Zack Gelof hit his first home run in nearly three weeks and the Oakland Athletics defeated the Kansas City Royals 7-5 on Tuesday night, ending a nine-game losing streak.
JJ Bleday had a career-high three doubles and drove in two runs, and Miguel Andujar added two hits to help Oakland get its first win since June 7.
“It is difficult to win in this competition, as we have seen in recent weeks,” Gelof said. “To get a win at home in front of the home crowd is great. I worked with the coaches and teammates and it looked like I had quality at-bats today.”
The last-place A’s (27-48) have the fourth-worst record in the majors.
Before the game, a moment of silence was held in honor of Willie Mays, the Hall of Fame midfielder who passed away earlier in the day. Mays got the final hit of his illustrious career at the Oakland Coliseum in the 1973 World Series.
“I wish I was half the player he was,” said A’s manager Mark Kotsay, who played in midfield for much of his career. “The catches he made and the smile he had, the impact he had on the game of baseball. His loss is felt today and will be felt for a long time.”
Nick Loftin hit his first career home run and had three RBIs for the Royals, who lost three of four.
Gelof, who went 5-for-30, singled and scored in the first inning, then hit a three-run homer off starter Alec Marsh (5-4) in the fourth.
“I’m struggling a little bit, but it makes it all worth getting through when it counts,” Gelof said. “It felt great and hopefully there will be more to come.”
Hogan Harris (1-0) pitched five lopsided innings to get the win, his first since late 2023 when he also defeated the Royals. Harris, who left with the lead but didn’t get a decision in each of his three previous starts, allowed three runs (one earned) and four hits.
Kansas City, which left the bases loaded in the fourth, scored twice off Lucas Erceg in the eighth and scored the potential tying run before Scott Alexander got Adam Frazier to catch a fly ball. Mason Miller retired three batters in the ninth for his 13th save, the fourth most by a rookie in franchise history.
After an 0-7 road trip, the A’s headed home early.
Leadoff hitter Max Schuemann walked in the first inning and scored on Bleday’s double from the wall. After Bleday reached third base on a flyout, Brent Rooker hit a sacrifice fly to make it 2-0.
“We definitely needed a good baseball game and a win,” Kotsay said. “We swung the bats better down the stretch and continued to swing the bats well tonight. Overall, a good feeling to get back to where we were and bounce back tonight.”
Kansas City tied the score with a pair of unearned runs in the second. Freddy Fermin reached on Schuemann’s fielding error at shortstop and came around when Loftin hit an 0-for-14 slide with a homer on the next pitch.
Marsh, who was coming off an excellent outing against the New York Yankees, was tagged for a career-high of seven runs and seven hits in three innings.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Royals: RHP Carlos Hernández was recalled from Triple-A Omaha. OF Drew Waters was optioned.
Athletics: INF J.D. Davis, who missed time this season with a right adductor strain, was designated for assignment. OF Seth Brown was sent straight to Triple-A Las Vegas. OF Lawrence Butler and 3B Tyler Nevin were called up from Las Vegas.
NEXT ONE
Royals LHP Cole Ragans (4-4, 3.14 ERA), who threw seven scoreless innings against Oakland on May 17, will start the middle game of the series on Wednesday. RHP Luis Medina (0-2, 5.87), who has lost five straight decisions since last July, is going for the A’s.
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