KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Oakland starter Jharel Cotton kept getting interrupted during his warmups Monday, first by Melissa Ethridge rocking out the National Anthem, then by a flyover from a B2 bomber, and finally by an emotional tribute to the late Royals pitcher Yordano Ventura.

It was the only time Cotton ever looked out of sync.

The young pitcher breezed through seven innings, allowing a pair of singles and three walks, and got just enough offense from Khris Davis’ two-run homer to help the Athletics spoil Kansas City’s home opener with a 2-0 victory at sun-splashed Kauffman Stadium.

“He was outstanding. He seemed so calm and poised,” said Cotton’s catcher, Stephen Vogt. “For him to keep his focus and be ready to go — we had a really good game plan and he executed it beautifully.”

Cotton (1-1) turned the game over to Santiago Casilla, who struck out the side in the eighth. Sean Doolittle then put runners on the corners with two outs in the ninth, but he bounced back to strike out his former teammate and good friend Brandon Moss for his first save of the season.

It was the seventh straight win for the A’s over Kansas City.

Asked about Cotton, Royals manager Ned Yost said simply: “He was dynamite.”

Davis provided all the offense Oakland needed when he followed a leadoff single by Ryon Healy with his fourth homer of the year. The shot to right field on a 3-0 pitch from Ian Kennedy (0-2) barely scraped over the wall, but it gave Cotton the only help he needed against a punchless Kansas City lineup.

“I was falling behind on him, trying to get him to chase a little bit. Then I tried to get a fastball by him,” Kennedy said. “The wind was blowing out so hard and ball hit that high, it just took off.”

The home opener had a somber feeling even before the Royals’ bats went quiet, starting with a tear-filled tribute to Ventura. The young pitcher, an instrumental part of back-to-back World Series trips, was killed in an offseason car crash in the Dominican Republic.

Kennedy pitched well on the mound where Ventura once dazzled, allowing only two hits and two walks over six innings. But the mistake he threw to Davis proved to be decisive.

Cotton, who was battered by the Angels in his season debut, effortlessly sliced through the Kansas City order. He got a double play to end the second, struck out the side in the fifth, then induced a pair of fly outs in the sixth after an error on a double-play ball gave the Royals life.

Cotton proceeded to breeze through the seventh before handing the game to his bullpen.

“We’ve seen him pitch really good games, but the pressure of that game, full house, sometimes the nerves can get to you,” Oakland manager Bob Melvin said, “but he was on it right from the start.”

REMEMBERING YORDANO

The Royals left Ventura’s locker empty except for a framed jersey, and memorials to him were just about everywhere inside Kauffman Stadium. His mother, Marisol Hernandez, threw out the ceremonial first pitch after a saxophonist standing on the mound played a rendition of “Amazing Grace.”

STATS AND STREAKS

The Royals were shut out in their home opener for the second time, losing to the Twins 2-0 in 1971. They had won their last four home openers. … The A’s seven-game win streak against Kansas City matches the longest in franchise history. … Royals RHP Peter Moylan pitched two perfect innings, extending his scoreless streak to seven. … Doolittle’s save was his first since June 23, 2016.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Oakland RHP Sonny Gray (right lat injury) threw a bullpen session Monday and will throw to hitters Thursday, manager Bob Melvin said. Gray hopes to be ready by the end of the month. … RHP Chris Bassitt (elbow surgery) reported no problems after throwing to hitters on Sunday at Class A Stockton, but Melvin said he’s not sure what the next step will be in Bassitt’s rehab.

UP NEXT

Oakland: RHP Andrew Triggs tries to build on a strong season debut when the series resumes after a day off. Triggs allowed one run on four hits in 5 2/3 innings in a 5-1 win over the Angeles.

Kansas City: RHP Jason Hammel allowed three runs on six hits in five innings against Minnesota in his first start for the Royals last week. He gets the start at the K on Wednesday night.

