The 1980 Oakland A's - Rebuild #1 Continues

[motnahp]

Ben Oglivie smacked a 3-run homer in the 1st (13), capping a 4-run inning and the Brewers coasted to a 7-3 win over the A's. Gorman Thomas was 2-3 with a double and 2 RBI for the Brewers. Jim Essian was 3-4 for the A's. Mike Caldwell (11-4) held the A's to only one run in 8 innings. Rick Langford (8-6) took the loss for Oakland.

TUE JUL 1

OAK_____3___10___0
MIL______7___11___0

[motnahp]

Matt Keough (8-4) pitched the 2nd shutout in his last 3 starts, as the A's crushed Milwaukee 9-0. Dwayne Murphy was 4-5 with 2 RBI. Wayne Gross drove in 3 runs, and Dave Revering was 2-5 with a homer (7) and 2 RBI. Lary Sorensen (8-6) took the loss for the Brewers.

WED JUL 2

OAK_____9___13___0
MIL______0____7___1

[motnahp]

Paul Mitchell (2-3) and two relievers shut down the A's, as Milwaukee earned a split of the 4-game series, 3-1. Bob McClure pitched a 1-2-3 9th for his 23rd save. Paul Molitor was 2-4 with a homer (5) and 2 RBI. Mike Norris went the distance for Oakland, dropping his record to 6-7.

THUR JUL 3

OAK_____1___7___0
MIL______3__11___0

Season record 44-33, 2nd place in AL West, 3 GB 1st place Kansas City

[motnahp]

Britt Burns (9-7) and Ed Farmer (SV 17) combined on a 3-hit shutout as the White Sox edged the A's, 1-0. The game's lone run came in the bottom of the 3rd on a Wayne Nordhagen RBI groundout. Brian Kingman (6-5) pitched in bad luck again, as the A's have dropped 1-0 decisions in each of his last two starts, both to the White Sox.

Rickey Henderson provided the lone bright spot for Oakland. Henderson stole two bases, raising his major-league-leading total to 59.

FRI JUL 4

OAK_____0___3___1
CHI_____1___7___0

[motnahp]

Wayne Gross homered 3 times (8,9,10) as part of a 5 for 5 day to lead the A's past the White Sox 6-3. Gross drove in 4 of the 6 runs. The other two Oakland runs came courtesy of a Tony Armas homer (14). Steve McCatty went 8 innings and improved to 9-4. Dave Hamilton pitched a scoreless 9th for his 1st save. Richard Dotson (4-11) took the loss for Chicago. Todd Cruz (2) homered for the White Sox.

SAT JUL 5

OAK_____6____9___0
CHI_____3___11___3

[motnahp]

Rick Langford (9-6) tossed his 5th shutout of the season as the A's blanked the White Sox 4-0 in the first game of a doubleheader. Langford walked 3 and struck out 4. Rickey Henderson was 2 for 2 with 2 runs scored, an RBI, and 2 stolen bases (60,61). Mike Heath and Mario Guerrero each went 2-4. Steve Trout (3-11) allowed all 4 runs in 7 1/3 innings and was charged with the loss.

SUN JUL 6 (1)

OAK_____4___10___0
CHI______0___6___0

[motnahp]

The A's pounded out 20 hits with regulars Rickey Henderson, Mitchell Page, and Mike Edwards on the bench. Oakland blasted the White Sox 8-3 to sweep the doubleheader and take 3 of 4 in the series. Rick Lysander (1-0) made his 1st start of the year and went 6 strong innings. Jeff Jones (1 IP) and Dave Beard (2 IP) provided scoreless relief. Dwayne Murphy was 4-6 with 3 RBI and stole his 16th base. Dave McKay went 4-5 with a double and 2 RBI. Rob Picciolo was 4-6 with a double and RBI, and Wayne Gross was 3-4. Lamarr Hoyt (2-11) absorbed most of the beating, allowing 7 runs.

Time for the All-Star Break. After 3 days off, the A's return home for a Thursday doubleheader with California, followed by a single game against the Angels on Friday. Following the brief 3-game homestand, the A's turn around and fly down to Anaheim for 3 more against the Angels.

