GAME THREAD: GAME THREAD: AL: KANSAS CITY (53-67) at OAKLAND (60-62)

AL: KANSAS CITY (53-67) at OAKLAND (60-62)

<h3>Athletics look to claim fifth straight win</h3>

<div class="pre">Kansas City (53-67) at Oakland (60-62) 10:05 pm EDT</div>

OAKLAND, California (Ticker) -- The Oakland Athletics will lookto extend their winning streak to five games when they begin athree-game series against the Kansas City Royals on Friday.

Oakland's Dan Meyer (NR) makes his major league appearance since2004 in the series opener. The 26-year-old righthander wasacquired from the Atlanta Braves after that season in the tradefor Tim Hudson.


Meyer was promoted after going 6-2 with a 3.40 ERA in 19 startswith Class AAA Sacramento.


On Thursday, rookie Kurt Suzuki snapped a 10th-inning tie with athree-run homer in helping Oakland post an 8-5 victory andcomplete a sweep of a three-game set with the Chicago White Sox.

Kansas City hands the ball to Brian Bannister (8-7, 3.41 ERA),who had his three-game winning streak stopped after giving upthree runs in 4 2/3 innings in a 4-1 loss to the Toronto BlueJays on Sunday.


Prior to Bannister's setback, the 26-year-old righthander hadgone 3-0 with an impressive 1.61 ERA through four starts.

He has faced the Athletics once before already, allowing tworuns over six frames but did not figure in a 5-4 loss on May 15.

The Royals have won seven of nine trips to McAfee Coliseum.

 

AL: KANSAS CITY at OAKLAND

<div class="pre">KANSAS CITY AT OAKLAND -- LINEUPS

KANSAS CITY OAKLAND
AVG HR RBI AVG HR RBI
Esteban German 3B .280 3 29 Travis Buck CF .287 7 34
Joey Gathright CF .336 0 13 Shannon Stewart LF .299 10 37
Mark Grudzielanek 2B .302 5 38 Nick Swisher 1B .256 14 57
Billy Butler DH .308 4 35 Jack Cust RF .270 20 63
Mark Teahen RF .285 6 51 Mike Piazza DH .279 4 27
Emil Brown LF .226 4 43 Mark Ellis 2B .259 16 55
Alex Gordon 1B .245 11 41 Jack Hannahan 3B .222 0 1
John Buck C .233 16 43 Donnie Murphy SS .225 4 13
Tony Pena Jr SS .269 1 38 Kurt Suzuki C .255 4 17

Brian Bannister RHP (8-7, 3.41) Dan Meyer LHP (NO RECORD)</div>

 

AL: KANSAS CITY at OAKLAND

<div class="pre">AL AT OAKLAND
WARMUPS: KAN - BRIAN BANNISTER (8-7, 3.41)
OAK - DAN MEYER (NO RECORD)

UMPIRES: HP - DANA DEMUTH
1B - KERWIN DANLEY
2B - DOUG EDDINGS
3B - MIKE MUCHLINSKI

WEATHER: 68 Degrees, clear
WIND: 14 mph, out to right</div>

 

AL: KANSAS CITY at OAKLAND

<div class="pre">AL AT OAKLAND
STARTING BATS: KAN - BRIAN BANNISTER AND JOHN BUCK
OAK - DAN MEYER AND KURT SUZUKI

DUE UP FOR KANSAS CITY: E GERMAN (.280, 3 HR, 29 RBI)
J GATHRIGHT (.336, 0 HR, 13 RBI)
M GRUDZIELA (.302, 5 HR, 38 RBI)</div>

 

AL: KANSAS CITY at OAKLAND

<div class="pre">AL AT OAKLAND - SCORING UPDATE
TRIPLE BY MARK GRUDZIELANEK SCORED ESTEBAN GERMAN.
SITUATION: 1 RUN IN, M GRUDZIELANEK ON THIRD, 1 OUT
CURRENT SCORE: KANSAS CITY 1
OAKLAND 0 TOP, 1ST

