For the second straight start, Jeremy Guthrie pitched shutout baseball for the KC Royals and for the second straight start, he picked up a win. The Royals returned home to defeat the playoff-contending Oakland A’s, 5-0.

The story of the game has to be Guthrie’s pitching performance. He allowed three hits and two walks over seven innings while striking out eight.

He gave up his first hit to leadoff the 3rd inning. With one out, Coco Crisp singled to right field. For some reason Josh Donaldson tried to go to third base and was thrown out by Jeff Francoeur.

That was the first and only threat of the game for the A’s.

Guthrie struck out two of the final three batters he faced.

It didn’t get any easier once Guthrie exited the game. Lefty Tim Collins struck out the side on 11 pitches (ten strikes) in the 8th inning. Greg Holland followed with a perfect ninth.

Five different Royals drove in a run in their five-run 5th inning. They picked up three hits, two sac flies, and the A’s made a fielding error.

The Royals only had one baserunner after the 5th inning.

Alcides Escobar collected two hits in the win, including their first hit in the 4th inning (but was erased on a double play).

*The Royals officially cut ties with infielder Yuniesky Betancourt,  as they gave him his unconditional release.