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Milone helps A's edge Royals

Apr 10, 2012 - 6:28 AM Oakland, CA (Sports Network) - Tom Milone worked eight innings to help the Oakland Athletics take a 1-0 win over the Kansas City Royals in the opener of a three-game set.

Milone (1-0) gave up just three hits, all doubles and three walks in his debut for the Athletics, who acquired the lefty in the deal that sent Gio Gonzalez to Washington over the winter.

"If it's the first game of the season and I end up going eight, that's obviously a good sign," Milone said. "I'm keeping the pitch count low and able to get that far in the game, luckily keep the team in the ballgame, and we got a win out of it."

"He did a fantastic job of keeping the ball off the barrel of our bat," Kansas City manager Ned Yost said. "...We just couldn't center him up."

Josh Donaldson drove in Seth Smith in the second inning for the only run of the game while Kurt Suzuki went 3-for-3 in the win for Oakland, which was coming off a pair of losses to Seattle on Friday and Saturday.

Jason Bourgeois, Yuniesky Betancourt and Alcides Escobar each hit a double for the Royals, who took two of three from the Angels to open up the season.

Luis Mendoza (0-1) was the hard-luck loser as he gave up one run on five hits with four walks and two strikeouts over 5 2/3 innings.

The only run of the game came in the second inning when Smith hit a one-out walk, moved to second on a Suzuki walk and then took third on a fielder's choice off the bat of Daric Barton. Donaldson then dropped a single into right field for the 1-0 advantage.

Kansas City got a one-out double from Bourgeois in the first, but he was nailed at third trying to tag up on a fly out.

Betancourt was stranded at second after hitting a two-out double in the second.

Eric Hosmer and Jeff Francoeur were both caught stealing in the fourth inning and the Royals managed just one baserunner over the next four frames.

Grant Balfour pitched around a one-out walk to Mitch Maier in the ninth to pick up his second save of the season.

Game Notes

Oakland won five of the nine games with Kansas City last season...The Athletics stranded nine men on base...The Royals stranded four and batted 0- for-6 with runners in scoring position...Oakland announced that pitcher Joey Devine will undergo surgery on his right elbow on Tuesday.