Tag: Kansas City Royals

Montas’ Masterpiece: A’s Blowout Royals 16-0

Published on by Matthew HarringtonLeave a comment

Photo credit: @athletics_fanly

By Matthew Harrington

In the one full season the Oakland A’s have had Frankie Montas on the roster after a 2016 trade from the Los Angeles Dodgers, he had exclusively pitched from the bullpen. His days of relief look to be long over if his 2018 campaign is an indication of the type of player the A’s acquired after shipping Rich Hill and Josh Reddick to LA at the deadline.

Montas (2-0, 0.64 ERA) fired eight innings of shutout ball, picking up his second win in as many starts Friday night in Kansas City on a night when he didn’t have to be perfect. Overshadowing Montas’ seven-hit gem is the offensive outburst of 16 runs by the Green and Gold, good for an easy 16-0 win.

Matt Olson and Dustin Fowler each hit two home runs and plated nine RBIs. Stephen Piscotty knocked in two runs on a bases-loaded double and Khris Davis scored two on an RBI single. Chad Pinder and Jonathan Lucroy were the only A’s starters to not knock in a run, but Lucroy did go 3-for-5 on the night.

Olson took Royals starter Ian Kennedy (1-6, 6.08 ERA) deep twice, blasting homers 10 and 11 of the year off the struggling starter. In total, Kennedy went three innings, allowing eight earned runs. Most of the damage off Kennedy came in the third after the A’s entered the inning up 1-0 then knocked him around for seven in the frame.

Scott Barlow stopped the bleeding, allowing just one run in his three innings of work, but relievers Brian Flynn (four runs) and Jason Adam (three runs) coughed up the Royals second seven-run inning of the game in the top of the ninth.

Reliever Emilio Pagan came in for Montas in the bottom of the ninth, yielding a hit but pucnhing out two to close out the game and hand Montas the official win assumed likely six innings ago. For Montas, it’s a second-straight win in as many starts after returning to the club after a sprained UCL kept him out of play since spring training. His first start was an absolute game, going six innings against the Diamondbacks, allowing three hits and a lone earned run while punching out seven.

His stuff wasn’t as hard to hit today, K’ing only two Royals. But what he lacked in electric stuff, he made up for in efficency. He needed just 99 pitches, 67 for strikes, to get through eight innings. If not for the recent shoulder injury, its likely manager Bob Melvin would have thrown him out for the recent shoulder injury. Not bad for a guy the A’s were using solely in long relief last season. Out of the pen, Montas went 1-1 with a 7.03 ERA.

Trevor Cahill takes the mound Saturday for the A’s facing his former team. Cahill played for the Royals last season after coming over in a July trade. He’ll be opposed by another pitcher facing his former team, with Jason Hammel taking the bump for Kansas City. Hammel pitched for Oakland in 2014 after coming over in the July 4th trade that also netted the A’s Jeff Samardzija.

Royal pain: A’s pound the Royals again 14-5 and sweep the four game series

Published on by rxsluggerLeave a comment

by Jerry Feitelberg

AP photo: Oakland A’s third baseman Ryon Healy (48) celebrates the four game sweep of the Kansas City Royals with Matt Olson (back) Thursday night at Kaufman Stadium

Kansas City, Mo – The Amazin’ A’s swept the four-game series with the Kansas City Royals as they pounded them again 14-5. The A’s, without question, played the spoiler role as they just about ended any hope that the Royals may have had about making the playoffs this year. The Royals, defending World Series Champs, did not look like the team that won the AL Pennant in 2014 and the World Series crown last year. The A’s manhandled their pitching as they outscored the Royals 43-12 in the series. The A’s starter, Daniel Mengden, pitched effectively Thursday night, and he recorded his second win of the season. Mengden went seven innings and allowed no runs and just three hits. He struck out six and did not walk a single batter. J.B. Wendelken pitched a scoreless eighth inning and lefty Dillon Overton was roughed up for five runs in the bottom of the ninth. Bob Melvin had someone warming up just in case, but Overton was able to get the final out of the game.