DUE UP FOR KANSAS CITY: B BUTLER (.308, 4 HR, 35 RBI)</div>

 

AL: KANSAS CITY at OAKLAND

<div class="pre">AL AT OAKLAND - SCORING UPDATE
DOUBLE BY BILLY BUTLER SCORED MARK GRUDZIELANEK.
SITUATION: 2 RUNS IN, B BUTLER ON SECOND, 1 OUT
CURRENT SCORE: KANSAS CITY 2
OAKLAND 0 TOP, 1ST

DUE UP FOR KANSAS CITY: M TEAHEN (.285, 6 HR, 51 RBI)</div>

 

AL: KANSAS CITY at OAKLAND

<div class="pre">AL AT OAKLAND - SCORING UPDATE
TWO-RUN HOME RUN BY EMIL BROWN (5) TO LEFT CENTER WITH 2
OUT IN THE 1ST OFF DAN MEYER SCORED BILLY BUTLER.
CURRENT SCORE: KANSAS CITY 4, OAKLAND 0

DUE UP FOR KANSAS CITY: A GORDON (.245, 11 HR, 41 RBI)</div>

 

AL: KANSAS CITY at OAKLAND

<div class="pre">AL
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
- - - - - - - - - - - -
KANSAS CITY 4 4 3 0
OAKLAND 0 0 1 (BOT 1)

CURRENT PITCHERS: KAN - BRIAN BANNISTER
OAK - DAN MEYER

DUE UP FOR OAKLAND: T BUCK (.287, 7 HR, 34 RBI)
S STEWART (.299, 10 HR, 37 RBI)
N SWISHER (.256, 14 HR, 57 RBI)</div>

 

AL: KANSAS CITY at OAKLAND

<div class="pre">KANSAS CITY (4) VS OAKLAND (0) - MID 1ST - IN PROGRESS

KANSAS CITY ab r h rbi bb so lob avg
E German 3b 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 .279
J Gathright cf 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .336
M Grudzielanek 2b 1 1 1 1 0 0 0 .305
B Butler dh 1 1 1 1 0 0 0 .311
M Teahen rf 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 .284
E Brown lf 1 1 1 2 0 0 0 .229
A Gordon 1b 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 .244
J Buck c 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .233
T Pena Jr ss 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .269

Totals 6 4 3 4 0 0 0

BATTING: 2B - B Butler (13, D Meyer). 3B - M Grudzielanek (3, D Meyer). HR - E
Brown (5, 1st inning off D Meyer 1 on, 2 Out). S - J Gathright. RBI - M
Grudzielanek (39), B Butler (36), E Brown 2 (45). 2-out RBI - E Brown 2. Team
LOB - 0.


OAKLAND ab r h rbi bb so lob avg
T Buck cf 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .287
S Stewart lf 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .299
N Swisher 1b 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .256
J Cust rf 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .270
M Piazza dh 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .279
M Ellis 2b 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .259
J Hannahan 3b 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .222
D Murphy ss 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .225
K Suzuki c 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .255

Totals 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

BATTING: Team LOB - 0.

FIELDING: E - J Cust (3, fly ball).


----------------------------------------------------
KANSAS CITY - 4 -- 4
OAKLAND - -- 0
----------------------------------------------------

KANSAS CITY ip h r er bb so hr era
B Bannister 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 3.41

OAKLAND ip h r er bb so hr era
D Meyer 1 3 4 1 0 0 1 9.00

Pitches-strikes: D Meyer 30-21. Ground balls-fly balls: D Meyer 2-1. Batters
faced: D Meyer 7.

UMPIRES: HP--Dana Demuth. 1B--Kerwin Danley. 2B--Doug Eddings. 3B--Mike
Muchlinski.

