OAKLAND, Calif. — Luis Medina held down Kansas City to get his first victory in more than 11 months and the Oakland Athletics won their second straight game following a nine-game skid, beating the Royals 5-1 on Wednesday night.
Medina (1-2) had lost five straight decisions since beating Boston on July 18 last season but was sharp against the struggling Royals. He allowed one run on an RBI double by Bobby Witt Jr. and six hits in 5 2/3 innings for the win in front of an announced crowd of 4,557 fans.
Brett Rooker hit a pair of RBI singles for Oakland and Zack Gelof hit a solo homer to provide the offense. Medina and the bullpen did the rest, giving the A’s their first back-to-back wins since a six-game winning streak that ended May 4.
A's relievers threw 3 1/3 scoreless innings, ending a streak of 13 straight games that the bullpen allowed at least one run.
The Royals have lost eight of their last 10 games, including back-to-back games against an A's team that has the second worst record in the American League .
Ragans pitched well, allowing only four hits in six innings but ran into trouble in the third inning when he walked Max Schuemann and JJ Bleday to open the frame. Miguel Andujar and Rooker followed with singles to make to give Oakland a 2-0 lead.
After Witt's double got Kansas City on the board in the fifth, the A's got some insurance in the seventh inning with RBI singles to Rooker and Tyler Nevin against John Schreiber to make it 4-1.
Gelof added his seventh homer of the season in the eighth inning.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Royals: RHP Dan Altavilla left in the eighth inning after grabbing his right side after throwing ball four to Schuemann.
Athletics: INF Abraham Toro is dealing with shoulder soreness from a swing on Sunday and was held out of the lineup. Manager Mark Kotsay said he's hopeful Toro can avoid a stint on the IL.
UP NEXT
RHP Seth Lugo (10-2, 2.40 ERA) looks for his Major League-leading 11th win when he starts the series finale for Kansas City against RHP Mitch Spence (4-3, 3.95).
