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Royals, A's continue series at Coliseum

Apr 10, 2012 - 2:41 PM (Sports Network) - Graham Godfrey will try to match Tom Milone's dominant effort from the opener this evening when the Oakland Athletics continue a three-game series with the Kansas City Royals at the Coliseum.

Milone scattered just three hits over eight scoreless innings and Josh Donaldson knocked in the only run of the game in Oakland's 1-0 win. Kurt Suzuki went 3-for-3 in the win for the Athletics, who were coming off a pair of losses to Seattle on Friday and Saturday.

"If it's the first game of the season and I end up going eight, that's obviously a good sign," said Milone, who was acquired over the winter in the deal that sent Gio Gonzalez to Washington. "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."

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.

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

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.

Tonight it will be the righty Godfrey, who got his first taste of major league action last season, but was just 1-2 with a 3.96 ERA in five games (four starts).

"He's a competitor," Oakland manager Bob Melvin said. "I've said, too, his stuff doesn't blow you away looking at it. I say it as a compliment to him, in that he competes very hard and expects to do well and believes in himself, and that will take him far."

Tonight's outing, though, will be his first against the Royals.

Kansas City, meanwhile, will counter with left-hander Danny Duffy, who made 20 starts last season and went 4-8 with a 5.64 ERA. Two of those wins, including his first in the big leagues. came against the A's, as the California native pitched to a 3.65 ERA in those two outings.

"It's cool to pitch there, I've pitched well there and it's going to be nice to pitch in front of my family again," Duffy said. "I can't wait -- Game 2, Tuesday."

Oakland was 5-4 versus the Royals last season.