The A’s scored the first run of the game in the top of the second to start the ball rolling. With two out, Ryon Healy and Marcus Semien hit back to back doubles for the score. The A’s continued to attack the offerings of Edinson Volquez as they plated five more runs in the third. Joey Wendle singled. Volquez walked Danny Valencia to put men on at first and second with no out. Stephen Vogt doubled down the right field line to drive in both runners. After a walk to Yonder Alonzo, Ryon Healy hit a mammoth home run to put the A’s in the lead 6-0. Healy’s ball traveled an estimated 480 feet.

The A’s scored three more times in the fourth. Vogt drove in a run when he walked with the bases loaded. Khris Davis doubled to drive in two more and Royals’ manager Ned Yost removed Volquez from the game trailing 9-0. The A’s continued the onslaught. They added two more in the sixth when Vogt unloaded with a man on board to up the lead to 11-0. The A’s hitters kept blasting away and sustained the night of torture for the Royals and their fans when Marcus Semien hit his twenty-fifth of the season with two men on to make it a 14-0 game.

The Royals score five times in the bottom of the ninth but it was too little, too late and the A’s completed their first sweep of a four-game series since 2012 when they turned the trick against the Cleveland Indians

Game Notes- Hitting stars were Joey Wendle, Stephen Vogt, Ryon Healy, Khris Davis and Marcus Semien. Wendle had four singles in six tries. Vogt had a double, RBI walk and a home run. Healy had a double and a monster three-run dinger as did Marcus Semien. The A’s had just one three-run dinger in September until this series with the Royals. They had four in this series.

The A’s travel to Arlington, Texas where they will play the Texas Rangers over the weekend. The Rangers own the best record in the AL, and they will not take the A’s lightly as they want to have home-field advantage throughout the playoff. Kendall Graveman will pitch for Oakland Friday night and the Rangers’ ace, lefty Cole Hamels, will try to shut the suddenly potent A’s offense down. The game will start at 5:05 PM PT.

Oakland A’s Wednesday game wrap: The A’s do it again, beat the Royals in shut out fashion 8-0

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by Jerry Feitelberg

AP photo: Oakland A’s catcher Bruce Maxwell congratulates A’s pitcher Chris Smith (56) after shutting out the Royals 8-0 at Kaufman Stadium in Kansas City

Kansas City, Mo- The new kids on the A’s roster are opening eyes all around the league as the A’s won their third game in a row as they shutout the Kansas City Royals 8-0. The A’s, coming off a 3-6 homestand against the Red Sox, Angels, and Mariners, are looking like an entirely different team. The Royals, who were fighting for the second Wild Card slot, were licking their chops hoping to either sweep the A’s or take three out four from them. However, they play the games on the field, and the A’s have won the first three games of the four-game series and are delivering a severe blow to the Royals’ chances.

Lefty Sean Manaea made his first start in sixteen days as he was not able to pitch due to a shoulder injury. Manaea pitched well. He went five innings and allowed no runs and gave up just three hits. A’s manager Bob Melvin took him out after the fifth even though Manaea’s pitch count was low. The Royals’ Yordano Ventura took the loss. Ventura went just four and one-third innings and allowed five runs, seven hits and walked four. Ventura had over 100 pitches before Ned Yost removed him from the game.

The A’s drew first blood in the first inning. Joey Wendle singled. Danny Valencia walked. Ventura uncorked a wild pitch, and the runners advanced to second and third with no out. Stephen Vogt was safe on a fielder’s choice. He hit a sharp grounder to Royals’ first baseman Eric Hosmer. Hosmer threw a strike to Salvador Perez who tagged Wendle out on a close play at home. Khris Davis walked to load the bases. Yonder Alonso singled to drive in Valencia and Vogt to put the A’s up 2-0.

The Oaktown boys plated three more runs in the third. With two out, Alonso and Ryon Healy singled. Marcus Semien drove both of them in with a double to deep right field. Catcher Bruce Maxwell singled to drive in Semien and the A’s now own a 5-0.

There was no more scoring until the top of the eighth. Oakland scored three more times to put the game out of reach. The A’s bullpen of John Axford, Liam Hendricks, and Chris Smith kept the Royals scoreless, and they allowed the Royals just one hit in the last four innings of the game. The A’s win 8-0.

Game Notes- Sean Manaea notched his sixth win of the year and the first on the road.The A’s line score was eight runs on thirteen hits and no errors. The line for KC was no runs, four hits, and one error.

