by Jerry Feitelberg

What a difference a day makes. The Oakland A’s, who barely mustered three hits Monday night,had their hitting shoes on Tuesday night against the Kansas City Royals as they had 20 hits and scored eleven times as the A’s snapped the Royals eight game winning streak. The A’s won the game 11-3 behind their ace, Jon Lester. Lester wasn’t as sharp as he was last week when he pitched a complete game but he was in control most of the way but the Royals roughed him up for 3 runs in the bottom of the fifth. Lester pitched the sixth but Bob Melvin used his bullpen to seal the win.

The A’s started the scoring in the first inning. Sam Fuld, filling in for Coco Crisp, singled to start the game. John Jaso followed with a single to put men on at first and second with no out. Josh Donaldson hit a ground ball to Royals” third baseman Mike Moustakas who raced to third to get the force out on Fuld. Brandon Moss then hit a booming double to deep right center field to drive in Jaso but Donaldson was tagged out trying to score. A’s lead 1-0.

The A’s scored two more runs in the third inning. Fuld reached second base on a throwing error to get things going. Josh Donaldson singled to drive in Fuld and took second on the throw to home. Brandon Moss singled to drive in Donaldson. The A’s got another run in the fourth on singles by Stephen Vogt and Josh Reddick .Vogt advanced to third then scored when Callaspo grounded into a 4-6-3 double play. 4-0 A’s after four.

Th A’s kept pouring it on as they tallied two more runs in the fifth. Fuld and Jaso singled to put men on at first and third. Fuld scored on Donaldson’s sacrifice fly. Brandon Moss then laid down a bunt to third to beat the shift and Jaso scored on a single by Vogt.

The Royals came back in their half of the inning to make it a six to three game. There was no scoring in the sixth and Jon Lester was done for the night after six innings of work.

The A’s made it 7-0 in the seventh when Josh Donaldson hit his 24th home run of the year. The A’s made it a blowout in the eighth scoring four times to increase the score to 11-3. The last run was Donaldson’s 25th home run of the season.

The A’s bullpen was excellent again. Ryan Cook pitched a scoreless seventh inning and Dan Otero
pitched the eight and ninth innings keeping the Royals of the board. Lester’s record for the season in now 13-7.

Hitting stars for the A’s were Josh Donaldson with three hits, four RBIs including 2 home runs. Sam Fuld and Josh Reddick each had three hits. Brandon Moss had four hits and two RBIs. Stephen Vogt had two hits. The only player in the lineup not to hit was Derek Norris
The A’s won their 73rd game of the year. Kansas City is still in first place in the AL Central as Detroit
lost again.

The A’s play game three of the four game series Wednesday night at Kaufman Stadium in Kansas City.
Scott Kazmir goes for the Green and Gold while Jason Vargas will take on the pitching duties for the Royals.