This Date In Royals History--1985 Edition: October 2
Bud Black puts a forgettable season behind him with a crucial performance against the Angels, putting the Royals back in first place.
Royals starting pitcher Bud Black had suffered through a nightmarish season, going from Opening Day starter and staff ace to an ERA as high as 4.50 in early September, a personal seven-game losing streak, and a stretch of games where the team went 4-13 when he took the mound. But on this Wednesday night at Royals Stadium, he was everything the Royals needed, shutting out the Angels in a 4-0 win that lifted Kansas City back into a tie for first place in the division, the eighth time since August 28 the two teams had shared the top spot.
Black held California’s potent offense to three hits—all singles—and two walks. He recorded five strikeouts. He dominated the Angels so thoroughly that the visitors did not have a runner reach third base. In fact, they did not even have a runner at second until the top of the eighth.
“What more can you ask of a man? That was a redeemer. That’s what that was.”--Royals manager Dick Howser, quoted by the Associated Press, October 3, 1985
The Royals’ offense gave Black all the runs he would need in the first inning. Facing Angels starter Ron Romanick, Lonnie Smith led off with a single. Smith stole second before Willie Wilson was hit with a pitch. George Brett hit a soft fly ball into short right field. California’s Juan Beniquez charged in and tried to catch the ball just before it hit the turf. But he missed, and the ball rolled all the way to the wall as Beniquez tumbled head over heels. Brett circled the bases, sliding home just under the tag of catcher Bob Boone. The inside-the-park home run gave the Royals a 3-0 lead.
“It’s one of those plays where you do or die, and he didn’t do.”--Brett, quoted by Steve Dilbeck, San Bernardino County Sun, October 3, 1985
Romanick actually pitched a good game himself. He worked eight innings, giving up 10 hits but no walks and striking out seven. The Royals would not score again until the eighth. In that inning, Jorge Orta singled with one out. Two-out singles by Steve Balboni and Pat Sheridan brought Orta around for Kansas City’s fourth run.
The win left Kansas City and California with identical 88-70 records. The teams had one more game in their four-game series, with the Royals hosting Oakland and the Angels headed to Texas for the final three games of the regular season.
Box score and play-by-play:
https://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/KCA/KCA198510020.shtml
1985 baseball news: The Los Angeles Dodgers became the first team to punch their ticket to the postseason, officially clinching the NL West title. The division race ended when San Diego defeated second-place Cincinnati; soon after, the Dodgers finished off a home win over Atlanta. Los Angeles was headed to the NLCS for the second time in three seasons.
Today’s birthday: Greg Pryor (1949)