Oakland A’s lefty Gio Gonzalez gave up a home run to Alex Gordon in the first but went seven innings and allowed only four hits and two runs as the Royals lost to the A’s 3-2 on Friday night. It was also the major league debut of 21 year old first baseman Eric Hosmer.
Hosmer finished 0 for 2 with two walks and got a standing ovation his first time up. He had a chance to be a hero, walked twice and struck out twice. With the A’s leading 3-2 in the sixth, Jeff Francoeur doubled with two outs and represented the tying run, but Gonzalez got Hosmer to take a called third strike.
Royals starter Sean O’Sullivan was pretty good, but Oakland got him for three runs in the fifth. He still finished with a career high eight innings, allowing five hits and one walk. At one point, O’Sullivan retired 11 straight batters before Kurt Suzuki, Ryan Sweeney and Andy LaRoche singled leading off the fifth. LaRoche’s hit drove in Suzuki and Mark Ellis followed with a liner to that glanced off Gordon’s outstretched glove. The runners waited to see if the ball would be caught, so they couldn’t advance further loading the bases with nobody out.
Kevin Kouzmanoff grounded to third baseman Wilson Betemit, who got a forceout at second as Sweeney scored. Then Coco Crisp’s infield out brought in another run, putting the A’s on top 3-2.
For longtime Royal David DeJesus was 1 for 4 in his first game in Kansas City since an off season trade.