Sunday July 2, 1961
The series finale in Kansas City was an up-and-down affair for the visiting Minnesota Twins. They continued to get themselves into holes, only to come back and tie the score.
Pedro Ramos gave up four runs in the first five innings, spotting the opposition a 4-0 lead. The Twins’ offense answered with a four-run top of the sixth to tie the game.
The Twins gave the lead right back to the A’s who scored two in the bottom of the frame without the luxury of a base hit. A walk, a hit batsman, and a throwing error by relief pitcher Danny McDevitt allowed the A’s to take a 6-4 lead.
Harmon Killebrew’s two-run home run (24) in the top of the seventh tied the score again, but once again the team gave the lead back immediately when the A’s scored on a bases-loaded walk issued by Don Lee.
Jim Lemon’s ninth inning double scored Killebrew and temporarily tied the score again, but the A’s answered once again, this time with a walk-off single by Dick Howser.
Team Name G W L T PCT GB RS RA Detroit Tigers 77 49 27 1 .645 - 424 338 New York Yankees 75 47 27 1 .635 1.0 402 306 Cleveland Indians 78 45 33 0 .577 5.0 380 326 Baltimore Orioles 78 41 36 1 .532 8.5 339 335 Chicago White Sox 77 39 38 0 .506 10.5 377 349 Boston Red Sox 77 38 38 1 .500 11.0 345 382 Washington Senators 77 33 44 0 .429 16.5 318 365 Kansas City Athletics 75 30 44 1 .405 18.0 333 401 Minnesota Twins 76 30 46 0 .395 19.0 338 417 Los Angeles Angels 78 29 48 1 .377 20.5 329 366
