Minnesota finds KC a Royal pain...

The KOD6 season kicked off with the 72 Kansas City Royals hosting the 64 Minnesota Twins. Game 1 featured Camilio Pasqual of the Twins facing off against the Royals Dick Drago. The game was scoreless until the botttom of the 3rd when Paul Schaal reached 2nd on a 2 base throwing error by Twins 3rd baseman Rich Rollins. After Drago dropped down a perfect sacrifice, Freddie Patek laced a single to right to give KC a 1-0 lead. In the top of the 4th, Harmon Killebrew tied the score with a shot to left center. Kansas City regained the lead in the bottom of the inning on an Ed Kirkpatrick Sacrifice Fly. In the 6th, Schaal made it 3-1 Royals with a single to left. The score stayed that way until the 9th.
The Royals brought in submariner Ted Abernathy to protect the 2 run lead. Lead off hitter Killebrew struck again with his 2nd homer, a shot to left. Abernathy was done and lefty Tom Burgmeier came in. He retired Jimmy Hall on a fly to center and Don Mincher on a pop to 1st. Zoilo Versalles stepped in and dripped a single. Catcher Earl Battey followed with a single moving Versalles to 3rd. With number 8 hitter Jerry Kindall due up, the Twins turned to pinch hitter Vic Power. Burgmeier induced Power to ground to short for a 6-4 force out. The Royals prevailed 3-2.

Game 2 seen Jim Kaat (Minn) squaring off against Bruce Dal Canton (KC). Once again the Royals drew 1st blood. Ed Kirkpatrick had an RBI single and Paul Schaal followed with a RBI double to give the Royals a 2-0 lead. Minnesota got on the board when Zoilo Versalles smacked a run scoring triple and drew even in the 4th on a Jimmy Hall homer. Once again the Royals bounced back when Schaal homered to give KC a 3-2 lead.
In the 7th, Minnesota gained their 1st lead of the series as pinch hitter Bernie Allen singled home a run and Rich Rollins added a run scoring 2 out double. In the 8th Harmon Killebrew struck again with his 3rd homer on the young season to give the Twins a 5-3 lead. Kansas City responded with a single tally in the bottom of the 8th to pull within 1.
Minnesota again pushed the lead to 2 runs on a Bernie Allen homer, setting the stage for the bottom of the 9th. The Twins turned to Al Worhtington to try to close it out. Freddie Patek open the bottom of the 9th with a single and Cookie Rojas drew a walk. Worthington then induced Amos Otis to ground to short, moving the runners up. John Mayberry then stepped in and with a 2-2 count delivered a 3 run shot to right center to give the Royals a come from behind 7-6 victory.

Game 3 shifted to Minnesota. The Twins sent Jim "Mudcat" Grant to the mound to try to slow down the Royals. Kansas City countered with lefty Paul Splittorf. Minnesota struck in the first with 3 runs. Tony Olivo delivered a shot down the right field line to give Minnesota a 1-0 lead. After Harmon Killebrew grounded to 3rd, Jimmy Hall drew a 2 out walk. Don Mincher then followed Oliva’s lead with a 2 run shot, a liner down the right field line. That would be all the scoring. Grant was the story of the game. He went the distance, scattering just 5 hits and striking out 1 in his 112 pitch performance.

Minnesota looked to split the series as they sent Jim Perry to the mound against the Royals Roger Nelson in game 4. Kansas City jumped on Perry with 3 runs in the 2nd . Lou Pinella opened the inning with a triple and came home on a Paul Schaal single. After a Rich Rollins error, Cookie Rojas struck out and pitcher Nelson sacrificed the runners up. Freddie Patek delivered a 2 run triple to make it 3-0. Minnesota came right back with run in the bottom of the inning on back to back doubles by Bobby Allison and Zoilo Versalles. Minnesota plated 3 in the bottom of the 3rd . Rich Rollins delivered a leadoff triple and was plated by Tony Oliva’s sacrifice fly. Harmon Killebrew then stepped in and launched his 4th homer of the season . The Twins weren’t done yet as Jimmy Hall doubled and came around to score on an Earl Battey single.
Kansas City responded with a run in the 4th to tie it at 4, with Richie Scheinblum delivering a RBI single. The Royals struck for 2 in the 7th. Freddie Patek singled to open the inning and Scheinblum homered to make it 6-4, Royals. Amos Otis singled in a run in the 9th to make it 7-4 and the Royals called in Tom Burgmeier to end it. The Twins had other ideas. Ed Kirkpatrick lead off and was retired on a long fly to left center. The dangerous Killebrew stepped in and lined a single to right center. Jimmy Hall followed suit with a single to right, Killebrew stopped at 2nd. Bobby Allison single to left to load the bases. Versalles hit a grounder to the hole which Patek fielded and threw him out, but all runners moved up. Earl Battey then was retired on a grounder to 2nd to end the game. --submitted by Milo Miller--