SUN JUL 6 (2)

OAK_____8___20___1
CHI______3___8___0

Season record: 47-34, 2nd place in AL West, 3 1/2 GB 1st place Kansas City. The Royals have won 10 straight games headed into the All-Star Break.

[motnahp]

The A's took the first game of a doubleheader with the Angels 5-3 for their 4th straight win. Matt Keough (9-4) went 8 innings for the win. Dave Beard allowed a run in the 9th, but collected his 1st save. Rickey Henderson went 2-4 and smacked a 2-run homer (5). He also stole his 62nd base. Dwayne Murphy was 2-4, Tony Armas 3-4, and Rob Picciolo had a 2-run double. Alfredo Martinez (6-8) took the loss for California.

THUR JUL 10 (1)

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OAK_____5___11___0

[motnahp]

Mike Norris (7-7) twirled a 4-hit shutout, walking 3 and striking out 8, as the A's swept a doubleheader from the Angels, 5-0. Rickey Henderson was 3-4 with 3 runs scored and 2 stolen bases. Tony Armas was 2-3 with 2 RBI, Wayne Gross 2-4, and Jim Essian 3-5. California starter Jim Barr (3-5) left in the 1st inning with a rib cage problem. He retired only one batter and was charged with the loss.

The Royals won their 11th straight game today, so the A's cannot make up any ground.

THUR JUL 10 (2)

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OAK_____5__13___0

[motnahp]

The winning streak reached 6, as Jim Essian was 3-3 with 2 RBI, including the go-ahead run in the bottom of the 7th, as the A's swept the Angels, 3-1. Dwayne Murphy added a solo homer (9) in the 8th. Brian Kingman (7-5) went 7 innings for the win. Jeff Jones (1 1/3 IP) and Bob Lacey (2/3 IP SV 6) provided scoreless relief. The A's now travel to Anaheim for 3 more against the Angels.

THUR JUL 11

CAL_____1___7___0
OAK_____3__10___0

Season record: 50-34, 2nd place in AL West, 3 GB 1st place Kansas City. The Royals have now won 12 games in a row!

[motnahp]

Steve McCatty (10-4) was superb. The right hander tossed his 3rd shutout of the year, limiting the Angels to only 5 hits and 1 walk. He struck out 2 and threw only 94 pitches. The A's extended their winning streak to 7 games by blanking California 4-0. Wayne Gross hit his 11th homer. Dwayne Murphy stayed hot, going 3-5 with a triple and two runs scored. He also stole his 17th base. Mitchell Page was 2-4 with 3 RBI and Dave Revering was also 2-4. Don Aase (10-8) was the losing pitcher for California.

SAT JUL 12

OAK_____4___10___0
CAL_____0____5___1

[motnahp]

[&:]Almost a week after the game was played, the All-Star teams were announced. The A's had only one representative on the squad: Wayne Gross was named an AL reserve. Pitchers Rick Langford (9-6 with 5 shutouts) and Steve McCatty (10-4, 2.98 ERA) were snubbed. Rickey Henderson, leading all of baseball with his 65 steals and 57 walks, was also left at the altar.

I'm not sure what the secret was with the voting. Since the game was played on July 8th, I was surprised that it took until the July 12th issue of PSPN to announce the teams.[&:][&:]

[motnahp]

The A's edged the Angels 4-3 for their 8th straight win. Dave McKay was 4-5 at the plate with an RBI. Tony Armas went 2-5 and hit his 15th homer. Rickey Henderson was 2-4 with 2 runs scored and 2 more stolen bases. Wayne Gross was 3-4 with an RBI. Rick Langford went 8 1/3 innings and improved to 10-6. Bob Lacey finished up and earned his 7th save. Angel reliever Randy Scarbery (3-1) was charged with the loss, despite allowing zero runs.[&:] Maybe this will be fixed in a future patch.

SUN JUL 13

OAK____4___13___1
CAL____3___12___1

Kansas City had their 13-game winning streak snapped, losing at Baltimore 3-2. The A's finally gain a game in the standings and are now 2 back of KC.

