OAKLAND, Calif.(AP) -- Oakland backup catcher Landon Powell had
another big day then prepared himself for a return to the
Athletics' bench.

Making a rare start in place of starter Kurt Suzuki, Powell
threw out a baserunner in the first inning then hit his first
career grand slam in the second to help Oakland beat the Kansas
City Royals 10-4 Wednesday.

The four RBIs were a career-high for the A's rookie, who has
driven in 27 runs over his first 36 games in the majors. Yet
when Oakland hosts Seattle in a four-game series beginning
Thursday, the 27-year-old Powell is almost certain to go back to
his customary spot on the bench.

"It's not frustrating, I understand it's early in my career,"
Powell said. "We've got a great starting catcher who works hard
and is one of the better players in the game. As a player you
always want to play more."

Suzuki leads the A's in RBIs and is second on the team with 11
home runs. He earned a day off from manager Bob Geren then
watched his understudy put a hurting on the reeling Royals.

It's something Oakland is getting accustomed to seeing from
Powell. He has thrown out seven of 15 baserunners trying to
steal and is batting .393 with runners in scoring position.

Powell's 27 RBIs are also the second-most in franchise history
by a player in his first 36 games. Ben Grieve drove in 30 in his
first 36 games, though it was spread out over two seasons.

"A backup catcher's job is very difficult," Oakland manager Bob
Geren said. "Weaknesses usually stand out and strengths are
usually not even as strong as they could be every day. He
deserves a lot of credit for what he's done in the role he's
done it."

Ryan Sweeney added two hits and drove in two runs, while Trevor
Cahill won back-to-back starts for the first time in more than
two months.

Powell homered off Royals reliever Yasuhiko Yabuta as part of
Oakland's five-run second inning after Kansas City starter Brian
Bannister left the game with shoulder fatigue.

Mike Jacobs homered for the Royals, who lost two of three
against Oakland without manager Trey Hillman. Hillman, who left
on Monday to be with his family following the death of his
father-in-law, is expected to rejoin the team Friday in Kansas
City.

"It was one of those series that we were fortunate to get away
with one win," interim manager John Gibbons said. "They make you
throw strikes that's the way they've always been here. If you
don't do that you are under the gun the whole game."

Cahill (8-12) gave up three runs and six hits in five innings.
The A's right-hander had not won consecutive starts since
mid-June and is only 3-7 in his last 13 starts.

He ran into trouble only once, in the third when Jacobs homered
and David DeJesus and Alberto Callaspo added RBIs. Following
Jacobs' solo home run, Cahill retired seven of the next nine to
end his afternoon.

Brad Kilby gave up one hit in two innings during his major
league debut while Jerry Blevins and former Oakland starter Dana
Eveland pitched the final two innings to complete the
nine-hitter for Oakland.

Bannister, who lives 30 minutes east of the Coliseum during the
offseason, gave up three runs in the first inning then left
after getting Cliff Pennington to pop out to second base leading
off the second. Gibbons and assistant trainer Frank Kyte met
with Bannister on the mound briefly before Gibbons signaled to
the bullpen for Yabuta, ending the day for Bannister (7-12)
after only 32 pitches.

"I went out there and didn't have much at all today," Bannister
said. "I've been battling this for a month now and it's extreme
fatigue and just soreness in the back and my shoulder. It's not
sharp pain so I don't think it's anything serious."

After Bannister left, the A's batted around against Yabuta to
break the game open. Rajai Davis' sacrifice fly drove in Eric
Patterson, then Powell followed with his first career grand slam
three batters later to make it 8-0.

Kansas City came back with three runs off Cahill in the third
but Oakland scored twice in the bottom of the inning, one when
Davis was hit by a pitch and the other on a double-play
groundout by Jack Cust.

Sweeney had a two-run single in the first then singled and
scored in the second.

The Royals, losers of 10 of 14, were in danger of being held to
three runs or less for the 20th time since the All-Star break
until scoring a run off Eveland in the ninth.

NOTES: Before the game Oakland reinstated INF Bobby Crosby from
the 15-day disabled list. ... The A's claimed RHP John Meloan
off waivers from the Pittsburgh Pirates and optioned him to
Triple-A Sacramento. ... Royals DH Jose Guillen went 0-for-2 in
his first start since coming off the DL but left the game after
five innings due to soreness in his right hamstring.