Bob Oliver set a Royals team record that still stands today, collecting six hits in six at-bats to lead Kansas City to a 15-1 romp over the Angels at Anaheim Stadium.

Oliver singled in the second, doubled in the fourth, hit a two-run home run in the fifth, picked up two more singles in the seventh as the Royals sent 12 batters to the plate, and reached on an infield single in the ninth. Six hits is still the single-game record for the Royals franchise, since tied by Kevin Seitzer in 1987 and Joe Randa in 2004.

“This by far was my best day in professional ball. I’ve been going well ever since I hit that home run in Minnesota,” Oliver told the Associated Press, referring to a home run the previous Sunday.

Obviously, Oliver wasn’t the only Royal having a great day offensively. Every starter had at least one hit, Ed Kirkpatrick picking up three, while Lou Piniella, Joe Foy, and pitcher Roger Nelson had two each.

Kansas City scored two runs in the second, with Ellie Rodriguez and Nelson each contributing an RBI single. The game remained close until the fifth, when the Royals put five on the board. Jackie Hernandez led off with a single, followed by a Kirkpatrick single. Piniella hit a sacrifice fly before Foy belted a two-run home run. Chuck Harrison singled ahead of Oliver’s home run.

Piniella added a two-run homer of his own in the sixth, and the Royals put lots of icing on this cake with a six-run seventh inning. The first run scored when catcher Tom Egan dropped a throw home on what would have been a forceout. Kirkpatrick drove in two with a single, as did Foy. Fittingly, Oliver capped the scoring with an RBI single.

All the offense overshadowed an exceptional start from Nelson, who pitched a complete game and held California to four hits. Nelson, a southern California native, picked up his second win as he struck out three and walked two.

The win gave the Royals a record of 13-11, good for third place in the AL West. They were 3.5 games behind Minnesota.

Box score and play-by-play: https://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/CAL/CAL196905040.shtml

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