News...A's Win an Exciting One

Before the game, manager Ken Macha held a brief team meeting to announce that hitting coach Thad Bosley had been summoned back to Oakland for a talk with general manager Billy Beane. The team announced Saturday night that Bosley had been released of his duties and replaced on an interim basis by former A's hitting coach Dave Hudgens, who has been working in player development for the team.

"We're adult enough to go out there and focus on the game," said starter Ted Lilly.

Ted Lilly took a no-hitter into the fourth inning, then yielded five successive one-out singles. The Royals' four-run rally also included the A's botching a sure out when first baseman Scott Hatteberg didn't get the ball in time to Lilly covering first on an infield grounder, and Mendy Lopez stealing home with two out when Lilly made a pickoff throw to first.

"They were out there hustling," Manager Ken Macha said, referring to the Royals, "and we were a step behind."

The A's offense wasn't much better. Royals starter Darrell May allowed two hits through five innings and took a 4-0 lead into the sixth.

But the A's day started to turn around when Frank Menechino, who hadn't homered since April of last season, led off the sixth with a blast over the left-field fence. Three batters later, Tejada homered to right to tie the score.

Kansas City scored an unearned run off Lilly in the sixth inning and turned a 5-4 lead over to hard-throwing closer Mike MacDougal in the ninth before the A's rallied.

A's closer Keith Foulke yielded a run in the ninth, and the Royals had runners on first and third with two out, but Tejada made a brilliant diving catch to his right on Ken Harvey's line drive to end the game.

"It wasn't pretty," Macha said. "But that might have been the most exciting game of the season."