European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - September 19, 1980, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Friday september 19, 1980 the stars and stripes Page 21 George Bretl Back in be swing of things. Missed nine straight games with tendinitis in throwing hand royals Clinch West title by Peter Finney or. 11 i sports writer the Kansas City royals have led the american league in premature celebrations four of the last five years. Now they realize their biggest Battle is yet to come probably against their nem Esis the new York Yankees. The royals clinched their fourth Al West divisional title in the last five years Al Roundup wednesday night defeating California 5-0 in the first game of a doubleheader. Even though it was the earliest the Roy als had Ever clinched a divisional title their Joy was tempered by bitter memories of playoff losses to the Yankees in 1976, 1977 and 1978.the royals finished three games behind the Angels in 1979 for the West vision title but parlayed Sterling pitching and the powerful hitting of George Brett and Wil lie Wilson to win this year s title easily. We hurried things from a negative last year to a positive said right fielder Clint hurdle. But that s Only half the Job. That s Why i want the Yankees. We win they win and let s find out the  the Yankees who Are 5to games ahead of Baltimore in the Al East marked time wednesday in an attempt to wrap up their divisional race with the orioles. The yanks were to resume thursday night a game suspended by rain wednesday night trailing Toronto 5-3 with two outs in the top of the i oth inning. Not a single Kansas City player needs to be reminded of the royals Bleak performances when the playoff Money was on the line. You know you have to win your Divi Sion each year but we be done that three times said Hal Mcrae whose sacrifice Fly helped the royals Clinch their title. We need to win the playoffs to prove we re a Good  although they lost the second game 7 4, the royals were cheered by the return of Brett who missed nine consecutive games with tendinitis in his throwing hand. The third baseman collected two singles in five at bats to keep his season s average at .396. It would be Good fur baseball Good for this City for us to play the Yankees said Brett. Rookie manager Jim Fry who has taken Pride in watching the development Ctm Linuell on puff 22 Brett s Bat wednesday 2 for 5 average .396 games left 17 Rookie moves la to the top by Mike  Dpi sports writer somebody had to make a move in the West. Thanks to Jack Perconti. It was he los Angeles dodgers. This is a night to  the 26 year old Rookie infielder said wednesday night after driving in a run and scoring another to Lead the dodgers into sole pos session of first place with a 2-1 Victory Over the san Diego padres. It was my first Start and i was concerned with our winning after we had lost two straight games added per conc called up from Albuquerque after the Pacific coast league playoffs. I m Happy 1 was Able to help  despite those two losses los Angeles got another Chance to move a game ahead no Roui up because Houston lost its third in a Row 7 0, it Cincinnati. With Perconti tilling in for second Basc Rhan Dave Lopes the dodgers made the most of it. I knew Darcy was hurting when 1 came to the Park and i thought there might be a Chance that i d get to Start said pc Conle. It was a real  pc Conte walked in the first inning stole second and scored on Dusty Baker s single. In the sixth Rudy Law singled took third on Juan Eichelburger s throwing error and scored on per cont s bunt. The hit was nothing the Rookie said. I was used to the squeeze bunt because we tried it at Albuquerque and i Felt i was a Good bunter. But i did t expect my first major league hit to come on that. I guess in every game if you can do something to help win it s a big  in Cincinnati Ray Knight hit his third grand slam of the year to Lead the reds. With two out and two on in the fourth Joe Nickroo walked Johnny Bench on four pitches to Load the bases. Knew they feared John a lot More than me said Knight. But i was hoping they would walk John so would have a crack at it. You re either a hero or a  Knight became a hero by slamming a 1 0 pitch off Niekro Over the left Field Wall for his third grand slam of the season. Elsewhere in the National league Phillies 5, pirates 4 Del Unser Pinch hit a single with two out in the ii in and tug Mcgraw earned continued on Page 22 history repeats As pats lose an easy one by Peter May Foxboro mass. Up Tony my Gec has been Rushing papers in a new England Patriot uniform for 10 years. So he is not about to get upset when the team loses one it s supposed to win. But then again that has been the pats tendency in the past. They play Well against the teams they re supposed to have trouble with and poorly against the teams they re supposed to beat. History repeated itself again sunday when the patriots eight Point favourites to beat the Atlanta Falcons were pummel cd 37-21. They May have been the top pick on the betting Board. But they were picked apart in the air by Steve Bartkowski and on the ground by running backs Lynn Cain Ana William Andrews. It was bad said Mcgee. But the Way this game can be detrimental is if we Don t learn anything from it. You have to pick up something Good from the bad. And that s what we have to  another new England tendency is to look like champs one week and chumps the next. Only twice in their 21-year history have they opened a season with two Vilc "1 know we re up for one and then Down for one and we tried to guard against that. But maybe we harped too much on it shrugged coach Ron Erhardt. Quarterback Steve Grogan enjoyed a splendid first half hitting on 12 of 17 passes for two touchdowns a 9-Yardcr to Don Hasselbeck and a 25-yarder to Stanley Morgan with 55 seconds left. But the Patriot offence did nothing in the Sec Ond half against an adjusted Atlanta de sense. If this kind of loss came later in the season As we were trying to make the play offs then you d have to be worried explained Grogan who finished with 17-