Visitor:  New York Yankees

Home:  Kansas City Royals

Date:  June 9, 1979

 

Scoring:

Team                 1       2       3               4       5       6               7       8       9               10     11     12             13             R         H      E

NY                    0       2       3               0       0       0               2       0       1               0       0       0               0               8         12     0

KC                    0       0       0               3       0       3               1       0       1               0       0       0               1               9         17     2

 

Visitor playmakers:

DH Darryl Jones, 1B Chris Chambliss, CF Mickey Rivers, 2B Willie Randolph, C Thurman Munson, RF Lou Piniella, 3B Graig Nettles

 

Home playmakers:

CF Amos Otis, RF Al Cowens, DH Darryl Porter, 1B George Brett, SS Fred Patek, C John Wathan, LF Willie Wilson

 

Network:  NBC (WDAF Kansas City)

Announcers:  Joe Garagiola, Tony Kubek

 

Pregame:  Yes

Postgame:  Yes

Commercials:  Yes

 

Grade:  Very Good.  Would be one grade higher if not for minor occasional interference at bottom of screen.

 

Notes:  Once again the Yankees come to town to renew the bitter rivalry that has existed for decades.  Tommy John takes the mound and holds the Royals scoreless for three innings.  Chris Chambliss hits a two-run shot over the right field wall after Darryl Jones hits a two-out double past third baseman Todd Cruz. 

 

The Yankees strike again in the third inning when Lou Piniella hits a bases-loaded double and Amos Otis overthrows third base, allowing Thurman Munson to score and make it 5-0.  Despite the huge deficit, Royals manager Whitey Herzog leaves Larry Gura on the mound.

 

Kansas City finally gets in on the scoring when A.O. doubles and Al Cowens drives him in with a single.  Darryl Porter makes it 5-3 with a long homer over the right field wall.

 

In the sixth, George Brett gets on with a base hit to center, Darryl Porter takes a base after being hit, and Ray Burris comes in to relieve Tommy John.  John Wathan triples to send in two runners, tying the score at 5.  Fred Patek then hits a pop-up to shallow right center, sending Wathan home for the 6-5 lead.

 

In the seventh, Renie Martin comes in to replace Gura after he lets Mickey Rivers and Willie Randolph get on and promptly gives up a single to Piniella that drives in the other two base runners to give New York the lead again.  For KC, Willie Wilson gets a base hit, followed by U.L. Washington.  Jim Kaat takes the mound next and gives up a double to Brett that scores Wilson.

 

In the ninth inning, Graig Nettles hits a deep fly off of Al Hrabosky that goes over Willie Wilson’s head, driving in Randolph to retake the lead.  The Royals tie it up again after Wilson works his way to third on a sacrifice bunt and a sacrifice fly, then scores to tie the game when Brett hits another into center field.

 

Willie Wilson breaks the tie in the thirteenth inning with an inside the park home run that must be seen to be believed.

 

Thanks Matt!

 

Running time:  4:16 (3 discs)