The Oakland A’s beat Kansas City Royals, 11-2, on Saturday afternoon in Oakland, Calif.
Matt Chapman hit his first home run since May 5, a good indication that he might be feeling more himself at the plate of late. His two-hit game propelled the A’s offensive efforts. His two-run single in the second inning extended the A’s lead to 3-0. His opposite-field solo home run completed his three-RBI day.
Chapman is emerging from a horrendous skid that had him batting .073 in 13 games. He is now batting .308 over his last nine games.
Matt Olson had a four-hit, four-RBI game, including an RBI double in the second inning and opposite-field home run in the eighth inning. Elvis Andrus maintained his groove, going 2 for 4. Tony Kemp went 2 for 3 with a walk that ignited a long first inning against Royals starter Jackson Kowar. Though the A’s got a pair of hits and a pair of walks off Kowar in the first inning, only Mitch Moreland could score a run on a sacrifice fly.
Kowar, who entered the game with a 54.00 ERA in his one career start, lowered his ERA to 36.00 in all of 1 1/3 innings and the Royals exhausted their bullpen to get through the game.
James Kaprielian won’t be pleased with the four walks that were the catalyst for trouble in the third and fourth innings. But quick fifth and sixth innings helped him to six scoreless with just two hits allowed and seven strikeouts.
A's outfielder Skye Bolt hit his first career big league home run in the eighth inning.
