Rangers History Today: Extra Innings Explosion in Oakland

On this date in Texas Rangers history, the Rangers had one of the biggest innings in team history, coming at the expense of the Oakland Athletics.

On July 3, 1983, the Rangers were in Oakland to face the Athletics. The Rangers were coming off a 13-3 win over the Athletics the day before, a game that put the Rangers 10 games over .500.

What happened on July 3 was kind of absurd. The Rangers and the Athletics were locked in a close game that it ended up in a 4-4 tie through nine innings. The Rangers and Athletics played five more scoreless innings.

Then, in the top of the 15th inning, the Rangers scored a team-record 12 runs. Wow.

The Rangers sent 16 hitters to the plate, racking up eight hits, four walks and taking advantage of one error and one wild pitch. The inning went like this offensively for the Rangers:

Bucky Dent drew a walk, followed by a Buddy Bell single and the two runners advancing on a Larry Parrish out. The A’s then intentionally walked George Wright to load the bases.

Big mistake. Bobby Jones doubled, scoring Dent and Bell. Wright later scored on a wild pitch. Bobby Johnson walked and the A’s made a pitching change.

Following the pitching change, Larry Biittner singled to score Jones from third and advance Johnson to second. Once again, a walk, this time to Jim Anderson, loaded the bases.

Mickey Rivers grounded to A’s second baseman Davey Lopes, but his error led to Biittner and Johnson scoring, while Anderson reached third. Dent returned to the plate and singled, which scored Anderson and advanced Rivers to third base.

After that, Bell singled to score Rivers, and Parrish got some measure of revenge, doubling to score Dent and Bell.

After Wright flew out for the second out, Jones doubled to score Parrish, and Johnson singled to right to score Jones. Biittner put a merciful end to the inning, from an A’s perspective, by flying out to third base.

The Rangers ended up winning, 16-4, with reliever Odell Jones taking the win.

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