WEST SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — Shea Langeliers hit a walk-off RBI double in the ninth inning, Jacob Wilson drove in three runs and the Athletics beat the Kansas City Royals 4-3 on Friday night.
Langeliers singled and Brent Rooker and Tyler Soderstrom walked before Taylor Clarke replaced Royals starter Noah Cameron (9-7) with two out in the fifth. Five pitches later, Wilson hit a bases-clearing double to left field that made it 3-3.
Maikel Garcia and Carter Jensen singled before Jonathan India’s three-run homer for Kansas City opened the scoring in the fourth.
Soderstrom hit his 34th double of the season and walked twice.
Justin Sterner (4-3) got the final four outs to earn the win. Athletics starter Mason Barnett allowed three runs in 5 2/3 innings and Hogan Harris pitched two scoreless inning.
Luinder Avila (1-1) gave up a run and two hits in a third of an inning.
Wilson finished 1 for 4 and the rookie is hitting .313 this season, second in MLB behind Aaron Judge (.330) of the New York Yankees.
Key moment
Angel Zerpa struck out Lawrence Butler swinging to lead off the ninth and was replaced by Avila. Darell Hernaiz singled before Brett Harris reached on force out and was replaced by pinch-runner Max Schuemann, who scored when Langeliers doubled.
Key stats
Cameron has a 2.99 ERA this season, the lowest by a first-year pitcher in the American League (minimum of 20 games started) since 1995 behind Masahiro Tanaka (2.77 in 2014) and Tanner Bibee (2.98 in 2023).
Up next
Kansas City’s Michael Wacha (9-13, 4.00 ERA) is scheduled to start Saturday against Luis Morales (4-2, 3.07) in the second of a three-game series to close the season.
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