Alonso’s pinch double deals K.C. a blow
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Pinch-hitter Yonder Alonso embraced the A’s late-season role of spoiler Tuesday night, delivering a two-run double in the eighth inning to spark a 5-4 victory over Kansas City that damaged the defending champion Royals’ fast-fading playoff hopes.
“That’s a really hard situation to come in to,” Alonso said. “I think early on I knew I was going to have an opportunity, a meaningful opportunity obviously, with the game on the line to come up with a big at-bat.”
Kansas City’s Joakim Soria was summoned with two outs in the eighth and the Royals clinging to a 3-2 lead. On his second pitch, Alonso doubled over the head of center fielder Jarrod Dyson, scoring Brett Eibner and pinch-runner Joey Wendle.
Marcus Semien added an RBI single that became significant when Ryan Madson balked home Jarrod Dyson with two outs in the ninth before closing for his 30th save in 36 tries. The loss left the Royals seventh in the wild-card chase, five games behind the No. 2 spot.
Jharel Cotton made his second start for the A’s and allowed three runs, only one earned, in 52⁄3 innings, striking out two and walking one.
Paulo Orlando hit a two-run single off Cotton in the fourth after Cheslor Cuthbert doubled and Semien’s error on Alcides Escobar’s grounder kept the inning alive. Semien has committed 11 errors in the past 53 games and tops major-league shortstops with 19 fielding miscues. That’s still below his pace of last season, when he made 35.
Escobar’s two-out single in the sixth scored Salvador Perez and chased Cotton.
The A’s were held to three hits in 71⁄3 innings by Kansas City starter Danny Duffy, but two of them were home runs. Khris Davis homered on Duffy’s first pitch in the fifth. It was Davis’ second consecutive game with a homer and increased his season total to 37, the most by an Oakland player since Frank Thomas hit 39 in 2006.
Ryon Healy homered off Duffy to lead off the eighth. Briefly: The A’s started five rookies — Chad Pinder at second, Eibner in right, Healy at third, Renato Nuñez at designated hitter and Cotton — matching a season high . ... Manager Bob Melvin stopped by the Kansas City Chiefs’ practice Tuesday. Cousin Tom Melvin coaches the Chiefs’ tight ends . ... On Wednesday, Sean Manaea will make his first start since Aug. 29, when he left after 31⁄3 with strained muscles in the shoulder blade.