This Date In Royals History--1985 Edition: September 6

An emotional return to the mound for a Royals great highlights a doubleheader sweep of Milwaukee. Oh, and KC moves into first place with the two wins.

It was perhaps the most incredible day in an incredible season.

The Royals swept Milwaukee in a doubleheader on Friday night at Royals Stadium, winning the first game 4-3 with an 11th-inning rally. Then they won the second game in a rout, 7-1. But the second game featured the emotional return of pitcher Dennis Leonard. On top of that, the sweep, coupled with California’s loss to Baltimore, catapulted the Royals into first place in the AL West.

In game one of the doubleheader, which was necessitated by a June rainout, the Royals coughed up a 2-1 lead in the eighth, gave up a run in the 11th, then scored twice in the bottom of the 11th to walk off with a win.

Royals starter Danny Jackson was excellent, pitching eight innings and allowing seven hits and two walks while striking out five. He retired 12 of 13 hitters at one point.

That string snapped when the Brewers picked up three straight singles in the sixth inning. Randy Ready got the RBI after hits by Ed Romero and Paul Molitor. That tied the score at 1-1.

The Royals’ first run came in the third inning against Brewers starter Teddy Higuera, who was also sharp. He allowed seven hits and three walks while working 10 innings. But he issued a leadoff walk to the number nine hitter, Onix Concepcion, in the third. Lonnie Smith singled before Higuera hit Lynn Jones with a pitch. George Brett’s sacrifice fly gave the Royals a 1-0 lead. But Higuera wriggled out of that jam with a fielder’s choice (Hal McRae hit a dribbler down the third base line; Higuera grabbed it and tagged Smith) and a groundout.

Steve Balboni led off the seventh with a home run for a 2-1 Royals lead. But after Ready walked with one out in the eighth, Ted Simmons doubled to tie the score at 2-2.

The score stayed tied until the top of the 11th. Royals reliever Dan Quisenberry, in his third inning of work, gave up a leadoff single to Cecil Cooper. Rick Manning’s bunt turned into a force out at second. But Ernie Riles successfully bunted Manning to second, and Bill Schroeder singled to give Milwaukee the lead, 3-2.

Balboni rescued the Royals, hitting a one-out home run off Brewers closer Rollie Fingers in the bottom of the inning. It was Balboni’s second home run of the game (and 30th of the season), and it tied the score at 3-3. Darryl Motley reached on an error by Riles at shortstop, and John Wathan doubled to end the game.

The Royals kept the offense rolling in game two. Omar Moreno led off the first inning with a triple against Brewers starter Ray Burris. Smith singled to drive him in. Smith then stole second, went to third on a Brett fly out, and scored on a McRae groundout for a 2-0 lead.

Motley led off the third with a home run, upping the lead to 3-0. The Royals then opened the game up with a four-run fourth inning. Balboni led off with a double and scored on Jamie Quirk’s one-out triple. Bob McClure relieved Burris but fared no better. Buddy Biancalana greeted him with an RBI double. Moreno singled for another run. Smith grounded out, with Moreno taking second, and Brett singled to drive in Moreno for a 7-0 lead.

Steve Farr, making a spot start for the Royals, worked five innings to pick up the win. He allowed five hits, although he did also walk three batters. He only allowed one run, in the fifth inning. Riles walked with one out, and singles by Cooper and Simmons got Milwaukee on the board. But a double play ended the inning.

Joe Beckwith worked the next three innings, allowing just two hits and a walk. Leonard took over for the ninth. It was his first major league appearance since blowing out his knee in a game in May 1983. After more than two years of surgeries and rehab, Leonard finally made it back to the Royals Stadium mound. After receiving a standing ovation from the crowd of 26,403, Leonard worked around a one-out single to close out the win.

“It was worse than being a rookie. I didn’t think I was going to be in there. When I found out I was, I thought, ‘Oh, Lord.’ It’s been a long road, but I just wanted a chance. Yeah, I had the jitters. My heart’s still pounding.”--Leonard, quoted by the Associated Press, September 7, 1985

“What a fitting way for this night to end. It couldn’t have ended any better. This really was a night to remember for us.”--Royals manager Dick Howser, quoted by the Associated Press, September 7, 1985

The two wins gave the Royals a six-game winning streak, and they improved to 75-58. As mentioned, California lost to Baltimore, dropping to 75-59, and Kansas City took over first place in the AL West by a half-game.

Box score and play-by-play:
Game 1: https://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/KCA/KCA198509061.shtml
Game 2: https://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/KCA/KCA198509062.shtml

Today’s birthdays: Fran Healy (1946), Mark Teahen (1981)