Free Live Odds - Scores and Odds - Sports News - Sports Information - Live Scores - Sports Statistics - Sports Articles - Sports Standings - Live Scoreboard - Live Odds - Sporting Events - Live Lines

Final Score: Kansas City 4 - Oakland 2

Oakland, CA (Sports Network) - Zack Greinke struck out a career-high 11 in 7 1/3 innings, and the Kansas City Royals downed the Oakland Athletics, 4-2, in the opener of a three-game set.

Greinke (8-7) scattered seven hits and two runs and walked one to get the win for the Royals. Alex Gordon went 3-for-4 with a two-run homer, and Jose Guillen also hit a two-run homer for Kansas City, which has won two straight after dropping five of six.

"A lot of these guys I didn't even know who they were," said Greinke. "They just got called up. It's a lot tougher for young hitters than it is for young pitchers in my opinion."

Dallas Braden (2-1) gave up four runs on six hits in 6 2/3 innings, fanning seven and walking two to take the loss for Oakland. Kurt Suzuki went 3-for-3 and scored for the A's, who have dropped 10 of 12.

"You try to keep yourself in the ballgame to maintain the bullpen and their longevity," said Braden. "Maintain a good atmosphere in the dugout, and ultimately just go out there and efficiently execute your game plan and for the most part I was happy with it. We lost so it was not good enough."

Trailing 4-1 in the eighth, the A's rallied and had a chance to tie the game. Eric Patterson walked with one out, Suzuki singled to left, and Ryan Sweeney's single to right plated Patterson to cut the deficit to two runs.

That ended Greinke's night, and Ramon Ramirez came on and stranded the tying runs on base. Jack Cust struck out, and Carlos Gonzalez grounded out to first to end the threat.

Joakim Soria's 1-2-3 ninth notched his 28th save and the win for the Royals.

Guillen and the Royals hit the ground running in the first. Mike Aviles singled to right with one out, and after Mark Grudzielanek struck out, Guillen sent a long fly ball out to right. The two-run blast was his 14th of the season, and gave the Royals the early lead.

The A's finally touched Greinke up for a run in the fourth. Suzuki reached on an infield single to third to start the inning. Greinke retired Sweeney and Cust, but Gonzalez lined a double to right, and Suzuki scored from first to cut the Kansas City lead in half.

Gordon pushed the Royals lead to 4-1 with his 12th homer of the season, a two- run shot to center with one out in the sixth.