[motnahp]

Rick Lysander (2-0) went 6+ innings, allowing only 1 run, as the A's won their 9th straight, 5-1 over the Angels. Oakland got scoreless relief from Dave Beard (1 IP), Dave Hamilton (2/3 IP), and Jeff Jones (1 1/3 IP SV 1). Dwayne Murphy raised his season average to .300, going 3 for 4 with a double and an RBI. Rickey Henderson, Tony Armas, Jeff Newman, and Mike Heath all had 2 hits apiece for the red-hot A's. Frank Tanana (9-6) took the loss for the Angels.

The A's have Tuesday off, before heading back home for an 8-day, 9-game homestand. They will entertain Detroit for 2, Cleveland for 3, then Toronto for 4.

MON JUL 14

OAK_____5___14___1
CAL_____1____8___0

Season record: 53-34, 2nd place in AL West, 2 GB 1st place Kansas City, who won today in Baltimore, 8-2.

[motnahp]

Matt Keough (10-4) stopped the Tigers on a 3-hit shutout, walking 3 and striking out 4. It was Keough's 3rd shutout in his last 5 starts. The game's only run came home on a Dave Revering sac-fly in the 3rd inning. Rickey Henderson was 2-4 with 2 stolen bases (70,71). Dave McKay was also 2-4. Tiger starter Dan Petry (5-4) pitched well, but took the loss.

Today's 1-0 win over Detroit was Oakland's 10th straight win. They are a perfect 7-0 since the All-Star Break.

WED JUL 16

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OAK_____1__10___0

[motnahp]

Dwayne Murphy's 2-run single in the 6th inning snapped a 2-2 tie and led the A's to their 11th straight win, 4-2 over the Tigers. Murphy was 2-4 and also had a double. Rickey Henderson was 2-3 with 2 runs scored. Mike Norris went the distance and improved to 8-7. Dave Rozema fell to 8-11.

After sweeping the 2-game series from Detroit, the A's welcome the Indians for a 3-game series over the weekend.

THUR JUL 17

DET_____2___7___0
OAK_____4___7___0

Season record: 55-34, 2nd place in AL West, 1/2 GB 1st place Kansas City

[motnahp]

The Cleveland Indians pounded out 18 hits and snapped the A's 11-game streak, 7-2. Dan Spillner (5-6) went 8 innings and collected the win. Rick Manning was 3-5, Toby Harrah 3-4 with 3 runs scored, and Ron Hassey 2-4 with a double and 2 RBI. For the A's, Brian Kingman (7-6) lasted only 4 2/3 innings and allowed 6 earned runs. Rickey Henderson was 2-3 at the plate with an RBI. Mike Davis went 2-4.

FRI JUL 18

CLE_____7___18___1
OAK_____2___8___1

[motnahp]

Cleveland scored 2 in the 9th to tie, then won 3-2 in 11 innings. Oakland starter Steve McCatty took a 2-0 lead into the 9th, before giving up a single and a double to start the inning. Enter Bob Lacey (5-2), who promptly allowed a Mike Hargrove double and the game was tied 2-2. Cleveland scored the winning run on a Dave McKay error in the top of the 11th. Mike Stanton (3-0) pitched a scoreless 9th and got the win. Victor Cruz pitched a perfect 11th for his 18th save.

SAT JUL 19

CLE_____3___9___1 (11)
OAK_____2___7___3

[motnahp]

The A's got homers from Dwayne Murphy (10), Tony Armas (16) and Mitchell Page (11) and beat the Indians 5-1. Rick Langford (11-6) went the distance as the A's avoided the sweep.

SUN JUL 20

CLE_____1___8___1
OAK_____5___8___0

Season record 56-36, 2nd place in AL West, 1 1/2 GB 1st place Kansas City

[motnahp]

The A's blew a 4-1 lead in the 9th, then won in 10 innings, 5-4 over Toronto. Matt Keough allowed 2 singles to start the 9th, then was replaced by Jeff Jones. Jones retired the next two batters, before surrendering a game-tying 3-run homer to Lloyd Moseby(4). Oakland won the game in the bottom of the 10th, as Mitchell Page's double scored Dwayne Murphy from 2nd with the winning run. Murphy hit two solo homers (11,12) during the game. Page also went deep, his 12th.

Bob Lacey (6-2) picked up the win in relief. Jerry Garvin (1-7) took the loss.

MON JUL 21

TOR_____4___7___1 (10)
OAK_____5__11___0