Weather: 68 degrees, clear. Wind: 14 mph, out to right.</div>

 

AL: KANSAS CITY at OAKLAND

<div class="pre">AL AT OAKLAND
CONFIRMED STARTERS: KAN - BRIAN BANNISTER
OAK - DAN MEYER</div>

 

AL: KANSAS CITY at OAKLAND

<div class="pre">AL AT OAKLAND - SCORING UPDATE
SOLO HOME RUN BY NICK SWISHER (15) TO CENTER WITH 2 OUT IN
THE 1ST OFF BRIAN BANNISTER.
CURRENT SCORE: KANSAS CITY 4, OAKLAND 1

DUE UP FOR OAKLAND: J CUST (.270, 20 HR, 63 RBI)</div>

 

AL: KANSAS CITY at OAKLAND

<div class="pre">AL
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
- - - - - - - - - - - -
KANSAS CITY 4 4 3 0
OAKLAND 1 1 2 1 (TOP 2)

CURRENT PITCHERS: KAN - BRIAN BANNISTER
OAK - DAN MEYER

DUE UP FOR KANSAS CITY: J BUCK (.233, 16 HR, 43 RBI)
T PENA JR (.269, 1 HR, 38 RBI)
E GERMAN (.279, 0-FOR-1)</div>

 

AL: KANSAS CITY at OAKLAND

<div class="pre">KANSAS CITY (4) VS OAKLAND (1) - END 1ST - IN PROGRESS

KANSAS CITY ab r h rbi bb so lob avg
E German 3b 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 .279
J Gathright cf 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .336
M Grudzielanek 2b 1 1 1 1 0 0 0 .305
B Butler dh 1 1 1 1 0 0 0 .311
M Teahen rf 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 .284
E Brown lf 1 1 1 2 0 0 0 .229
A Gordon 1b 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 .244
J Buck c 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .233
T Pena Jr ss 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .269

Totals 6 4 3 4 0 0 0

BATTING: 2B - B Butler (13, D Meyer). 3B - M Grudzielanek (3, D Meyer). HR - E
Brown (5, 1st inning off D Meyer 1 on, 2 Out). S - J Gathright. RBI - M
Grudzielanek (39), B Butler (36), E Brown 2 (45). 2-out RBI - E Brown 2. Team
LOB - 0.


OAKLAND ab r h rbi bb so lob avg
T Buck cf 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 .286
S Stewart lf 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 .299
N Swisher 1b 1 1 1 1 0 0 0 .258
J Cust rf 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 .272
M Piazza dh 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 .277
M Ellis 2b 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .259
J Hannahan 3b 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .222
D Murphy ss 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .225
K Suzuki c 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .255

Totals 5 1 2 1 0 0 1

BATTING: 2B - J Cust (13, B Bannister). HR - N Swisher (15, 1st inning off B
Bannister 0 on, 2 Out). RBI - N Swisher (58). 2-out RBI - N Swisher. Runners
left in scoring position, 2 out - M Piazza 1. Team LOB - 1.

FIELDING: E - J Cust (3, fly ball).


----------------------------------------------------
KANSAS CITY - 4 -- 4
OAKLAND - 1 -- 1
----------------------------------------------------

KANSAS CITY ip h r er bb so hr era
B Bannister 1 2 1 1 0 0 1 3.46

OAKLAND ip h r er bb so hr era
D Meyer 1 3 4 1 0 0 1 9.00

Pitches-strikes: B Bannister 11-8; D Meyer 30-21. Ground balls-fly balls: B
Bannister 3-0; D Meyer 2-1. Batters faced: B Bannister 5; D Meyer 7.

UMPIRES: HP--Dana Demuth. 1B--Kerwin Danley. 2B--Doug Eddings. 3B--Mike
Muchlinski.

