The Athletics kept trading punches Friday, but Kansas City landed the last one.
Oakland dropped a 7-6 decision to the Royals at Surprise Stadium, a back-and-forth spring game that featured early thunder, three home runs and a seventh-inning rally that flipped the result. The loss moved the A’s to 1-5 in the Cactus League.
Muncy doubles in two, A’s jump ahead early
Oakland opened with pace in the first. Tyler Soderstrom singled, Austin Wynns walked, then Max Muncy drove a two-run double to center to put the A’s up 2-0. The A’s kept loading the bases, but Joey Meneses’ flyout ended the inning with three left.
Witt Jr. changes the inning in the second
Kansas City answered fast. Vinnie Pasquantino singled and two walks loaded the bases, then Bobby Witt Jr. launched a three-run homer to left-center to turn a 2-0 deficit into a 4-2 Royals lead.
Oakland chipped back in the third when Carlos Cortes doubled and scored on Darell Hernaiz’s RBI groundout. The Royals added another in the third on Josh Rojas’ RBI single, and suddenly it was 5-3.
Wilson and Muncy go deep, A’s take the lead again
The A’s pulled even in the fourth when Jacob Wilson homered to left, a two-run shot that tied it at 5-5. Muncy pushed Oakland back in front in the fifth with a solo homer to left-center, giving him three RBIs on the day and putting the A’s up 6-5.
Seventh inning turns it
Kansas City’s comeback came in the seventh. With two on, Nick Loftin lined a two-run double to left to swing the game and make it 7-6.
Oakland put two aboard in the eighth on singles from Clark Elliott and Leo De Vries, but the threat ended on a forceout. The A’s went quietly in the ninth against reliever Dennis Colleran, who earned the save.
Up next
The A’s play the Giants on Saturday at 12:05 p.m. PT.
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Dice City Sports editor Mark Hebert covers the Vegas Golden Knights, Las Vegas Raiders, Athletics, and UNLV baseball and softball. He has 24 years of journalism experience, is also a senior reporter at Exhibit City News, and previously covered the Dallas Stars and Texas Rangers. Follow him on X or connect on LinkedIn.
