Kansas City, MO (Sports Network) - The Kansas City Royals rallied for two runs
in the seventh inning to beat the Oakland Athletics, 3-2, and sent Brandon
McCarthy to his first loss since April 21.
Will Smith (4-4) outdueled McCarthy, holding the A's to a pair of runs on five
hits in seven innings to pick up his second straight win.
Chris Getz knocked in the winning run with his two-out double for the Royals,
who have won the first two games of this three-game set.
McCarthy (6-4) had won his previous six decisions, spanning eight starts, but
the right-hander took the loss after giving up three runs -- two earned -- and
seven hits in 6 2/3 innings.
Josh Donaldson hit his second home run for Oakland, which has lost four of its
last five games.
Eric Hosmer and Lorenzo Cain delivered back-to-back, two-out doubles to tie
the game at two and chase McCarthy in the seventh. Lefty Sean Doolittle came
on to face Getz, but Getz capped off an 11-pitch at-bat by slicing a double
just inside the left-field line to give Kansas City the lead.
Aaron Crow pitched a perfect eighth inning before Greg Holland worked around a
leadoff single to nail down his fourth save of the season.
The Royals picked up an unearned run in the first inning. After Alex Gordon
led off with a base hit, Alcides Escobar reached on a fielder's choice.
Escobar stole second and took third when the throw deflected off him. Escobar
scored on Billy Butler ground ball, easily beating Donaldson's throw home.
The A's tied the game in the second after Chris Carter led off with a double.
He advanced to third on Donaldson's single and scored when Moss dropped a base
hit into right field.
Donaldson crushed a towering fly ball just inside the left-field foul pole to
give Oakland a 2-1 lead in the fourth.
Game Notes
Oakland outfielder Josh Reddick was scratched prior to the game because of
complications from a tooth which was extracted on Monday ... The A's had won
11 of their previous 13 one-run games coming into Wednesday.
The Sports Network