Athletics 2, Royals 1
Josh Donaldson hit a tying homer in the seventh inning and Adam Rosales delivered a go-ahead blast in the eighth as host Oakland won the opener of the three-game series.
Sean Doolittle (3-0) earned the victory in relief of Jarrod Parker, who gave up one run on four hits in seven strong innings and retired 10 of the final 11 batters he faced. Grant Balfour worked a perfect ninth for his seventh save.
Royals right-hander James Shields (2-4) blanked Oakland for six innings before surrendering the solo homers. He struck out nine and allowed six hits but fell to 0-2 in his last three starts despite yielding only five runs over 24 innings.
David Lough, called up from Triple-A Omaha earlier Friday, went 2-for-4 and supplied Kansas City's only run when he followed Salvador Perez's double with one of his own in the third inning for a 1-0 lead. Lough also made a big defensive play when the right fielder threw out Brandon Moss in the fourth attempting to stretch a single into a double.
Rosales' game-winning blast, which gave the Athletics their third win in 11 games, came nine days after he hit an apparent tying home run in the ninth that mistakenly was ruled a double in a one-run loss to Cleveland.
GAME NOTEBOOK: Donaldson went 2-for-3 to extend his hitting streak to a career high-tying six games. ... The Athletics revealed that LHP Brett Anderson - who has been sidelined with a sprained ankle - suffered a stress fracture in his right foot and is expected to miss two months. LHP Hideki Okajima was recalled from Triple-A Sacramento and RHP Chris Resop was designated for assignment. ... Royals OF Jarrod Dyson is expected to be sidelined for 2-to-4 weeks with a mild high ankle sprain sustained while trying to make a leaping catch at the wall in Wednesday's game against the Los Angeles Angels.