Daniel Mengden will pitch for Oakland Thursday night, and Edinson Volquez will hurl for the Royals.Game time will be at 4:10 PM PT.

The A’s travel to Arlington, Texas to face the Rangers over the weekend. They return home on Monday to start the final homestand of the year. The play three with the Astros and then three more with the Rangers.

 

 

Someone take the Cotton out of the Royals aspirin bottle: The A’s come from behind, beat the Royals again 5-4

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by Jerry Feitelberg

AP photo: Oakland A’s pitcher Jharel Cotton throwing in the second inning had all his pitches going against the Kansas City Royals on Tuesday night at Kaufman Stadium

Kansas City, Mo- The Oakland A’s scored four times in the top of the eighth to beat the Royals 5-4 Tuesday night. Jharel Cotton, making his second big league start, pitched well again. He pitched five and two-thirds innings and allowed seven hits and three runs. Two of the runs were unearned. He had command of his fastball, curve, and changeup. The Royals’ starter, lefty Danny Duffy, also pitched very well. Duffy went seven and one-third innings, and he was charged with three runs on just three hits. Unfortunately for Duffy, two of the hits were solo homers by Davis and Healy.

The Royals scored twice in the fourth, but the A’s cut the deficit to one in the fifth when Khris Davis hit a solo home run. For Davis, it was his thirty-seventh of the year and his ninetieth RBI of the year. The Royal scored their third run of the game in the sixth and sent Cotton to the showers.

Duffy was in control until the fateful eighth inning. Ryon Healy hit his ninth dinger of the year to make it a 3-2 game. Duffy walked the next hitter, and he was done for the night. Brett Eibner singled off reliever Matt Strahm to put men on at first and second with one out. Royal manager Ned Yost brought in Joakim Soria to pitch. Bob Melvin sent in Yonder Alonso to pinch-hit. Alonso came through with a booming double to center field to drive in Joey Wendle and Brett Eibner. Marcus Semien singled to left, and Alonso scored when Alex Gordon, a four-time Golden Glove winner, bobbled the ball. The A’s lead 5-3 after eight.

The Royals scored a run in the bottom of the ninth when A’s closer committed a balk with a runner on third. Madson faked a throw to third and wheeled to first and picked off the runner. However, baseball ruled that move was illegal and is now a balk. Madson gathered himself and retired Eric Hosmer on an unassisted play at first by Alonso. Final score 5-4 for Oakland.

Game three of the four-game series will be played Wednesday night at Kauffman Stadium in Kansas City at 4:10 PM PT.

Lefty Sean Manaea will pitch for Oakland, and Yordano Ventura will start for KC.

Time of game was 2 hours and fifty-six minutes. 29,673 people watched the A’s beat their beloved Royals for the second night in a row.

 

The A’s win a laugher, pound the Royals

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by Jerry Feitelberg

AP photo: Oakland A’s Marcus Semien and Joey Wendle (52) celebrate win over the Kansas City Royals at Kaufman Stadium on Monday night

Kansas City, Mo- Who are these guys? They can’t be the A’s that played at the Coliseum last weekend. Those guys went 3-6 on the last homestand, and the opposing teams scored ten runs or more in four of those games. The guys wearing Green and Gold  Monday night pounded Royal pitching as they scored sixteen times and had seventeen knocks in the game and beat the defending champs, the Kansas City Royals, 16-3.

There was no scoring until the top of the third inning. The A’s Khris Davis hit his team-leading thirty-sixth home run of the season with two men aboard. He hit the ball about 447 feet. There was no doubt about it leaving the park. The lead didn’t last long as the Royals tied the game at three in the bottom of the third.

The A’s scored three more in the fourth.Singles by Bruce Maxwell, Brett Eibner and a sac fly by Joey Wendle sent Royals’ starter Dillon Gee to the showers. Ned Yost used three more pitchers in the inning, and the A’s scored two more to make it a 6-3 game. The A’s added a run in the fifth and then put the game away when they scored five times in the sixth. The big blow was struck by Marcus Semien. Semien had not homered since early August. It was a three-run job and his twenty-fourth of the season. The A’s own a huge lead 12-3. The A’s added four more in the ninth to win 16-3.

