Derek Norrisslugged a three-run homer Friday at Surprise Stadium andMichael Taylorbelted a solo shot, but the A’s gave up a run in the bottom of the ninth and had to settle for a 9-9 tie with the Kansas City Royals.
Every A’s pitcher gave up at least a run Friday and leftySean Doolittlewas hit particularly hard, giving up three runs in just two-thirds of an inning.
Oakland’s defense was also sloppy, with two errors contributing to three unearned runs.
StarterDan Strailywas solid, working through three hits and two walks in four innings to allow just one run, a solo homer byAlex Gordonin the second inning.
After Kansas City tied the game 8-8 with three runs against Doolittle in the eighth, the A’s took a 9-8 lead in the ninth.Luke Montzled off with a walk off new Royals pitcherNoel ArguellesandJose Martinezsingled to send pinch-runnerAlden Carrithersto second.Jake Goebbertsacrificed both runners into scoring position butNate Freimanwas called out on strikes.
Jake Elmorewalked to load the bases andDaniel Robertsonreached on an infield single to score Carrithers and give Oakland the lead.
ButMatt Buschmann, who came on to get the last out in the eighth, surrendered a two-out, game-tying homer toFrancisco Penaand the game was called after nine innings.
The A’s scored in the first on a bases-loaded walk to Taylor afterBilly Burnsled off with a single, Norris lined a one-out single andJohn Jasowas hit by a pitch from Royals starterDanny Duffy.
Oakland erupted for four in the top of the second. Freiman led off with a single up the middle and moved up to second on Elmore’s groundout. After Daniel Robertson struck out, the A’s got busy with two outs. Burns singled to center to score Freiman andEric Sogardworked a walk. Burns and Sogard pulled off a double steal which was rendered moot when Norris clubbed a line drive over the wall in left-center for his second homer of the spring.
Gordon made it 5-1 with his homer in the second before Oakland kept the heat on relief pitcherMichael Mariot.Sam Fuldled off the third with a triple to right and scored on Freiman’s sacrifice fly. Taylor’s homer in the fourth—his third of the spring—made it 7-1 A’s.
But Oakland let Kansas City back into the game with some defensive deficiencies in the sixth. With the bases loaded and no one out,Danny Valenciasingled to left. But the ball got away from Burns, allowing three runs to score while Valencia advanced to third.Dan Oteropulled a nice escape act, though, getting three straight outs to leave the runner stranded.
After walks to Taylor and Fuld in the seventh, Elmore lashed an RBI single to right, but the Royals got the run back in the bottom of the seventh on a single, a failed force attempt by Robertson at shortstop and a sacrifice fly byJustin Maxwell.
Christian Colon,Ramon Hernandezand Maxwell all had RBI singles in the eighth for the Royals.
Otero was charged with three runs, one earned, on four hits in two innings.Joe Saveryallowed an unearned run on two hits with two strikeouts in his inning of work and Buschmann allowed one run on three hits in 1.1 innings of work, fanning three.
Burns had three hits and stole his eighth base of the spring for the A’s, while Norris and Elmore had two hits each, part of Oakland’s 12-hit attack.
Oakland will be splitting the squad on Saturday, with a team staying at Phoenix Municipal Stadium to host the Texas Rangers at 1:05 p.m. Pacific and a split squad going to Scottsdale Stadium to play a San Francisco Giants split squad at 3:05 p.m. Pacific.
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