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Scutaro, Athletics salvage series finale

Aug 20, 2007 - 12:33 AM By Ryan Leong PA SportsTicker Contributing Writer

OAKLAND, California (Ticker) - Marco Scutaro made sure that the Kansas City Royals did not sweep the Oakland Athletics in the series finale.

Scutaro led a 13-hit attack going 4-for-4 with a home run to lead the Athletics to a 6-1 victory over the Royals on Sunday afternoon.

"Today was one of those days where I got good pitches to hit and I found some holes and sometimes you hit and sometimes you don't and that's the way it is," Scutaro said.

Last week, Scutaro had been informed by manager Bob Geren that his playing time would be limited despite injuries to shortstop Bobby Crosby and third baseman Eric Chavez.

The team is seemingly out of contention and the A's want to see how well Donnie Murphy can play at shortstop and recently acquired rookie Jack Hannahan at third base. Scutaro, who is a fan favorite, is arbitration-eligible next season and could command $2 million or more in salary.

"I kind of know my role," Scutaro said. "They've got their plans and my role is kind of a utility guy. I play once in awhile and those kind of things I have no control of. I just try to do my best every time they put me in the lineup."

Lenny DiNardo (8-6), who has won his last five decisions, pitched a career-high eight innings, giving up only five hits and one run for the win.

"Hopefully I'll have a few more of those," DiNardo said. "I felt good, felt like I was keeping the ball down and let the defense take care of it and that's the game plan for me.

"I'm not a strikeout pitcher by any means so let the ball cut, get in on the righties and away from the lefties and put the ball on the ground. The defense was great behind me today, they gave 100 percent and that was outstanding to watch."

First baseman Dan Johnson hit a solo home run to snap an 0-for-9 streak in the sixth inning.

"All you can do is go out there and swing and whatever happens, happens, and I finally got one where they couldn't catch it," Johnson said.

The Royals had won the first two games of the series and a win on Sunday would have extended the team's winning streak to four games on the road and could have given them the first three-game sweep of the Athletics in Oakland since 1988.

"It happens. We've been on a lot of bad-luck tears," Johnson said. "Games we felt we were going to win we let slip away and it's just the way the season's gone. We're still battling. Every day we go out there and go for the win."

Royals pitcher Kyle Davies (1-2), making his fourth start for Kansas City since being acquired from the Atlanta Braves in exchange for Octavio Dotel on July 31, pitched five innings, allowing six hits and two runs in taking the loss.

"Not good, we lost," Davies said. "I only gave us five innings but I felt really good out of the bullpen and I tried to carry that into the game. Too much amped up I guess. I couldn't get the ball down, couldn't locate my fastball where I wanted to."

"He made some pitches when he really had to but he kept it to two runs," Royals manager Buddy Bell said. "I thought we had a shot and then (the bullpen) gave up the additional four which didn't help, especially the way we were swinging the bats. We didn't have a very good approach against (DiNardo) either."

Left fielder Shannon Stewart got the game started off right for the A's by hitting a leadoff triple in the first inning. A sacrifice fly by Jeff DaVanon scored Stewart for the early lead.

The A's doubled their lead in the sixth against reliever John Bale. Johnson, who had not played in the last five games, hammered a fastball into the right field bleachers.

"It was a first pitch fastball that I just jumped on," Johnson said.

Scutaro hit an infield single and Hannahan followed with his second career RBI - a double just inside the right field line to plate Scutaro.

Rob Bowen singled to advance Hannahan to third and Stewart's sacrifice fly capped off a three-run frame.

Huston Street pitched the final three outs in a non-save situation.

The win completed a 4-2 homestand for the Athletics, who will face the Toronto Blue Jays and the Tampa Bay Devil Rays on a seven-game road trip beginning Monday night at Toronto's Rogers Centre.