OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) — Shea Langeliers homered for the second consecutive day, and the Oakland Athletics spoiled the return of former Cy Young Award winner Zack Greinke with a 5-4 win over the Kansas City Royals on Tuesday night.
Aledmys Díaz added three RBIs for the A’s, and Brent Rooker had two hits a day after hitting his second game-ending home run of the season.
The game between the two worst teams in baseball attracted a crowd of 4,021, with chants of “Sell the team” echoing throughout a mostly quiet Coliseum during much of the evening.
Greinke had been out for two weeks with a right elbow injury before being activated off the injured list prior to Tuesday’s game. A six-time All-Star who has 224 career wins and won the 2009 AL Cy Young Award, followed opener Angel Zerpa (1-2) and pitched out of the bullpen for the first time since doing so for the Houston Astros against the Chicago White Sox in Game 3 of the ALDS on Oct. 10, 2021.
The 39-year-old Greinke looked sharp while throwing 53 pitches and allowing two hits in four scoreless innings. He had five strikeouts and allowed one runner past first base.
The last-place A’s have won two straight against the Royals and four of five overall this season, one of the few teams Oakland has been able to handle this season.
Hogan Harris (3-6) got the win despite an erratic outing when he allowed four runs in 3 2/3 innings. Trevor May worked the ninth for his 13th save.
Langelier’s home run leading off the second off Zerpa traveled 412 feet. All but two of the slugger’s 14 home runs have gone at least 400 feet.
Díaz made it 5-2 with a two-run double just inside the third base line. The ball rolled into foul territory past the A’s bullpen then bounced off the wall back onto the field.
Salvador Perez had a two-run single off Hogan Harris in the fifth, pulling the Royals within 5-4.
Zerpa struggled with his control early and hit the first batter in the first then walked the second. After Carlos Perez flew out, Rooker lined an RBI single into left-center. Zack Gelof scored on a sacrifice fly by Díaz, easily beating the off-target throw by Royals right fielder Drew Waters.
The Royals tied it on Kyle Isbel's two-out, bases-loaded single in the second off Harris, who pitched in relief of opener Dany Jiménez.
WEB GEM
Rangers second baseman Michael Massey made a tremendous defensive play to rob Ryan Noda of a hit in the seventh inning. Massey fielded Noda’s sharp grounder up the middle with his glove hand then flipped the ball to shortstop Bobby Witt Jr. who relayed to first for the 4-6-3 out as Noda stumbled over the bag.
ROSTER MOVES
Royals: RHP Dylan Coleman was optioned to Triple-A Omaha to make room for Greinke.
Athletics: RHP Tayler Scott was optioned to Triple-A Las Vegas, clearing room on the roster for Harris.
UP NEXT
Royals’ LHP Cole Ragans (4-4, 4.08 ERA) faces the A’s for the fourth time in his career in the series finale Wednesday at the Coliseum. Ragans is winless and has allowed 11 runs in 10 1/3 innings against the Oakland. The A’s have not announced a starter.
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