SPLITTORFF FIRES 1-HIT SHUTOUT AT BREWERS
Loses No-Hitter in 9th on Money’s Single
KANSAS CITY, July 22 (AP) – Paul Splittorff became the third American League
pitcher this month to throw a complete game one-hit shutout, leading the Kansas
City Royals past the Milwaukee Brewers, 8-0, at Royals Stadium. Splittorff
took a no-hitter into the ninth inning but Don Money broke it up with a clean
single to right field. The Kansas City left-hander is the third major
league pitcher this season to lose a no-hitter in the ninth inning; Rick Rhoden
of the Los Angeles Dodgers (April 23) and Ray Burris of the Chicago Cubs (May
25) are the other two.
Jamie Quirk’s solo home run in the bottom of the second inning off Milwaukee
starter Jim Colborn represented the game’s only scoring until the bottom of
the seventh when the Royals conclusively broke the contest open. It all
happened with two outs. Colborn was still on the mound when Freddie Patek
followed a pair of ground outs with what appeared to be a harmless single to
left. But Patek stole second and Frank White drew a four-pitch walk.
Jim Wohlford then laced a double into the right field corner, scoring both
runners and giving Kansas City a 3-0 lead. Colborn was replaced by lefty
Ray Sadecki to face Tom Poquette but Poquette walked and George Brett followed
with a single to center, scoring Wohlford to make it 4-0 and putting runners on
first and second. John Mayberry then singled to center scoring the fourth
run of the inning and Al Cowens added an RBI base hit to give the Royals a 6-0
advantage. Quirk finally ended the frame by flying to right.
Kansas City added a pair of runs in the eighth on Brett’s two-run single to
cap the scoring.
The only drama remaining as the contest entered the top of the ninth was whether
Splittorff would be able to finish off the second no-hitter of the major league
season but Money put an end to those hopes when he poked a 2-2 breaking ball
well over the head of second baseman White for the Brewers’ first hit.
It turned out to be their only hit as Splittorff remained completely poised and
retired George Scott, Jack Heidemann and Sixto Lezcano on consecutive ground
balls to end the game.
Splittorff has been suffering through a subpar campaign this season. He
entered this game with a record of 7-11 and an earned run average of 5.19.
His ERA now stands at 4.85, its lowest mark since June 15. The victory
snaps a personal four-game losing streak for the Royals starter.
7/22/1976, Mil76-KC 76, Royals Stadium 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E LOB DP 1976 Brewers 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 5 0 1976 Royals 0 1 0 0 0 0 5 2 x 8 11 1 8 0 Brewers AB R H BI AVG Royals AB R H BI AVG Yount ss 4 0 0 0 .261 Wohlford lf 5 1 2 2 .291 Money 3b 4 0 1 0 .296 Poquette rf 2 1 0 0 .327 Scott,G 1b 4 0 0 0 .257 Brett,G 3b 5 1 3 3 .320 Aaron dh 1 0 0 0 .211 Mayberry 1b 5 0 1 1 .241 Heidemann pr 1 0 0 0 .184 Cowens cf 4 0 1 1 .279 Lezcano lf 3 0 0 0 .306 Quirk dh 4 1 1 1 .258 Thomas,G rf 3 0 0 0 .188 Martinez,B c 3 1 0 0 .220 Sutherland 2b 3 0 0 0 .169 Patek ss 4 1 1 0 .248 Joshua cf 2 0 0 0 .252 White,F 2b 2 2 2 0 .255 Kusnyer c 1 0 0 0 .148 34 8 11 8 Moore,C ph 1 0 0 0 .133 27 0 1 0 Brewers INN H R ER BB K PCH STR ERA Colborn L 8-8 6.2 6 4 4 3 2 116 78 3.21 Sadecki 1.1 5 4 4 3 1 55 26 2.95 8.0 11 8 8 6 3 171 104 Royals INN H R ER BB K PCH STR ERA Splittorff W 7-11 9.0 1 0 0 3 4 121 75 4.85 9.0 1 0 0 3 4 121 75 Mil: Heidemann ran for Aaron in the 7th Moore,C batted for Kusnyer in the 8th Moore,C moved to c in the 8th E-Martinez,B. 2B-Wohlford(9). HR-Quirk(2). RBI-Wohlford 2(16), Brett,G 3(51), Mayberry(55), Cowens(52), Quirk(8). SB-Joshua(6), Patek(27). CS-White,F. K-Scott,G, Thomas,G, Joshua, Moore,C, Mayberry, Quirk, Martinez,B. BB-Aaron, Joshua, Kusnyer, Poquette 3, Martinez,B, White,F 2. SH-Lezcano. CI-Aaron. WP-Sadecki. GWRBI: Quirk Temperature: 84, Sky: cloudy, Wind: in from right at 6 MPH. Attendance: 23,000 Game Time: 2:32