Keep Your KC Royals Ticket Stub: Willie Wilson runs off the Yanks

The Game of the Week lived up to the hype

The Saturday afternoon contest at Royals Stadium was NBC's Game of the Week. Rain had cleared out, leaving behind a wet artificial turf but a beautiful day for baseball. Tommy John took the mound for the Yanks against Larry Gura.

The villain (or hero, depending on your allegiances) of the 1976 ALCS, Chris Chambliss got the scoring started in the top of the second with a two-run homer. Lou Piniella, the former Royal — he was the 1969 AL Rookie of the Year in the Royals' first season — broke the game open in the following inning with a two-run single. Another run scored on a throwing error, and the Yankees led 5-0. This was just the start of a big day for Piniella.

The Royals showed some signs of life in the bottom of the fourth. Al Cowens singled in Amos Otis, and Darrell Porter smacked a two-run homer to cut into New York's lead. In the sixth, John Wathan tripled in two runs, and then scored on Freddie Patek's single, giving the Royals their first lead of the day.

Then both teams took turns trying to give the game away.