The Senators Make Athletic Strides Against Oakland

An impressively powerful Oakland club comes into RFK Stadium but can only manage a four game split against the undermanned Washington squad, which remains at .500.

Game One: OAK 12, WAS 6

W: Hunter (1-4)
L: Cox (3-2

Oakland gets a good start to the series, roughing up the previously impressive Casey Cox to give Catfish Hunter his first win. Joe Rudi, Sal Bando, Don Mincher and the Catfish himself each scorch Washington for two RBIs, as Mincher smacks his fifth homer and Reggie Jackson his sixth.

Game Two: OAK 4, WAS 0
W: Downing (2-1)
L: Coleman (1-4)

Veteran ex-Dodger Al Downing continues to shine for Oakland, going eight innings of six hit, shutout ball with seven Ks. Jose Tartabull knocks in two with a ninth inning double to break open a game that sees Oakland lead 1-0 through eight.

Game Three: WAS 3, OAK 2
W: Shellenback (2-2)
L: Dobson (2-3)
S: Hannan (1)

Despite only allowing four hits in eight innings, Chuck Dobson gives up a two run homer to Washington's Bernie Allen that gives Washington a lead it won't relinquish. Jim Shellenback only allows two runs in seven innings, while newly acquired Jim Hannan shuts down Oakland on one hit in the latter two frames.

Game Four: WAS 2, OAK 1
W: Bosman (3-1)
L: Odom (2-2)
S: Pina (3)

Dick Bosman pitches 8.1 innings of one run ball and gets relief help from Horacio Pina to win his third game. A Frank Howard RBI single and a subsequent triple by Mike Epstein lead to Washington's only two runs of the game in the fifth, but Bosman does the rest.