Kansas City made this one a race from the first inning and never let Oakland catch up. The Royals scored three runs in the first, added two more in the second, and cruised to a 9-5 win over the Athletics. Oakland's five-run inning in the middle innings closed the gap but never erased it.
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | R | H | E | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| OAK | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 8 | 1 |
| KC | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | X | 9 | 13 | 0 |
Bobby Witt carried the offense, going 3-for-4 with a home run, three RBIs and a walk. His two-run homer to left center in the second inning padded an already growing lead, and he added a double in the eighth that brought home another run. Jac Caglianone chipped in three hits and two RBIs, while Maikel Garcia and Salvador Perez each drove in a run during the decisive first inning.
The Royals' first inning set the tone. Jeff McNeil's homer to right gave Oakland an early 1-0 lead, but Kansas City answered immediately. Garcia's single brought home Witt to tie it, and Perez followed with a single that scored both Caglianone and Garcia, putting Kansas City ahead 3-1. That inning alone accounted for three of Kansas City's nine runs, and the Royals never trailed again.
Oakland starter Mason Barnett didn't survive the third inning, allowing 6 runs (6 earned) on 7 hits with 4 walks over 2.2 innings. The Athletics' bullpen did steady things afterward, covering 5.1 innings and allowing 3 runs (3 earned), but the deficit built early was too much. Tyler White and Brian Serven each homered in a three-run fifth inning that pulled Oakland within two, and a ninth-inning double-play grounder by Jonah Heim brought home another run, but Kansas City's bullpen closed it out, covering 4.0 innings and allowing just 1 run.
Michael Wacha started for Kansas City and allowed 4 runs (4 earned) on 6 hits over 5.0 innings, striking out three without issuing a walk. He did not factor into the decision. The win pushed Kansas City to 52-74, extending its winning streak to two games, while Oakland fell to 49-76 with the loss.