Athletics 1, Royals 0
Tommy Milone allowed three hits in a career-high eight
scoreless innings in his Oakland debut to beat visiting Kansas City in the series
opener.
Milone (1-0),
acquired in the off-season trade that sent Gio Gonzalez to Washington,
didn't allow a hit after a leadoff double by Alcides Escobar in the third inning.
He surrendered three walks.
The lone run came
when Josh Donaldson knocked in Seth Smith with a two-out single in the third. Grant Balfour worked
around a one-out walk to pinch hitter Mitch Maier to close out the ninth
for Oakland (2-3).
Luis Mendoza (0-1)
gave up only one run in 5 2/3 innings for a tough-luck loss, but the
hard-throwing right-hander walked four and gave up five hits.
Clinging to a 1-0 lead
in the sixth, the Athletics worked the bases loaded with two outs before Tim Collins
got Donaldson swinging with a big curveball to end the inning.
The Royals (2-2), who were shut out for the second time this season, got the
leadoff man on four times.
GAME NOTEBOOK: Royals outfielder Jason Bourgeois
started in left in place of Alex Gordon, who went 0 for 13 with six strikeouts
in the team’s opening series. Gordon struck out in the ninth in a pinch-hitting role. … Kansas City’s Eric Hosmer and Jeff Francoeur
were both gunned down trying to steal in the fourth. … Milone didn’t pitch past
the sixth inning in any of his five starts with the Nationals last season.