Game notes- A’s starter, Ross Detwiler pitched just four innings. He had a 1-2-3 first, but the Royals had baserunners in the next three innings, and he had a high pitch count. Lefty Daniel Coulombe pitched the fifth and sixth inning. He did not allow a hit and struck out five. Zach Neal pitched the last three innings of the game and earned a save. Coulombe was the winning pitcher, and Dillon Gee took the loss.

Every A’s hitter in the starting lineup had a hit Monday night. Joey Wendle, Danny Valencia, Ryon Healy, and Bruce Maxwell had two hits each. Stephen Vogt had three hits and two RBIs. Khris Davis and Marcus Semien hit three-run dingers.

Game two of the four-game series will be played at 4:10 pm Tuesday night at Kauffman Stadium in Kansas City. The A’s will send Jharel Cotton to the mound, and lefty Danny Duffy will go for the Royals.

31,061 fans saw the A’s club their heroes into submission.

 

Report: The battlin’ A’s may be back – Butler and Valencia “scuffle”in clubhouse

Published on by Charlie O. MalloneeLeave a comment

 

butler  valencia

by Charlie O. Mallonee

Multiple reports have the A’s Danny Valencia and Billy Butler involved in a clubhouse scuffle on Friday night in Chicago. The reported altercation resulted in possible injuries to Butler that kept him out of the games with the White Sox over the weekend.

The first report of the altercation came from the San Francisco Chronicle. Jane Lee of MLB.com reported she had received confirmation of the confrontation between the two players.

A’s manager Bob Melvin told reporters on Saturday that Butler would be unavailable to play due to nausea and vomiting not related to the flu. Butler would normally been in the lineup at DH both Saturday and Sunday as the White Sox started left-handed pitchers.

Valencia started the game on Saturday night versus the White Sox and kicked off a mini-rally by hitting his 15th home run of season to lead off the ninth inning. He did not play on Sunday.

The Chronicle did ask Valencia about the incident on Sunday and he responded, “No comment. What happens in the clubhouse stays in the clubhouse.”

USA Today is reporting that the incident started when Butler told a shoe representative that Valencia was not wearing the cleats that he claim to be wearing.

Butler and Valencia were teammates in Kansas City in 2014 and then were reunited last season in Oakland.

Valencia has been with six different teams in his seven years in the major leagues. The rumors that have followed him have been that he is not a good teammate or that he is difficult to get along with in the clubhouse.

Eric Hosmer of the Royals would appear to disagree with that assessment:

Coco Crisp of the A’s seems to be in agreement with Hosmer:

Hosmer is a former teammate of Butler and Crisp is a current teammate and neither had any comment about the Designated Hitter.

There will certainly be more to this story and we will bring it to you as it breaks. It will be interesting to see who is in the lineup tonight for the Athletics. Cleveland is planning on starting the right-handed Carlos Carrasco so Butler would not be the starting DH.

There is No Joy in Oakland as the A’s are One and Done

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by Jerry Feitelberg

The Oakland A’s and the Kansas City Royals played one of the best playoff games ever on Tuesday night in Kansas City. It was a thriller all the way and the fans of both teams had moments of great joy and great despair all through the night. The A’s and their fans, however, will not be celebrating as the Royals kept coming back and finally overtook the A’s in the bottom of the twelfth inning as they advanced to the best of five ALDS against the Los Angeles Angels as they won in a walk off 9-8.

Big Jon Lester started for the A’s. Lester, who won two World Championship rings with the Red Sox and was the only A’s pitcher to beat the Royals this year, was on the mound for Oakland. Lester was 9-3 against KC lifetime and 3-0 against them this year. Kansas City had their ace “Big Game” James Shields taking on the task of beating the A’s. All the pundits thought the game would be a one run game with a final score of 2-1 or 2-1 but they were wrong. It turned out to be a game of the A’s power against the running game of the Royals and in the end the running game won.

The A’s got off to a good start when Brandon Moss hit a two run homer in the top of the first. The Royals made it 2-1 when they came back in their half of the inning. The Royals then took a 3-2 lead in the bottom of the third by scoring twice off Lester. The A’s took the lead in the top of the sixth. Royals’ manager Ned Yost took Shields out in the sixth with two men on and two out and brought in Yordano Ventura to pitch to Brandon Moss. Moss hit a tremendous blast to center field to make it a 5-3 game and the A’s scored two more runs to increase the lead to 7-3.

