Thursday, April 21 - Henderson Leads Texas Rout
Texas RF
Ken Henderson (.348, 1 HR, 3 RBI) has three hits and three runs batted in,
Bert Campaneris (.173, 3 SB) has three hits and streal three bases,
Juan Beniquez (.298, 6 SB) delivers three singles and
Claudell Washington (.241, 11 RBI) drives in three more as they lead the Rangers on a 19-hit attack and a 13-2 rout of Minnesota. Every Texas starter in the opening lineup managed at least one hit and six hitters had two or more.
"It feels good to be able to coast once in awhile." Texas starter
Nelson Briles (1-2) said afterward. Briles went seven innings giving up eight hits and one earned run while striking out four.
Minnesota starter
Paul Thormodsgard (1-2) did not come out for the fourth inning as the Texas offense KO'd him for four runs in the third thanks to a solo home run by Washington and a two-run blast by Henderson. Thormodsgard allowed six runs (four earned) on nine hits in his three innings and his replacements fared little better.
Jim Shellenback gave up three earned runs in two innings and
Jim Hughes allowed four runs in 2.1 innings of work - including home runs to
Toby Harrah (.265, 2 HR, 6 RBI) and
Bill Fahey (.333, 2 HR, 4 RBI).
Butch Wynegar (.317) has two singles and a double for the Twins in the loss.
Vern Ruhle (2-1, 2.70 ERA) pitches seven shutout innings, giving up five hits and striking out four before a rain delay forces his exit in a 3-2 Detroit victory over the Red Sox. Detroit survives a late rally as
Bernie Carbo (.214, 1 HR, 3 RBI) hits a two-run, two-out home run off of Tigers closer
John Hiller (2 SV, 3.00 ERA) in the ninth to pull Boston within one.
Bob Montgomery (.286) then singles but Hiller gets
George Scott to ground out to second to end the game. Five of Boston's eight hits are for extra bases.
California continues to win behind their fantastic pitching staff - this time
Frank Tanana (3-0, 1.34 ERA) quiets the White Sox 5-2. Tanana goes eight innings giving up six hits and striking out six while allowing both earned runs. The Angels have their track shoes on as they steal seven bases off of Chicago catcher
Jim Essian with
Jerry Remy (.379, 15 SB) leading the way with three.
Toronto scores three times in the top of the ninth inning to defeat the Yankees 5-4 and take three of the four games at Yankee Stadium. Yankees starter
Ron Guidry (2.89 ERA) strikes out nine over eight innings, but closer
Sparky Lyle (0-1, 1 BS, 4.05 ERA) gives up four hits in the ninth - the last being a two-run double by
Bob Bailor (.224, 5 RBI).
Doug Ault (.346, 4 RBI) paces the division leading Blue Jays with three hits, while
Mickey Rivers (.250, 4 RBI) does the same for New York.
Other Scores
American League
National League
Trades
 | Texas trades 29-year-old RF Tom Grieve ($301,920 over 2 years) and 20-year old Double A 1B Jerry Kirk (Minor League Contract) to Seattle, getting 25-year-old SS Jimmy Sexton ($59,885 over 1 year) in return. |
To Seattle: Tom Grieve
1976 Stats
1977 Stats | AVG
.255
.389 | AB
546
18 | H
139
7 | R
57
3 | 2B
23
4 | 3B
3
0 | HR
20
0 | RBI
81
5 | BB
35
2 | K
119
1 | OBP
.301
.450 | SLG
.418
.611 |
Jerry Kirk
1977 Stats (AA) | AVG
.214 | AB
70 | H
15 | R
9 | 2B
2 | 3B
1 | HR
0 | RBI
8 | BB
6 | K
11 | OBP
.282 | SLG
.271 |
To Texas: Jimmy Sexton
1977 Stats | AVG
.273 | AB
22 | H
6 | R
4 | 2B
2 | 3B
1 | HR
0 | RBI
0 | BB
0 | K
1 | OBP
.273 | SLG
.455 |
Contract Signings
| CL Mark Littell (0-0, 2 SV, 0.00 ERA) signed a 2-year extension.
He will earn $479,000 a year through 1979 for a total worth of $958,000. |
| SP Jim Colborn (1-1, 4.11 ERA) signed a 2-year extension.
He will earn $113,000 a year through 1979 for a total worth of $226,000. |
Major Transactions
| SS Jimmy Sexton placed on the active roster (from trade).
3B Len Randle (.333, 3 AB) is optioned to Triple A Tucson.
SP Tommy Boggs (2-2, 3.18 ERA - AAA) contract purchased from Triple A Tucson.
Sexton will back up Bert Campaneris at SS while Boggs joins the Rangers bullpen.
Pothead Randle gets a trip to Tucson. |
| RF Tom Grieve placed on the actove roster (from trade).
RF Carlos Lopez (.333, 1 RBI, 3 AB) is optioned to Triple A Sidney.
3B Tommy Helms claimed from Pittsburgh and placed on the active roster.
Grieve will be handed the starting RF spot with Helms being an emergency infielder. |
| SS Roy Smalley is activated from the disabled list.
SS Leo Gomez (.069, 1 RBI) is optioned to Triple A Tacoma. |
Short Season Single A
Auburn Phillies (9-6) at Jamestown (11-4)
W: Juan Carlos Garcia (3-0)
L: Reynaldo Aguilar (3-1)
HR – None
POG: Casey Williams (AUB) 2-4, R, RBI, 2 2B
In a game with two undefeated pitchers starting the day, we struck blood first as
Juan Rivera (.273) and
Paco Bruno (.243, 4 RBI) led off the bottom of the first inning with singles and
Juan Madrigal (.286, 14 RBI) would score Rivera from second with a one-out single of his own. Auburn's star player
Casey Williams (.462, 4 RBI) would tie the game up in the fourth with the first of two doubles after fouling off three full count pitches (bastard!). In the fifth, we managed to score twice without ever getting a hit as
William Turner was hit by a pitch and
Daron Hurley reached on an error. After a Rivera sacrifice bunt - yes, he can do it all - Auburn center fielder
Larry Henderson flat out drops a Bruno fly ball that ends up scoring both Turner and Hurley and gives us a 3-1 lead. After Williams hits his second double to lead off the sixth, I took
Juan Carlos Garcia (1.69 ERA) out and his replacement
Darwin Marsh (1.08 ERA) greets me with a wild pitch on his first toss - moving Williams to third where he would score on a ground out. Marsh recovers and along with
Brian Little (1 SV, 1.35 ERA) would leave Auburn hitless the rest of the way.