Kansas City, MO (SportsNetwork.com) – Josh Reddick poked a three-run home run
during a five-run fourth inning to help the Oakland Athletics to a 5-0 win
over the Kansas City Royals on Saturday night.
Billy Butler, who went 1-for-4 in his return to Kauffman Stadium in the
series-opening loss on Friday, had a pair of hits with an RBI and run scored.
Stephen Vogt also added two hits with an RBI and run scored for Oakland, which
snapped its two-game losing streak.
The Athletics’ pitching staff has recorded five shutouts out of the team’s six
wins.
Jesse Hahn (1-1) was cruising along until he made a play to first base in the
sixth and had to leave the game due to a blister on his throwing hand. Hahn
scattered three hits and allowed a walk in 5 1/3 frames.
Kansas City threatened to put the first run across in the third inning, but
Hahn worked out of the minor jam. Omar Infante split the gap in left center
where Sam Fuld gloved the ball and launched it off his back foot into shallow
right center, allowing Infante to advance to third on the error. With the
infield in, Christian Colon and Friday’s hero Paulo Orlando each grounded out
prior to Mike Moustakas lining out to deep right.
The game got eventful in the fourth.
Fuld drew a walk off Kansas City starter Yordano Ventura (2-1) to begin the
inning and raced home on Vogt’s double to left. Vogt reached third on a wild
pitch by Ventura, then Butler knocked him in with a single past the drawn in
infield. Ike Davis followed with a single and Reddick blasted his first homer
of the season a batter later to make it 5-0.
In stepped Brett Lawrie, who was in the forefront of controversy in Friday
night’s game due to his hard slide on Alcides Escobar. The Royals were without
their shortstop on Saturday because of the slide that caused a mild sprain of
the left knee, and Ventura got some revenge with an 0-1 fastball off Lawrie’s
elbow.
Home plate umpire Jim Joyce immediately tossed Ventura from the contest, then
the benches and bullpens briefly cleared soon after.
Ventura was roughed up for five runs on four hits and two walks in 3 1/3
innings. Yohan Pino did adequate work for Ventura in his Royals debut, tossing
4 2/3 scoreless innings following the ejection of Kansas City’s ace.
Jesse Chavez allowed four hits over 3 2/3 innings in relief of Hahn to grab
his first save of the season and second of his career.
Game Notes
Kansas City placed closer Greg Holland on the 15-day disabled list on Saturday
due to a right pectoral strain. Pino was called up from Triple-A Omaha to
replace him on the active roster … Chavez had six strikeouts in relief …
Alex Gordon and Eric Hosmer each had two hits in the setback … Butler
celebrated his 29th birthday on Saturday … Ventura had given up three runs
over his previous two starts this season, receiving 19 runs of support in the
two wins … Royals starter Danny Duffy (1-0) will oppose Oakland’s Scott
Kazmir (2-0) in the rubber match on Sunday.
