After Bannister threw a ball to Ryan Sweeney in the sixth, trainer Nick Swartz and manager Trey Hillman visited him on the mound. He was promptly removed. Lefty Horacio Ramirez came on in relief.

Bannister had restricted the Athletics to two hits, both by Adam Kennedy, in the first five innings. He has retired 14 of the first 16 batters he faced before permitting three straight hits and two runs.

Bannister's final line was 5 2/3 innings, two runs, five hits, one walk, three strikeouts and one sore shoulder. He suffered his first lost of the season and is 3-1 with a 1.80 ERA.

Bannister's shoulder, however, is now the big concern. With an off day Monday, he is not scheduled to start again until Tuesday against the Indians at Kauffman Stadium. That start, however, appears to be in jeopardy.

A'S 7, ROYALS 2: Jack Cust drove in four runs with a three-run double and a sacrifice fly, and the Royals went 0-5 on a trip to Anaheim and Oakland. In the five-run seventh inning, the A's were aided by three walks, a hit batter with the bases loaded, a Mark Teahen error, an infield single and Cust's double (the only hard-hit ball of the inning). Miguel Olivo drove in the first Kansas City run in the second. The Royals did not have another hit until Mike Jacobs' pinch home run with two out in the ninth.