The 1980 Oakland A's - Rebuild #1 Continues

[motnahp]

Steve McCatty (12-6) and Bob Lacey (SV 11) combined to shut down the Mariners, as the A's edged Seattle 3-2 in the first game of a doubleheader. Rickey Henderson had a triple and an RBI. Mike Davis was 2-3 with a triple of his own. Rick Honeycutt (8-12) took the loss for Seattle.

SUN AUG 10 (1)

SEA_____2___9___0
OAK_____3___8___0

[motnahp]

Craig Minetto (1-1) pitched into the 6th inning and the A's got 4 scoreless innings of relief from the bullpen, as the A's swept the 2nd game of the doubleheader from the Mariners, 3-2. Rick Lysander (2 1/3 IP), Dave Beard (1 1/3 IP), and Dave Hamilton (1/3 IP SV 2) kept Seattle at bay. Mitchell Page was 3-4 with an RBI. Rickey Henderson stole two bases, raising his total to 83. Jim Beattie (8-13) took the loss for Seattle.

Following a much-needed off day on Monday, the A's travel to Minnesota for 3 games, then onto Seattle for 3 more. At least there's no doubleheaders on the horizon.

SUN AUG 10 (2)

SEA_____2___11___0
OAK_____3___10___0

Season record: 69-44, 1st place in AL West, 3 games ahead of 2nd place Kansas City

[motnahp]

The A's plated 3 runs in the top of the 10th, then held on to defeat the Twins, 4-1. Rick Langford (13-7) went 9 2/3 innings, leaving the game with 2 outs and two runners on. Jeff Jones entered the game and issued a walk to Gary Ward, loading the bases. Bob Lacey (SV 12) then came on and struck out Rick Sofield to end the game. Mike Heath was 3-5 with an RBI, Mike Edwards was 3-5, and Tony Armas went 2-5 with an RBI. Geoff Zahn (9-8) went all 10 innings and took the loss for Minnesota.

On Monday, the A's activated Brian Kingman from the disabled list and returned pitcher Craig Minetto to AAA. Kingman will start Wednesday's game in Minnesota.

TUE AUG 12

OAK_____4___14___1 (10)
MIN_____1____8___1

[motnahp]

Brian Kingman (8-6) returned to the rotation and held the Twins scoreless for 8 2/3 innings. He allowed a run in the 9th and was relieved by Bob Lacey, who saved his 13th game. The A's bested Minnesota in another close one, 3-1. Tony Armas and Mitchell Page both went 2-4 with an RBI. The Twins' Roger Erickson pitched well, but falls to 10-14 with the loss.

WED AUG 13

OAK_____3___7___1
MIN_____1___6___0

[motnahp]

Matt Keough (11-6) went 7 2/3 strong innings and Mitchell Page smacked a 3-run homer (13) to lead the A's past the Twins 4-3 to sweep the 3-game series. Keough got relief help from Dave Hamilton and Bob Lacey (SV 14). Darrell Jackson (12-5) took the loss for the Twins. Wayne Gross was 2-4 with an RBI for Oakland.

THUR AUG 14

OAK_____4___7___0
MIN_____3___9___1

Season record: 72-44, 1st place in AL West, 5 games ahead of 2nd place Kansas City.

[motnahp]

Rick Honeycutt (9-12) and Shane Rawley (SV 16) shut down the A's, as the Mariners came out on top 3-1. Mike Norris went the distance, but fell to 12-8. Mike Edwards homered (1) for the only Oakland run.

FRI AUG 15

OAK_____1___6___1
SEA_____3___7___0

[motnahp]

Seattle scored 2 in the 1st and 3 in the 2nd and made it hold up, defeating the A's 5-3. Bruce Bochte hit a 3-run homer, his 15th. Jim Beattie (9-13) got the win, and Manny Sarmiento picked up his 16th save. Steve McCatty fell to 12-7. Dave Revering hit his 8th homer for the A's.

SAT AUG 16

OAK_____3___10___1
SEA_____5___11___0

The A's placed IF Rob Picciolo on the 15-day DL with a strained quad muscle. Mickey Klutts was recalled from AAA.

[motnahp]

Five Seattle pitchers combined to hold the A's to 6 hits, as the Mariners swept the series, 4-2. Dave Heaverlo (2-2) picked up the win, while Manny Sarmiento pitched a 1-2-3 9th inning for his 17th save. Dan Meyer was 2-4 at the plate with 2 RBIs for Seattle. Dave McKay drove in both of the Oakland runs. Rick Langford fell to 13-8 with the loss.

