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Guillen helps Royals sweep Athletics

Jul 31, 2008 - 12:29 AM By Michael Duca PA SportsTicker Contributing Writer

OAKLAND, California (Ticker) - Jose Guillen drove in pair of runs - including the game winner sacrifice fly in the 10th inning - as the Kansas City Royals completed their first sweep of a series in Oakland since June 1988 with a 4-3 triumph over the Athletics on Wednesday.

Guillen, who again after the game denied that he was unhappy in Kansas City, gave the Royals a 3-2 advantage in the sixth inning when he smacked a 3-0 pitch to center field off A's starter Sean Gallagher. It was the first 3-0 pitch Guillen had challenged this season.

"There's nothing wrong between me and Trey," Guillen insisted of manager Trey Hillman. "Everything is cool. When other people say negative stuff, it's not right. We are always talking, always communicating. We don't always agree, but I do what he asks because he's my boss. I never said I wanted to be traded."

Hillman appeared tired of the whole subject when asked again about it.

"I said it yesterday, and again before the game," he said. "It was news to me, the report on ESPN Deportes. Jose felt terrible about it, and didn't know where it came from. We speak every day."

Esteban German led off the 10th inning with a pinch-hit walk against Huston Street (2-4) and advanced to third on Mike Aviles' second double of the game, one pitch after he failed to get down a sacrifice bunt.

"That was luck," Aviles said. "I was fortunate to get a pitch I could handle after not doing my job. I'm still a little (angry) - I'm supposed to get that bunt down."

Aviles was 7-for-13 with two doubles, a triple and a home run and four runs scored in the series.

"I guess I like hitting here - I just got a couple of good pitches to hit and I was fortunate to get the good part of the bat on it," he said. "I'm just finding the holes right now."

Guillen's sacrifice fly to center scored German for the go-ahead run.

"When I was out there," Street said, "I thought the 3-2 pitch (to German) was closer, but when I looked at it on video, it missed up and in. It is what it is. We'll take our day off and move on to Boston."

Street has been rumored to be available at the trade deadline.

Asked if that had been a distraction, he said, "Maybe in the beginning it spiked my curiosity a little, but it's not a distraction - the game is my solace and place to get away from it. That's the one thing I'm sure of - I do know how to play baseball."

Oakland opened the scoring when Aviles could not track Bobby Crosby's popup at second base in the mid-day sun. It fell behind Aviles for a single, driving in Mark Ellis. Royals starter Brian Bannister, on his way to a career high-tying seven strikeouts, fanned Wes Bankston, but Ryan Sweeney singled home Jack Hannahan with the second run of the frame.

Bannister, who labored in his five innings of work, threw 111 pitches - 69 for strikes.

"I did what I had to do to keep the runs down," he said. "Whenever I play here, Bobby Crosby always has a major role in the game - he always seems to find a way to get a big hit off me."

The Royals answered back in the third inning when Miguel Olivo led off with a double. Aviles extended his current hit streak to five games when he just missed a home run to left, settling for a double. Mitch Maier's single to right tied the game at two apiece.

Kansas City took the lead in the sixth inning, chasing Gallagher in the process. Maier blooped a single over short, Alex Gordon worked a walk and Guillen followed with his RBI single.

Brad Ziegler relieved Gallagher with nobody out and runners on first and second in the sixth inning. Ziegler escaped the jam and added three innings to his major-league record scoreless streak at the start of his career, which now stands at 30, ending each inning with a double play.

Carlos Gonzalez singled with two out in the sixth off Royals' reliever Horacio Ramirez, then tried to score on Jack Cust's liner off the right field wall, but was thrown out on a fine leaping catch and relay by Aviles.

The Royals bullpen was unable not hold the lead in the seventh. Emil Brown had a lead-off single off Ramirez, who was then relieved by Leo Nunez. The right-hander walked Hannahan and allowed a game-tying single to Crosby .

Street, the A's closer pitched around a single and stolen base in the ninth before surrendering the winning run in the 10th. Ramon Ramirez (2-1) walked Crosby with two outs in the ninth, but retired Bankston to send the game to extra frames.

Oakland is now 2-10 since the All-Star break.

"Losing that last game to Anaheim was not the best way to go into the break," Street said. "We know we're capable of playing better than we are now."