Athletics 5, Royals 4: Kansas City reliever Jonathan Broxton hit two batters on consecutive pitches in the bottom of the 12th inning, lifting Oakland past Kansas City in a back-and-forth affair.

An error by Kansas City shortstop Alcides Escobar put Seth Smith on board with one out against Broxton (0-1), who then walked Jemile Weeks and Eric Sogard to load the bases. After Smith scored on a Coco Crisp groundout, Broxton plunked Yoenis Cespedes with first base open to fill the bags again. He then hit Jonny Gomes on the very next pitch to force Weeks in for the decisive run.

Andrew Carignan (1-0) got the win despite yielding an RBI double to Billy Butler in the top of the frame. Eric Hosmer reached on a two-out single against Jordan Norberto and came in to score when Butler stroked a 2-0 pitch to left field.

Alex Gordon tied the game twice for the Royals, once with an RBI single in the third inning and again with a one-out solo homer off Brian Fuentes in the seventh.

Gomes gave Oakland a 3-2 lead with a two-run homer off Kansas City starter Bruce Chen in the bottom of the fourth inning shortly after Butler’s solo shot in the top of the frame had put Kansas City in front.

Starting pitcher Brandon McCarthy lasted six innings for Oakland, yielding two runs on six hits while striking out four and walking two. Kansas City starter Bruce Chen gave up three runs, two of them earned, in five innings. He struck out three while walking two and allowing four hits.

GAME NOTEBOOK: Oakland RF Josh Reddick left the game after being hit in the shoulder by a pitch in the eighth inning. He was replaced by Crisp, who took over in left field with Collin Cowgill moving to right ... The Athletics also lost SS Cliff Pennington to a left leg injury in the seventh inning.