After a day off on Monday, the A's return home for an 8-game homestand, as Boston, Baltimore and the NY Yankees come to town.

SUN AUG 17

OAK_____2___6___1
SEA_____4__12___0

Season record: 72-47, 1st place in AL West, 4 games ahead of 2nd place Kansas City

[motnahp]

Boston scored an unearned run in the 8th inning, snapping a 1-1 tie, as the Red Sox sent the A's to their 4th straight defeat, 2-1. Steve Renko improved to 11-8 and Tom Burgmeier collected his 27th save. Rick Lysander took the loss and fell to 3-2.

TUE AUG 19

BOS_____2___10___0
OAK_____1____7___2

[motnahp]

The Oakland bats came out of hibernation and pounded out 15 hits, as the A's snapped a 4-game losing streak with a 7-2 win over the Red Sox. Tony Armas was 3-5 with a homer (21), Mitchell Page was 3-5 with a double and 2 RBI, and Rickey Henderson was 3-5 with a triple and an RBI. Matt Keough gave 8 strong innings and improved to 12-6. Mike Torrez (14-8) took the loss for Boston.

WED AUG 20

BOS_____2___12___0
OAK_____7___15___0

[motnahp]

Mike Norris held the Red Sox hitless through 6 innings and the A's blanked Boston 5-0. Norris allowed a double to Carl Yastrzemski to start the 7th. He then allowed a lead-off single to Fred Lynn to begin the 8th inning. Norris, who walked 6 and struck out 8, was replaced by Rick Lysander, who posted 2 perfect innings of relief.

The A's scored on a bases-loaded walk by Dwayne Murphy, a solo homer from Mitchell Page(14), a two-run homer from Dave Revering(9), and a bases-loaded walk to Page.

Bob Stanley (3-4) was the losing pitcher for the Red Sox. Oakland now hosts Baltimore for a 3-game series. The Orioles sit in 2nd place in the AL East, trailing front-runner Milwaukee by only one game.

THUR AUG 21

BOS_____0___2___0
OAK_____5___8___0

Season record: 74-48, 1st place in AL West, 5 1/2 games ahead of 2nd place Kansas City

[motnahp]

The Orioles, behind Scott McGregor (11-12) and Tim Stoddard (SV 29) stopped the A's, 3-2. Gary Roenicke homered (8) for Baltimore, while Mitchell Page hit his 15th for the A's. Steve McCatty went the distance, but fell to 12-8.

FRI AUG 22

BAL_____3___7___0
OAK_____2___7___0

[motnahp]

Dwayne Murphy homered (13) in the bottom of the 10th to give the A's an 8-7 win over the Orioles. Oakland had led 7-2 before Baltimore came storming back. For the A's, Mitchell Page homered (16) for the 3rd straight game, a 3-run shot, Mickey Klutts went 3-5 with 2 RBI, and Rickey Henderson was 3-6 and stole his 88th base. Kiko Garcia and Pat Kelly had two hits apiece for Baltimore. Bob Lacey went 2 2/3 scoreless innings, improving to 7-3. Sammy Stewart fell to 4-4.

Second baseman Mike Edwards suffered a bruised knee. He was placed on the 15-day disabled list. The A's recalled infielder Jeff Cox from AAA, where he was hitting .272 with 4 HR and 39 RBI. Shortstop Rob Picciolo, also on the disabled list, will be out another week.

SAT AUG 23

BAL_____7___11___1 (10)
OAK_____8___14___1

[motnahp]

The Oakland A's pounded out 19 hits and doubled up the Orioles 10-5. They also lost starting pitcher Brian Kingman to an arm injury in the 1st inning. RIck Lysander (4-2) pitched through the 5th inning and picked up the win. The A's built a 10-0 lead, due to the heroics of several batsmen. Dave McKay was 3-4 with a pair of doubles and 4 RBI, Mario Guerrero and Mitchell Page both went 3-4, Mike Heath was 3-5 with 2 RBI, and Wayne Gross was 3-4 with a double and an RBI. Oriole starter Mike Flanagan (15-10) was roughed up for 7 runs on 11 hits in only 3 1/3 innings.

The A's now welcome the Yankees for a 2-game series, before taking to the road again.

