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A's end Royals' 8-game winning streak

Aug 13, 2014 - 5:56 AM Kansas City, MO (SportsNetwork.com) - Josh Donaldson homered twice and the Oakland Athletics defeated the surging Kansas City Royals, 11-3, in the second of four games at Kauffman Stadium on Tuesday.

Donaldson finished 3-for-4 with four RBI and three runs scored and Brandon Moss supplied four hits and drove in two runs for Oakland, which halted a two- game skid.

"I believe that we have a good lineup and I believe that we will continue to have success," said Donaldson.

Jon Lester (13-7) won his seventh straight decision after allowing just three runs on six hits with nine strikeouts in six innings of work.

"Normally three runs against Lester would've kept us in the game," said Royals manager Ned Yost.

Nori Aoki, Salvador Perez and Alcides Escobar each drove in a run for the Royals, who had their eight-game winning streak come to an end. The team maintained its half-game lead in the AL Central, however, since the Pirates defeated the Tigers, 4-2.

Starter Jeremy Guthrie (8-10) gave up 11 hits and six runs -- four earned -- over 4 2/3 frames in defeat.

The A's wasted no time getting on the board. Sam Fuld and John Jaso singled and Donaldson reached on a force out. Moss' double plated Jaso, but center fielder Lorenzo Cain's throw to the plate was in time to tag out Donaldson.

Fuld reached on Escobar's throwing error with one out in the third and came home two batters later on Donaldson's soft liner to right. Moss' RBI single to left made it a 3-0 game.

Oakland tacked on a run in the fourth after Stephen Vogt scored on Alberto Callaspo's double play ground ball.

Fuld singled to open the fifth, moved to third on Jaso's base hit and crossed home plate on Donaldson's sacrifice fly. Moss got aboard with a bunt and Jaso scored on Vogt's bloop single to left for a 6-0 score.

The Royals generated offense in the home half. Mike Moustakas walked, Cain doubled and Escobar's sac fly provided Kansas City with its first run. Aoki added an RBI base hit and moved to second on shortstop Eric Sogard's throwing error. Two batters later, Perez's double to the left-field corner made it a 6-3 game.

Donaldson crushed a 2-2 slider to center for his 24th home run of the season to open the seventh.

Oakland added four more runs in the eighth. Sogard's single to center drove in two, Jonny Gomes scored Sogard with a sac fly and Donaldson hit his second homer of the night for an 11-3 advantage.

Game Notes

Donaldson set a career-high with his 25th homer of the season and extended his hitting streak to nine games ... The Royals trailed for the first time in 44 innings after Moss' RBI double in the first ... Kansas City allowed a season- high 20 hits ... Royals outfielder Josh Willingham doubled in his first plate appearance with the team after being acquired from Minnesota in exchange for pitcher Jason Adam on Monday ... Lester has won all three of his starts since being acquired from Boston ... Prior to the game, Kansas City placed reliever Scott Downs on the 15-day disabled list due to a stiff neck.