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1972 – Houston edges San Diego, 3-2, on a gift run in the bottom of the ninth inning. It starts when Cesar Cedeno swings at a Steve Arlin pitch in the dirt for strike three. The catcher can’t hang on and Cedeno is safe at first. Next, Cesar steals second and moves to third when the throw sails into center field. Two outs and two intentional walks later, Johnny Edwards takes ball four to bring Cedeno home. 

ByTom

1972 – Houston edges San Diego, 3-2, on a gift run in the bottom of the ninth inning. It starts when Cesar Cedeno swings at a Steve Arlin pitch in the dirt for strike three. The catcher can’t hang on and Cedeno is safe at first. Next, Cesar steals second and moves to third when the throw sails into center field. Two outs and two intentional walks later, Johnny Edwards takes ball four to bring Cedeno home. 

Vida Blue retires the first 17 batters before Texas pitcher Rich Hand beats out a surprise bunt in the 6th. Blue allows one other hit to win, 2 – 0 for Oakland. Hand allows just two hits in 7 1/3 innings, but two errors and a mental boner by LF Ted Ford allows two runs. With a runner on third base, Ford catches Joe Rudi’s fly and trots in thinking it is the third out. It is the second. Rudi adds another sac fly for the other run.

ByBaseball

Vida Blue retires the first 17 batters before Texas pitcher Rich Hand beats out a surprise bunt in the 6th. Blue allows one other hit to win, 2 – 0 for Oakland. Hand allows just two hits in 7 1/3 innings, but two errors and a mental boner by LF Ted Ford allows two runs. With a runner on third base, Ford catches Joe Rudi’s fly and trots in thinking it is the third out. It is the second. Rudi adds another sac fly for the other run.

Royals OF Amos Otis scores the game’s only run, swiping home in the 4th inning with a surprised John Mayberry at bat. Otis reached 3B when Angels pitcher Nolan Ryan makes two of his three errors trying to pick his former teammate off base. This is only the second time in the post-war years that a steal of home accounts for a game’s only run.

ByThis Day in Baseball

Royals OF Amos Otis scores the game’s only run, swiping home in the 4th inning with a surprised John Mayberry at bat. Otis reached 3B when Angels pitcher Nolan Ryan makes two of his three errors trying to pick his former teammate off base. This is only the second time in the post-war years that a steal of home accounts for a game’s only run.