Weather: 68 degrees, clear. Wind: 14 mph, out to right.</div>

 

AL: KANSAS CITY at OAKLAND

<div class="pre">AL
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
- - - - - - - - - - - -
KANSAS CITY 4 0 4 3 0
OAKLAND 1 1 2 1 (BOT 2)

CURRENT PITCHERS: KAN - BRIAN BANNISTER
OAK - DAN MEYER

DUE UP FOR OAKLAND: M ELLIS (.259, 16 HR, 55 RBI)
J HANNAHAN (.222, 0 HR, 1 RBI)
D MURPHY (.225, 4 HR, 13 RBI)</div>

 

AL: KANSAS CITY at OAKLAND

<div class="pre">KANSAS CITY (4) VS OAKLAND (1) - MID 2ND - IN PROGRESS

KANSAS CITY ab r h rbi bb so lob avg
E German 3b 1 1 0 0 1 0 0 .279
J Gathright cf 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 .333
M Grudzielanek 2b 1 1 1 1 0 0 0 .305
B Butler dh 1 1 1 1 0 0 0 .311
M Teahen rf 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 .284
E Brown lf 1 1 1 2 0 0 0 .229
A Gordon 1b 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 .244
J Buck c 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 .232
T Pena Jr ss 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 .269

Totals 9 4 3 4 1 0 1

BATTING: 2B - B Butler (13, D Meyer). 3B - M Grudzielanek (3, D Meyer). HR - E
Brown (5, 1st inning off D Meyer 1 on, 2 Out). S - J Gathright. RBI - M
Grudzielanek (39), B Butler (36), E Brown 2 (45). 2-out RBI - E Brown 2. Team
LOB - 1.


OAKLAND ab r h rbi bb so lob avg
T Buck cf 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 .286
S Stewart lf 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 .299
N Swisher 1b 1 1 1 1 0 0 0 .258
J Cust rf 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 .272
M Piazza dh 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 .277
M Ellis 2b 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .259
J Hannahan 3b 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .222
D Murphy ss 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .225
K Suzuki c 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .255

Totals 5 1 2 1 0 0 1

BATTING: 2B - J Cust (13, B Bannister). HR - N Swisher (15, 1st inning off B
Bannister 0 on, 2 Out). RBI - N Swisher (58). 2-out RBI - N Swisher. Runners
left in scoring position, 2 out - M Piazza 1. Team LOB - 1.

FIELDING: E - J Cust (3, fly ball).


----------------------------------------------------
KANSAS CITY - 40 -- 4
OAKLAND - 1 -- 1
----------------------------------------------------

KANSAS CITY ip h r er bb so hr era
B Bannister 1 2 1 1 0 0 1 3.46

OAKLAND ip h r er bb so hr era
D Meyer 2 3 4 1 1 0 1 4.50

Pitches-strikes: B Bannister 11-8; D Meyer 53-35. Ground balls-fly balls: B
Bannister 3-0; D Meyer 3-3. Batters faced: B Bannister 5; D Meyer 11.

UMPIRES: HP--Dana Demuth. 1B--Kerwin Danley. 2B--Doug Eddings. 3B--Mike
Muchlinski.

Weather: 68 degrees, clear. Wind: 14 mph, out to right.</div>

 

AL: KANSAS CITY at OAKLAND

<div class="pre">AL
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
- - - - - - - - - - - -
KANSAS CITY 4 0 4 3 0
OAKLAND 1 0 1 3 1 (TOP 3)

CURRENT PITCHERS: KAN - BRIAN BANNISTER
OAK - DAN MEYER

DUE UP FOR KANSAS CITY: M GRUDZIELANEK (.305, 1-FOR-1, RBI)
B BUTLER (.311, 1-FOR-1, RBI)
M TEAHEN (.284, 0-FOR-1)</div>

 

AL: KANSAS CITY at OAKLAND

<div class="pre">KANSAS CITY (4) VS OAKLAND (1) - END 2ND - IN PROGRESS

KANSAS CITY ab r h rbi bb so lob avg
E German 3b 1 1 0 0 1 0 0 .279
J Gathright cf 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 .333
M Grudzielanek 2b 1 1 1 1 0 0 0 .305
B Butler dh 1 1 1 1 0 0 0 .311
M Teahen rf 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 .284
E Brown lf 1 1 1 2 0 0 0 .229
A Gordon 1b 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 .244
J Buck c 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 .232
T Pena Jr ss 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 .269

