”--Gubicza, quoted by the Associated Press, September 14, 1985
With a little help from the Oakland defense, the Royals broke through in the seventh. Hal McRae led off with a single. One out later, Steve Balboni walked and Darryl Motley singled to load the bases. Jamie Quirk hit a bloop single to drive in the game’s first run. Steve Ontiveros replaced Rijo, and got the ground ball he needed, right at shortstop Alfredo Griffin. But Griffin booted it, and he was only able to get a forceout at second rather than the inning-ending double play. Balboni scored and the Royals had a 2-0 lead.
“That’s not the best playing surface out there, and if Griffin couldn’t make the play, you know it took a bad hop. He’s playing the best shortstop in the league.”--Royals manager Dick Howser, quoted by the Associated Press, September 14, 1985
Given an opening, the Royals kicked the door in. Omar Moreno singled, driving in Motley. Right fielder Mike Davis made a bad throw to third, and pinch-runner Buddy Biancalana also scored on the play. Lonnie Smith doubled, driving in Moreno, and Kansas City was ahead 5-0.
Tony Phillips led off the bottom of the inning with a home run. Gubicza got the next two hitters, but Davis doubled and Dwayne Murphy singled, cutting the Royals’ lead to 5-2.
Although it was still the seventh inning, Royals closer Dan Quisenberry entered the game and got Jose Canseco to fly out, ending the inning. After working around a leadoff single in the eighth, Quisenberry gave up two one-out singles in the ninth. But Dusty Baker popped up and the game was over, with Quisenberry recording his 34th save of the year.
“I’ve only come in five or six times in the seventh this season. But I’m a big insurance policy, I guess, and I was activated early tonight.”--Quisenberry, quoted by the Associated Press, September 14, 1985
The Royals improved to 80-59 with the win, which kept them two games ahead of California in the AL West race.
Box score and play-by-play:
https://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/OAK/OAK198509130.shtml
Today’s birthdays: Chan Perry (1972), Kyle Zimmer (1991)