The season series between the Royals and Orioles came to a merciful end with a merciless whipping, as Baltimore belted three home runs en route to a 10-2 victory at Memorial Stadium.
The carnage began early, as Baltimore scored three runs in the first inning off Royals starter Dick Drago. With two outs, Frank Robinson singled. Boog Powell belted a two-run home run, his 30th of the season. Brooks Robinson followed with his 18th homer of the year.
Kansas City did respond with a two-run second inning. After they had failed to take advantage of two singles in the first inning, the Royals were helped by some wildness on the part of Orioles starter Dave McNally. Jerry Adair led off with a walk and took second on a wild pitch. He was still there with two outs when McNally walked Drago. Paul Schaal and Joe Foy followed that with a pair of RBI singles.
But after that, it was all Orioles. McNally personally got those two runs back in the bottom of the second with a two-run home run. After Drago left the game, Baltimore scored two runs in both the third and fourth innings, although one run in each frame was unearned. That stretched the lead to 9-2.
Things could have been worse for the Royals, as Chris Zachary turned in three innings of scoreless relief pitching for Kansas City. Once he left the game, Baltimore tacked on a final run (also unearned) in the seventh.
Given the big lead, McNally overcame his early struggles and cruised to a complete-game victory. Following Foy’s single in the second, he retired 13 straight hitters. The batter who broke that streak, Bob Oliver, would then be erased on a double play. McNally walked one batter in the eighth but set down six straight men to end the game.
The game ended the lopsided season series between the two teams. After Kansas City won the first matchup, Baltimore won 11 straight (things wouldn’t improve in 1970, as the Orioles swept all 12 games from the Royals). Although the Royals did play Baltimore tough, with two one-run losses and five losses by two runs, the Orioles outscored them 57-26 in the 12 games.
The loss left the Royals with a 44-65 mark on the season. They were in fourth place in the AL West, 23 games behind Minnesota.
Box score and play-by-play: https://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/BAL/BAL196908070.shtml
Today’s birthdays: Jason Grimsley (1967), Marc Pisciotta (1970)
U.L.'s Toothpick 