A’s fall again as Witt homer gives Royals 5th straight win

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — August 20, 2026 — 4:36 pm Bobby Witt Jr. hit a home run and scored three runs as the Kansas City Royals defeated the Oakland Athletics 6‑2 on Thursday, securing their fifth straight victory. The Royals person won 5 consecutive games and earned their 4th bid expanse of the season, but this was the archetypal of 4 games. The Athletics person mislaid 17 of their past 21. The Athletics program to determination to Las Vegas successful 2028, erstwhile they are scheduled to unfastened play astatine a caller ballpark connected the Strip. Connor Thomas (1‑1) pitched 1 2/3 innings of scoreless relief for his first major league win. Gage Jump (5‑8) allowed five runs on eight hits in four innings to take the loss. Royals starter Randy Dobnak worked four scoreless innings, permitting ten baserunners on six hits and four walks. The Royals took a 1‑0 lead in the bottom of the first when Witt connected for his 16th home run of the season. Maikel Garcia followed with a double but pulled up clutching his left hamstring after rounding third on a grounder by Salvador Perez that eluded shortstop Darell Hernaiz for an error. Garcia left the game with a left hamstring injury; he had just returned Monday after being on the injured list since June 23 with a left hand muscle strain. Kansas City added two runs in the third inning on a two‑out, bases‑loaded single by Isaac Collins. The Royals then tacked on two more runs in the fifth inning via a triple by Nick Loftin and a single by Perez. Oakland answered with a pair of runs in the fifth. They loaded the bases on three consecutive walks before Brian Serven’s single and Donovan Walton’s groundout drove in the runs. The Royals replied with one run in the fifth on a triple by Michael Massey. Looking ahead, the Athletics will visit the Astros in Houston on Friday. Right‑hander J.T. Ginn (8‑7, 3.53 ERA) is slated to start for Oakland, while Houston has yet to announce its starter.