Lester pitched well after the third inning but ran into trouble in the bottom of the eighth. Lester recorded just one out and the Royals scored three times to close the gap to 7-6. They tied the game in the ninth scoring a run off A’s closer Sean Doolittle. Former A’s outfielder Josh Willingham came through with a pinch hit single to right to start the ninth. Jarrod Dyson, pinch running for Willingham advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt and then stole third base. Nori Aoki hit a long fly to right field and A’s right fielder Josh Reddick mad a great catch robbing Aoki of a hit but Dyson tagged up and scored the tying run and the game went to extra innings.

The Royals had their chances to win the game in the 10th and 11th innings but the A’s pitchers managed to get the third out in each inning stranding the winning run at third in both frames. In the 12th and and final inning of the game, the A’s took an 8-7 lead when Alberto Callaspo,pinch hitting for Nate Freiman, poked a single to left field driving in Josh Reddick with the run. The Royals, however, were not done. Eric Hosmer hit a triple to left center field high off the wall. Christian Colon then hit a high chopper that A’s third baseman Josh Donaldson could not make a play on and Hosmer scored.

The A’s kept a close eye on Colon as they knew the Royals would try for a stolen base. The A’s called for a pitchout but Derek Norris took his eye off the ball and it hit his glove and he could not make the throw. Royals’ All-Star catcher, Salvador Perez, who had been hitless all night, lined a shot past a diving Josh Donaldson down the left field line that drove in Colon with the winning run and the celebration began for the Royals who now face the Angels Thursday night.

For the A’s, it was a season that started with high hopes and for four months they had the best record in baseball. General Manager Billy Beane made a great trade in early July for Jeff Samardzija and Jason Hammel. On July 31st, he traded slugger Yoenis Cespedes to the Red Sox for Jon Lester. Everyone thought it was a great trade and the A’s would be headed to the World Series. However, a funny thing happened to the A’s. They stopped hitting and they had a losing record the last two months of the year and made the playoffs on the last day of the season. Tuesday night’s game was a mirror of the season, a great start but a lousy finish. The A’s will have all winter now to figure things out for next year.

That’s a wrap for 2014 for A’s baseball and congratulations to the Royals who are in the playoffs for the first time in 29 years.

Game notes- Major League Baseball and MLB Advanced Media announced that Josh Donaldson was named the Oakland A’s nominee for the 2014 Hank Aaron Award.

Fans can vote exclusively online at MLB.com and the 30 Club sites. For the fifth straight year, a special panel of Hall of Fame players led by Hank Aaron will join fans in voting for the award, which is officially sanctioned by Major League Baseball and has recognized the most outstanding offensive performer in each League since it was established in 1999.

After finishing fourth in American League MVP voting in 2013, Donaldson ended the 2014 campaign with career highs in home runs (29), RBI (98) and runs scored (93), while ranking in the Top 10 in the American League in each of those three categories. Donaldson also tied his career highs in games played (158) and walks (76), and hit a Major League-leading three walk-off home runs, tied for the most in A’s history.

The Hall of Fame panel led by Aaron includes some of the greatest offensive players of all-time –Roberto Alomar, Johnny Bench, Paul Molitor, Eddie Murray, Frank Thomas and Robin Yount. These Hall of Famers – who combined for 16,956 hits, 8,844 RBI and 2,109 home runs – have all been personally selected by Aaron to lend their expertise to select the best offensive performer in each League.

“Josh is well-deserving,” said A’s manager Bob Melvin. “He’s been a very inspirational player, as was Hank Aaron. He’s really showed up to play, especially in recent weeks with his injuries.”

Through October 5, fans will have the opportunity to select one American League and one National League winner from a list comprising of one finalist per Club. The winners of the 2014 Hank Aaron Award will be announced during the 2014 World Series.

