By Morris Phillips

The A’s want to escape the AL West cellar in the worst way, but they’ll need to play better baseball at the O.co Coliseum first.

Oakland dropped its second straight to the Royals Saturday afternoon, 3-2, after blowing their slim 2-1 lead in the sixth inning. With the loss, the A’s are just 14-22 at home, the worst home record in the American League.

Of course, the surging Royals have a lot to do with ails the A’s right now. Kansas City has won nine of 12 and surged to the league’s best record. Like last year’s run to the World Series, the Royals’ bullpen has been terrific as three relievers didn’t allow the A’s a hit after the Royals took the lead on Saturday.

The loss was Oakland’s 19^th this season by one run, especially frustrating with top starter Scott Kazmir dealing as usual with the exception of Kendrys Morales’ two-run single in the sixth that put the Royals in front.

“The key today was they got big hits when they needed to and we didn’t,” manager Bob Melvin said. “We had a couple of opportunities and we couldn’t get the hits that they did.”

“We’ve been playing great baseball the last couple weeks,” Kazmir said. “For us to fall two straight to a team like that it’s tough.”

Reliever Wade Davis walked the first two A’s batters in the eighth providing hope the A’s could push across a game-tying run.  But Davis recovered, striking out Stephen Vogt and inducing Ben Zobrist to hit into an inning-ending double play.

The A’s were without the services of Billy Burns for the second straight day due to a hip flexor issue. Burns is hitting .322 and Melvin hopes that the speedy leadoff man can return as early as Sunday.

Kazmir’s thin margin for error was further paired in the third when home plate umpire Fieldin Culbreth charged him with a balk as he was trying to approach catcher Josh Phlegley to discuss strategy. The call allowed baserunner Omar Infante to advance to third, and he later scored on Mike Moustakas’ sacrifice fly.

“I didn’t see a balk. To me, he stepped off,” Melvin said. “That was a big run.”

Royals’ starter Chris Young pitched masterfully allowing the A’s two runs on four hits to pick up his seventh win. Young has never had more than 12 wins in a season or posted an ERA as low as his current 2.71. The 6’10” starter initially pitched out of the bullpen this season before assuming a starting role.

The A’s look to avoid the sweep on Sunday with Jesse Chavez on the mound. Chavez will be attempting to win three consecutive games in a row for the first time, and he’ll be opposed by Kansas City’s Jeremy Guthrie.