Kansas City 6 Chicago Stars 5

[basilrathbonejr]

The Royals staged a comeback to ninth inning defeat the Chicago Stars 6-4 and forge a tie in the American League for third place with identical 24-22 records.

Kansas City starting pitcher Odell Franco had a bad first inning allowing a lead off double to Xavier Berry and three consecutive homeruns to Andre Thornton (2R Hr), his third, and solo shots to Angel Rojas (3rd) and Roy Brown (5th).

After that horrible start, Franco settle down and would give up only one more hit, a two out single by Brown in the third inning. Franco struck out four and more importantly, did not walk a batter.

Franco gave way to Leo Burke who pitched a scoreless six inning with one strikeout.

Kansas City scored single runs in the second, fifth and eighth innings.

Luis Gill singled to start the second, went to third on a single by Jake Bowman, and scored the Royals first run on a sacrifice fly by Art Williams.

Williams singled to start the fifth inning for Kansas City, went to thrid base on a single by Len Lynch and scored run number two on a 4-3 ground out by pitcher Odell Franco.

In the eighth, Snapper Bond lined a ball to left centerfield that was dropped by centerfielder Andre Thirnton for a two base error. Bond scored on a triplke by Luis Gill off a ruffled Pat Jorgensen.

Chicago added an insurance run in the top of the ninth off right hander Mike MacWhorter.

With one out MacWhorter walked both Howard Clark and Dick Johnson, and gave up a run scoring single to Don Stephens, to go ahead 5-3.

MacWhorter gave way to winning pitcher Leo Scott who got Jorgensen to ground into an inning endong double play.

The Royals pulled out a win in the bottom of the ninth inning by socring three runs off Jorgenson and Tom Taylor.

Pinch hitter Mark Jeter singled. Joe Gazella advanced the runner with a slow riller to second. James Allen beat out a bunt for a single sendong Jeter to third base. Snapper Bond drove in two runs to tie the game 5-5 with a single.

Taylor replaced Jorgenson and gave up a single to center to Dave Campisi that sent the winning run in the person of Bond to third base with one out for Luis Gill to drive in the winning run with his third hit of the game.

Final; 6-5 Kansas City