Totals 9 4 3 4 1 0 1

BATTING: 2B - B Butler (13, D Meyer). 3B - M Grudzielanek (3, D Meyer). HR - E
Brown (5, 1st inning off D Meyer 1 on, 2 Out). S - J Gathright. RBI - M
Grudzielanek (39), B Butler (36), E Brown 2 (45). 2-out RBI - E Brown 2. Team
LOB - 1.

FIELDING: DP: 1 (M Grudzielanek-T Pena Jr-A Gordon).


OAKLAND ab r h rbi bb so lob avg
T Buck cf 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 .286
S Stewart lf 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 .299
N Swisher 1b 1 1 1 1 0 0 0 .258
J Cust rf 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 .272
M Piazza dh 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 .277
M Ellis 2b 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 .261
J Hannahan 3b 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 .200
D Murphy ss 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 .222
K Suzuki c 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .255

Totals 8 1 3 1 0 0 2

BATTING: 2B - J Cust (13, B Bannister). HR - N Swisher (15, 1st inning off B
Bannister 0 on, 2 Out). RBI - N Swisher (58). 2-out RBI - N Swisher. Runners
left in scoring position, 2 out - M Piazza 1. GIDP - J Hannahan. Team LOB - 1.


FIELDING: E - J Cust (3, fly ball).


----------------------------------------------------
KANSAS CITY - 40 -- 4
OAKLAND - 10 -- 1
----------------------------------------------------

KANSAS CITY ip h r er bb so hr era
B Bannister 2 3 1 1 0 0 1 3.43

OAKLAND ip h r er bb so hr era
D Meyer 2 3 4 1 1 0 1 4.50

Pitches-strikes: B Bannister 23-15; D Meyer 53-35. Ground balls-fly balls: B
Bannister 5-1; D Meyer 3-3. Batters faced: B Bannister 8; D Meyer 11.

UMPIRES: HP--Dana Demuth. 1B--Kerwin Danley. 2B--Doug Eddings. 3B--Mike
Muchlinski.

Weather: 68 degrees, clear. Wind: 14 mph, out to right.</div>

 

AL: KANSAS CITY at OAKLAND

<div class="pre">AL AT OAKLAND - SCORING UPDATE
TRIPLE BY MARK TEAHEN SCORED BILLY BUTLER.
SITUATION: 1 RUN IN, M TEAHEN ON THIRD, 1 OUT
CURRENT SCORE: KANSAS CITY 5
OAKLAND 1 TOP, 3RD

DUE UP FOR KANSAS CITY: E BROWN (.229, 1-FOR-1, HR, 2 RBI)</div>

 

AL: KANSAS CITY at OAKLAND

<div class="pre">AL AT OAKLAND - SCORING UPDATE
WILD PITCH BY DAN MEYER ALLOWED MARK TEAHEN TO SCORE.
SITUATION: 2 RUNS IN, NONE ON, 1 OUT
CURRENT SCORE: KANSAS CITY 6
OAKLAND 1 TOP, 3RD

DUE UP FOR KANSAS CITY: E BROWN (.229, 1-FOR-1, HR, 2 RBI)</div>

 

AL: KANSAS CITY at OAKLAND

<div class="pre">AL
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
- - - - - - - - - - - -
KANSAS CITY 4 0 2 6 5 0
OAKLAND 1 0 1 3 1 (BOT 3)

CURRENT PITCHERS: KAN - BRIAN BANNISTER
OAK - DAN MEYER

DUE UP FOR OAKLAND: K SUZUKI (.255, 4 HR, 17 RBI)
T BUCK (.286, 0-FOR-1)
S STEWART (.299, 0-FOR-1)</div>