KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Zack Greinke picked up his first victory in nearly a month and Wilson Betemit homered and drove in four runs to help the Kansas City Royals beat the Oakland Athletics 11-3 on Tuesday night.
Kila Kaaihue also homered and drove in three runs while Mike Aviles hit a three-run shot. He had three hits and scored three runs and has homered in back-to-back games after going 316 at-bats without a home run.
Betemit, who had three hits, delivered run-producing singles in the first and second and hit a two-run homer in the third.
Ka’aihue homered in the first with Betemit aboard. His single in the second scored Billy Butler.
Kansas City scored all its runs with two outs and in the first three innings. That is the most runs the Royals have scored in a game since beating Houston 15-7 on June 15.
Greinke (9-12), the 2009 American League Cy Young Award winner, claimed his first victory since Aug. 17. He pitched out of a bases loaded jam in the first by getting Mark Ellis to ground into an inning ending double play.
Greinke gave up three runs on six hits and four walks in seven innings.
Gio Gonzalez (14-9), who had a 1.75 ERA in winning his previous five starts, faced 16 batters, 10 reached base on seven hits and three walks and seven scored before he was replaced by Boof Bonser in the third. Bonser gave up two home runs in the third.
The A’s scored all their runs in the sixth with Landon Powell and Jack Cust singling in runs. The other run scored on an Aki Iwamura ground out.