Alex Gordon’s single in 9th lifts Royals past A’s
OAKLAND — The Kansas City Royals could have headed home with another squandered late-inning lead and far less momentum as they prepare for an important weekend series against first-place Cleveland.
This time, the Royals gave it up again before rallying once more.
Alex Gordon hit a go-ahead RBI single in the top of the ninth after Oakland tied it in the bottom of the eighth, and Kansas City beat the Oakland Athletics 7-6 on Wednesday.
Alcides Escobar doubled to start the ninth against Blake Treinen (1-1), matching his season high with three hits. Then Gordon delivered his second run-scoring single of the series finale as Kansas City won its fourth in five following a five-game skid.
“Today was a step in the right direction for us,” Royals starter Danny Duffy said. “It’s huge. We had a pretty decent roadie.”
Oakland’s Matt Chapman hit a tying two-run homer in the eighth against Brandon Maurer (1-1), who wound up the winner.
Lorenzo Cain hit a two-run homer in the fourth and Duffy struck out eight over five innings, but the Royals needed clutch hitting in the ninth a day after giving up a four-run lead in a 10-8 defeat.
“This was a big win for us today, especially after last night,” manager Ned Yost said. “Games like last night can cease your momentum, so to come back and show the heart and the ability to grind a tough game out like our guys did today was very satisfying.”
Cain added a key RBI single in the eighth for the Royals, who began the day tied with Minnesota six games behind the AL Central-leading Indians.
Kelvin Herrera finished for his 26th save in 29 chances after allowing Ryon Healy’s two-out infield single.
Duffy’s winless stretch reached four outings since a victory at Detroit on July 25. The left-hander earned his first major league win at Oakland on June 14, 2011, and has never lost to the A’s — 3-0 in seven career appearances and six starts — but hasn’t beaten them since April 10, 2012.
Marcus Semien hit a two-run homer in the third and Oakland got back in it on Jed Lowrie’s two-run single in the fifth.
“It just was an ugly game all the way around,” A’s manager Bob Melvin said. “There was no pace to the game, and it just seemed like one of those games that was just blah.”
Kansas City’s Melky Cabrera fouled a ball off his leg in the third and went down writhing in pain before recovering to hit a single on the very next pitch to load the bases with no outs. But Blackburn struck out Mike Moustakas and induced an inning-ending double play from Brandon Moss to escape unscathed.