It started well and ended well for Oakland, which scored the game's first 3 runs and the game's last 3 runs. Unfortunately, the 12 runs KC scored in between turned out to be a bit of an issue, win-wise.
Zack Greinke wound up going 7 strong, but early on it looked like he might be knocked around and knocked out. The first four A's reached in the top of the 2nd, capped by Mark Ellis' two-run single, which was followed by Adam Kennedy's RBI ground out.
Meanwhile, for two innings Clayton Mortensen did more dazzling than not, striking out 5 the first time through the order, not allowing a hit and following up two leadoff walks in the 2nd by striking out the side. The next time through the order? That would be 6 for 8 with 2 HRs and a sac fly.
My "quickie analysis" on Mortensen is that I liked his changeup a lot -- it's what Mazzaro lacks as he throws everything hard, and what Gio doesn't throw often enough to keep hitters from guessing "fastball/curve." Mortensen also did a good job, in general, of keeping the ball down, but like Cahill had stretches where he could not throw strikes on command. He's a work-in-progress, but I saw enough good things to want to see more of him down the line.
The A's 9th inning teAse was more than just an enjoyable finish to a blowout loss. First and foremost, Tommy Everidge tied Cliff Pennington for 7,452,112th on the all-time career HR list with 1, launching a majestic shot to right-center off of Royals' closer Joakim Soria, who entered a 12-3 game "just to get some work in." But by the time Ellis had HRed, Pennington had beaten out a bouncer to deep 1B (note to Soria: when covering 1B, do not look to Brett Anderson as your role model), Rajai had dunked a single, Soria wound up throwing 30 pitches -- perhaps enough to put his availability in question for tomorrow's game that begins in just over 15 hours.
All in all, a crap sandwich in which the bread was enjoyable.