SUN AUG 24

BAL_____5___10___0
OAK____10___19___1

Season record: 76-49, 1st place in AL West, 4 1/2 games ahead of 2nd place Kansas City

[motnahp]

The A's recalled pitcher Alan Wirth from AAA to replace Brian Kingman on the active roster. Due to the scheduled off-day following the Yankee series, the team will go with a 4-man rotation for the next week. Wirth will work out of the bullpen.

Mike Heath's sacrifice fly scored Rickey Henderson with the winning run in the bottom of the 9th, as the A's edged the visiting Yankees 4-3. Matt Keough went all the way and improved to 13-6. Tommy John also went the distance for New York, falling to 9-17.

Wayne Gross was 2-4 with a double and an RBI. Jim Essian hit a solo homer, his 1st of the season. Bobby Murcer (13) and Joe Lefebvre (2) homered for the Yankees.

Second baseman Dave McKay suffered a groin injury and was placed on the 15-day disabled list. He joins fellow middle infielders Rob Picciolo and Mike Edwards, along with pitcher Brian Kingman.

MON AUG 25

NYY_____3___6___0
OAK_____4__10___0

[motnahp]

Reggie Jackson homered twice (36,37) and drove in 4 runs to lead the Yankees past the A's, 10-3. Willie Randolph set the table at the top of the order, going 4-5 with 2 RBI, while Bucky Dent contributed from the nine spot, going 3-5 with 3 RBI. Ron Guidry (14-9) went all the way for the Yankees. Oakland starter Mike Norris (13-9) was smacked around for 5 runs in 6 innings. Newly-promoted Alan Wirth was rudely welcomed back to the bigs. He allowed 4 runs in one inning. The first batter he faced was Jackson, who homered.

The A's take Wednesday off, then travel to Boston for a 4-game series.

TUE AUG 26

HYY_____10___12___3
OAK_____3____7____2

Season record: 77-50, 1st place in AL West, 5 1/2 games ahead of 2nd place Kansas City

[motnahp]

While the A's enjoyed a day off, the bats took another one off. Dennis Eckersley (14-8) and two relievers combined to blank the A's on 5 hits, 2-0. All of the Boston offense was privided by Dave Stapleton, who homered twice (7,8) off of losing pitcher Steve Mccatty (12-9). Tom Burgmeier picked up save #29 for Boston.

THUR AUG 28

OAK_____0___5___0
BOS_____2___5___0

Before today's game, the A's recalled OF Randy Elliott from AAA.

[motnahp]

The Red Sox used homers from Rick Burleson (10), Tony Perez (19), and Butch Hobson (17) to power past the A's 5-3. Mike Torrez (15-9) picked up the win, going 8 innings. Tom Burgmeier earned his 30th save. Rick Langford falls to 13-9 for Oakland. Mitchell Page went 3-4 at the plate.

FRI AUG 29

OAK_____3___9___0
BOS_____5__10___0

[motnahp]

Matt Keough was outstanding, holding the powerful Red Sox lineup to only 5 hits, while walking 1 and striking out 9, as the A's blanked the BoSox 2-0. It was Keough's 4th shutout of the season and he improved to 14-6. The A's scored their runs on an RBI single from Dwayne Murphy and an RBI double by Dave Revering. Rickey Henderson stole two bases (91,92) and scored a run. Steve Renko (12-9) took the loss for Boston.

SAT AUG 30

OAK_____2___7___2
BOS_____0___5___0

[motnahp]

In a battle of 3-run homers, the A's suprisingly came out on top at Fenway, 9-7, earning a split of the 4-game series.

Boston led 3-2 in the top of the 5th. Jeff Newman's 3-run shot (4) put the A's up 5-3. In the bottom of the 6th, Butch Hobson's 3-run blast, his 2nd of the game and 19th of the season, put Boston ahead 6-5. Tony Perez then added a solo blast (20) to chase A's starter Mike Norris.

In the top of the 8th, Bob Stanley (3-5) was protecting the 7-5 Boston lead. He surrendered an RBI single to Mitchell Page, making the score 7-6. Tony Armas then delivered the winning 3-run shot (22) over the left field wall to make it 9-7 Oakland.

The A's got stellar, scoreless relief from Jeff Jones (2 IP, 2-1), Dave Beard (1 IP) and Bob Lacey (1 IP, SV 15).

The A's were 16-12 in August and sit atop the American League West standings.

Infielder Rob Picciolo will come off the disabled list tomorrow. The team starts September with three games in the Bronx against the Yankees.

SUN AUG 31

OAK_____9___18___0
BOS_____7___11___0

Season record: 79-52, 1st place in AL West, 6 games ahead of 2nd place Kansas City