30,690 fans turned out to Kauffman Stadium Friday night as everyone wanted to get their first glimpse of recent call-up Eric Hosmer, who was making his major league debut against Gio Gonzalez and the Oakland Athletics. Gonzalez and Kansas City starter Sean O`Sullivan got stuck in a pitchers' duel, but Gonzalez was just that much better as the A's beat the Royals 3-2.
Oakland started the game with former Royals doing some damage as Coco Crisp walked, advancing to third on a single by David DeJesus. However O`Sullivan got Conor Jackson to fly out and Hideki Matsui grounded into a double play to end the threat.
Alex Gordon lead off the bottom of this first with a solo home run to left center field as Kansas City quickly took the lead. It was the third home run this season for Gordon and 22nd RBI. It was the lone hit of the evening for him though, and he is now batting .318 on the year.
Kansas City added another run in the third as Matt Treanor walked and came around to score on Mike Aviles' RBI triple. After starting the season in a slump, Aviles has been putting good contact on the ball and providing many extra base hits.
Oakland was finally able to crack O`Sullivan in the fifth as the first four A's batters reached via singles as they went on to plate three runs in the inning taking a 3-2 lead that they held for the rest of the evening. Both teams managed just five hits of the course of the evening, as O`Sullivan only gave up hits in the first and fifth innings.
Gonzalez went seven innings allowing the two runs on four hits as he moved to 4-2 with the win, while O`Sullivan lasted eight innings surrenduring three runs on five hits, falling to 1-2. It was nice to see him walk just one batter after having walked seven last time out.
Hosmer, who was making his first start for Kansas City looked good with the glove and showed poise in for his age drawing walks in his first two at-bats. He added a stolen base, while striking out in his final two appearances.
Oakland sits at 17-16 while Kansas City is 17-15. The teams play this evening at 6:10 as Luke Hochevar (3-3 5.48 ERA) battles the A's pitcher, Brandon McCarthy (1-2 3.05).