Cust drives in four, A’s beat Bannister, Royals

A’s power up to sweep Royals

OAKLAND, Calif. — Jack Cust’s three-run double broke open a close game and helped Josh Outman win his first game of the season as the Oakland Athletics beat the Kansas City Royals 7-2 on Wednesday night.

Kansas City starter Brian Bannister (3-1) gave up two runs in 5 2-3 innings and lost for the first time this season. The right-hander left the game with tightness in his right shoulder after Cust hit a sacrifice fly in the sixth.

Outman (1-0) allowed just three hits and a run in six innings. He walked two while striking out four to get his first win in five starts and help Oakland sweep the two-game series.

Michael Wuertz, Russ Springer and Andrew Bailey completed the four-hitter for the A’s.

Mike Jacobs homered for the Royals, who went winless on their five-game road trip after winning six straight at home.

The A’s went into the series ranked last in the AL in multiple offensive categories, but pounded out 20 runs and 20 hits to win the two games.

Adam Kennedy went 2-for-3 with a double, his first multi-hit game since being acquired in a minor league trade from Tampa Bay last week. Orlando Cabrera, who had three hits and four RBIs in the A’s 12-3 win on Tuesday, scored twice from the leadoff spot while Kurt Suzuki also scored twice.

Oakland broke the game open with five unearned runs in the seventh, three coming on Cust’s double off reliever Jamey Wright.

Bannister had allowed more than one earned run just once in his previous four starts and sailed through the first five innings against Oakland before running into trouble in the sixth. He gave up three straight one-out hits then walked Matt Holliday before Cust’s sacrifice fly gave the A’s a 2-1 lead.

Kansas City manager Trey Hillman and trainer Nick Swartz met briefly with Bannister on the mound after the play before Hillman called for reliever Horacio Ramirez.

Outman was stellar in his best outing of the season. The right-hander retired the side in order in four of the six innings he pitched and allowed only Miguel Olivo’s RBI-single in the second before giving way to the bullpen.

Bailey allowed a solo home run to Jacobs in the ninth. Bailey had retired 16 straight batters working out of the bullpen before the homer.