The finalists for the 2014 Hank Aaron Award are:

American League National League
Baltimore Orioles Nelson Cruz Arizona Diamondbacks Paul Goldschmidt
Boston Red Sox David Ortiz Atlanta Braves Justin Upton
Chicago White Sox Jose Abreu Chicago Cubs Anthony Rizzo
Cleveland Indians Michael Brantley Cincinnati Reds Devin Mesoraco
Detroit Tigers Victor Martinez Colorado Rockies Justin Morneau
Houston Astros Jose Altuve Los Angeles Dodgers Adrian Gonzalez
Kansas City Royals Alex Gordon Miami Marlins Giancarlo Stanton
LA Angels of Anaheim Mike Trout Milwaukee Brewers Jonathan Lucroy
Minnesota Twins Trevor Plouffe New York Mets Daniel Murphy
New York Yankees Brett Gardner Philadelphia Phillies Marlon Byrd
Oakland Athletics Josh Donaldson Pittsburgh Pirates Andrew McCutchen
Seattle Mariners Robinson Cano St. Louis Cardinals Matt Carpenter
Tampa Bay Rays Evan Longoria San Diego Padres Seth Smith
Texas Rangers Adrian Beltre San Francisco Giants Hunter Pence
Toronto Blue Jays Jose Bautista Washington Nationals Anthony Rendon

Past winners of the Hank Aaron Award include: Miguel Cabrera and Paul Goldschmidt (2013); Cabrera and Buster Posey (2012); Jose Bautista and Matt Kemp (2011); Bautista and Joey Votto (2010); Derek Jeter and Albert Pujols (2009); Aramis Ramirez and Kevin Youkilis (2008); Alex Rodriguez and Prince Fielder (2007); Jeter and Ryan Howard (2006); David Ortiz and Andruw Jones (2005); Manny Ramirez and Barry Bonds (2004); Rodriguez and Pujols (2003); Rodriguez and Bonds (2001-02); Carlos Delgado and Todd Helton (2000) and Manny Ramirez and Sammy Sosa (1999).

The Hank Aaron Award was introduced in 1999 to honor the 25th Anniversary of Aaron breaking Babe Ruth’s all-time home run record, and, at that time, was the first major award introduced by Major League Baseball in more than 25 years.

The A’s blast the Royals

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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.

Sloppy Play Dooms the Giants

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by Jerry Feitelberg

The San Francisco Giants lost 4-2 to the Kansas City Royals Friday night in Kansas City. The game was a battle of left-handed pitchers. The Giants sent out their ace, Madison Bumgarner, to face the Royals who were trying to win their fifth straight game. Jason Vargas was on the hill for Kansas City.

It would not be easy task for the Giants to beat the Royals. The Royals had won four straight coming into Friday’s game and they had won 2 out of 3 from the A’s last weekend. The Royals are just 2 1/2 games behind Detroit for the AL Central lead.

The Royals took a 2-0 lead in the first inning. With one out, Omar Infante doubled and that was followed by a blast off the bat of Billy Butler into the seats in left field.Bumgarner really labored in the first inning throwing 29 pitches. The Giants tied the game in the third. Hunter Pence and Pablo Sandoval had back to back singles but Pence was called out at third on a very strange play. The play was called safe but Royals Manager Ned Yost asked for a replay. On the replay, it showed that Pence’s hand appeared to come off the bag while the third baseman still had the tag applied. The call was overturned and that hurt the Giants as first baseman Michael Morse singled and that was followed by a Joaquin Arias double that allowed Sandoval to score with the Giants’ first run of the game. Second baseman Matt Duffy singled to score Morse but Aoki’s throw from right field nailed Arias at the plate for the final out of the inning, Aoki tied a club record with two assists in one inning on throws from the outfield.

The Royals scored twice in the sixth inning to take a 4-2 lead. The Giants made two throwing errors on the same play that allowed the Royals to take the lead for good. Omar Infante singled with one out. Royals catcher Salvador Perez lined a shot to first baseman Michael Morse. Morse’s throw to Duffy at second was offline and Duffy’s throw back to Morse, in an attempt to get Perez, sailed over Morse’s head and both runners were safe. Billy Butler singled to drive in his third run of the game. Royals Left fielder Alex Gordon doubled to drive in the Perez with the second run of the inning.

The outstanding bullpen of the Royals took over. Kelvin Herrera in the 7th, Wade Davis in the 8th and closer Greg Holland in the 9th sealed the win for Kansas City.

Madison Bumgarner took the loss and he is 13-9 for the season. After the game manager Bruce Bochy said “I thought he did a great job.After the first inning, he pitched great. He gave us all he had out there. He gave us a chance to win.” Bumgarner went eight innings and threw 123 pitches.

Game two of the series will be Saturday August Ninth at 4:10pm PDT