— Associated Press —

HOUSTON (AP) — The Houston Astros blared Michael Jackson hits and were feeling celebratory vibes on Sunday after snapping a skid with another extra innings win.

Jake Marisnick hit a tying home run off Kelvin Herrera in the ninth inning and Evan Gattis drew a bases-loaded walk from Matt Strahm in the 12th, helping the Astros beat the Kansas City Royals 5-4 Sunday and stop a three-game losing streak.

It was Houston’s second walk-off win in five days following a 13th-inning three-run homer from George Springer in a 5-3 victory over Seattle on Wednesday.

“I love this team and I love our character, our grind,” Astros manager A.J. Hinch said. “We don’t work at all cylinders all the time, and I think we showed that this week and still came out with a winning homestand. Whatever words — grit and grind and character — the guys are into it.”

Brian McCann walked on 10 pitches, and Gattis took a high-and-inside, full-count pitch for ball four. Gattis said he had never ended a game with a walk before, but he credited Marisnick’s homer as the bigger swing in momentum for the team.

“The Marisnick home run was huge,” Gattis said. “It really breathed life back into us and it was good to get a win.”

Marisnick’s homer sneaked into the first row of the left field Crawford Boxes near the foul pole. He said he wasn’t sure it had enough to top the yellow line when he hit it.

“I honestly couldn’t see it,” Marisnick said. “I hit it right into the lights and I didn’t know where it went. I knew I hit it good with a little topspin. Luckily, I got enough of it.”

Springer hit his 12th leadoff homer in the first and third in seven games this season.

Brandon Moss homered against Chris Devenski (1-0) in the ninth to give the Royals a 4-3 lead.

Springer reached on an infield single leading off the 12th against Strahm (0-2), Alex Bregman sacrificed, Jose Altuve was intentionally walked and Carlos Correa hit into a forceout that advanced Springer to third.

Devenski struck out seven in four innings, allowing one run and three hits. Devenski became the second reliever in MLB history to start a season with consecutive outings of four or more innings with seven or more strikeouts, joining Liam Hendriks (2013).

“I’m going to run out of ways to describe Chris Devenski’s performances when he comes in like this,” Hinch said. “His pitch repertoire is perfect for these types of situations. He’s not going to go four innings and 60 pitches every outing, but he’s as valuable as any play that happened in the game today. Chris Devenski is exceptional.”

The Astros, who started 3-0 for the first time since 2001, moved back over .500 at 4-3.

Nathan Karns, making his first start and second appearance for the Royals, gave up one run and six hits in 5 2/3 innings. Karns was acquired in an offseason trade from Seattle for outfielder Jarrod Dyson.

“I thought he did a great job,” Royals manager Ned Yost said. “First two innings were a little erratic, gritty, but he settled down in the third and pitched great from that point on.”

Astros starter Lance McCullers struck out 10 in seven innings, allowing three runs and six hits.

Salvador Perez tied it in the second when he became Kansas City’s first player to homer in four straight games since Billy Butler in 2011. The franchise record of five was set by Mike Sweeney in 2002.

Paulo Orlando avoided McCann’s tag to score on Raul Mondesi’s bunt in the fifth, and Mike Moustakas homered in the sixth for a 3-1 lead. Marwin Gonzalez’s two-run homer off Travis Wood tied the score 3-3 in the seventh.

SAVED BY THE NET

The Astros expanded the netting behind home plate this offseason to extend over the dugouts and improve fan safety. In the 12th inning, McCann swung and lost the handle of his bat, which flew right into the netting above the first base dugout.

UP NEXT

Royals: RHP Ian Kennedy (0-1) is to start Kansas City’s home opener against Oakland on Monday. Kennedy lost at Minnesota last week, allowing three runs, three hits and five walks in five innings.

Astros: RHP Charlie Morton (0-0) starts at Seattle after getting a no-decision at home against the Mariners, when he gave up two runs and five hits in six innings.

— Associated Press —