10/12/1981 - GAME 1 - Royals Stadium
Denny vs Splittorff
Indians 6, Royals 3
Welcome to the KC/CLE tack meet. Both teams combined for 8 stolen bases. The game was tied heading into the 7th when Indian catcher Bo Diaz led off the inning with a homer. For good measure the Tribe added 2 more runs in the 9th to double up the Royals. John Denny got the win, going 7 2/3 innings giving up 3 runs on 11 hits. KC squandered a 3 hit, 2 SB day by centerfielder Amos Otis.
Indians lead series 1-0
10/13 - GAME 2
Barker vs Gura
Royals 5, Indians 1
Larry Gura kept the Tribe in check for 8 innings allowing just 1 run on 6 hits. Len "Mr. Perfect" Barker was far from perfect yielding 13 hits and 5 runs in 8 innings. Frank White (3-4) knocked in 3 runs, two of them on a 1st inning double and one on an 8th inning single.
Series tied 1-1
10/15 - GAME 3 - Municipal Stadium
Leonard vs Brennan
Royals 4, Indians 3
Dennis Leonard scattered 10 hits over 8 innings and gave up just 2 runs. The Tribe had their chances, but couldn't capitalize until the 8th and 9th, where they scored solo runs to make it a 1 run game. KC's closer, Dan Quisenberry faltered in the 9th and had to be saved by journeyman Ken Brett, who got the final 2 outs with the typing run on 2nd. Leadoff man Willie Wilson went 3 for 5, scored a run and knocked in a run for the Royals. He also stole a base. George Brett went 3 for 5 and veteran catcher Jerry Grote, in his final season went 2 for 2 with 2 runs scored.
Royals lead series 2-1
10/16 - GAME 4
Gale vs Blyleven
Indians 6, Royals 4
KC scored 2 in the top of the 6th to tie the game a 3-3. The Tribe, with their backs to against the wall, scored 3 in the 5th and 3 more in the 6th to force a decisive game 5. The "Human Rain Delay", Mike Hargrove was 3 for 4 with 2 RBI and 1 run scored to pace the Indians offense. Jorge Orta and Andre Thornton had 2 hits. Bert Blyleven wasn't masterful, but he was good enough as he went the distance for the win.
Series tied 2-2
10/17 - GAME 5 - Royals Stadium
Denny vs Gura
Royals 4, Indians 3 (16 inn)
Seldom do decisive series games live up to their pre-game hype. This one not only lived up to the hype, but it actually exceeded it. After 6 innings of play the Royals were up 3-0, and ace Larry Gura (starting on short rest) was cruising. Then just like the weather in Dallas things changed on a dime. Gura ran out of gas in the 7th and the Tribe made it a 1 run ball game on the heels of RBI singles by Alan Bannister and Miguel Dilone. With Ken Brett on the mound for the Royals in the 8th the Tribe tied the game up on Thornton's sac fly that scored pinch hitter Ron Hassey, who led the inning off by getting hit by a pitch. Neither team could score in the 9th, so the decisive game 5 now headed to extra innings. Tension mounted as each team had their chances to score, but nobody seemed to be able to. Cleveland reliever Dan Spillner was brilliant with 5 1/3 innings of scoreless relief. Once it was apparent that Spillner was out of gas, Cleveland brought Ed Glynn in to start the bottom of the 16th. John
Wathan led off the inning with a single, but the next two batters made easy outs. Wathan stole second while Aikens looked at a called strike 3. Brett was given an intentional pass to create a force situation on the base paths. More than likely he was walked, because of his clutch bat. Hal McRae came up and slammed a 2-2 pitch into the left field power alley to easily score Wathan and clinch the series. Royals manager Justin Ryan said, "Game 5 was a 16 inning pants shitter! One of the greatest games, with so many clutch performances on both sides I've ever seen!"
Royals win series 3-2
Denny vs Splittorff
Indians 6, Royals 3
10/13 - GAME 2
Barker vs Gura
Royals 5, Indians 1
Larry Gura kept the Tribe in check for 8 innings allowing just 1 run on 6 hits. Len "Mr. Perfect" Barker was far from perfect yielding 13 hits and 5 runs in 8 innings. Frank White (3-4) knocked in 3 runs, two of them on a 1st inning double and one on an 8th inning single.
Series tied 1-1
10/15 - GAME 3 - Municipal Stadium
Leonard vs Brennan
Royals 4, Indians 3
Royals lead series 2-1
10/16 - GAME 4
Gale vs Blyleven
Indians 6, Royals 4
KC scored 2 in the top of the 6th to tie the game a 3-3. The Tribe, with their backs to against the wall, scored 3 in the 5th and 3 more in the 6th to force a decisive game 5. The "Human Rain Delay", Mike Hargrove was 3 for 4 with 2 RBI and 1 run scored to pace the Indians offense. Jorge Orta and Andre Thornton had 2 hits. Bert Blyleven wasn't masterful, but he was good enough as he went the distance for the win.Series tied 2-2
10/17 - GAME 5 - Royals Stadium
Denny vs Gura
Royals 4, Indians 3 (16 inn)
Seldom do decisive series games live up to their pre-game hype. This one not only lived up to the hype, but it actually exceeded it. After 6 innings of play the Royals were up 3-0, and ace Larry Gura (starting on short rest) was cruising. Then just like the weather in Dallas things changed on a dime. Gura ran out of gas in the 7th and the Tribe made it a 1 run ball game on the heels of RBI singles by Alan Bannister and Miguel Dilone. With Ken Brett on the mound for the Royals in the 8th the Tribe tied the game up on Thornton's sac fly that scored pinch hitter Ron Hassey, who led the inning off by getting hit by a pitch. Neither team could score in the 9th, so the decisive game 5 now headed to extra innings. Tension mounted as each team had their chances to score, but nobody seemed to be able to. Cleveland reliever Dan Spillner was brilliant with 5 1/3 innings of scoreless relief. Once it was apparent that Spillner was out of gas, Cleveland brought Ed Glynn in to start the bottom of the 16th. John
Wathan led off the inning with a single, but the next two batters made easy outs. Wathan stole second while Aikens looked at a called strike 3. Brett was given an intentional pass to create a force situation on the base paths. More than likely he was walked, because of his clutch bat. Hal McRae came up and slammed a 2-2 pitch into the left field power alley to easily score Wathan and clinch the series. Royals manager Justin Ryan said, "Game 5 was a 16 inning pants shitter! One of the greatest games, with so many clutch performances on both sides I've ever seen!"Royals win series 3-2
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