(Sports Network) - The Oakland Athletics and Kansas City Royals conclude a four-game series that has seen its share of late-inning heroics this afternoon at McAfee Coliseum.

All three contests have been decided by one run, with the Royals winning twice with ninth-inning rallies and sending another into extra innings after a comeback in their final at-bat.

John Buck broke a scoreless deadlock with a two-run homer in the top of the ninth in Kansas City's 2-1 triumph on Monday and the Royals scored three times in the final frame on Tuesday before eventually falling 5-4 to the A's in 11 innings.

Oakland's bullpen, which is missing closer Huston Street, failed to hold the lead again last night. Kansas City scored twice against Kiko Calero in the ninth to pull out a 4-3 decision, with Ryan Shealy knocking in the go-ahead run with a single.

Esteban German drew a one-out walk off Calero (0-3) and came around on Buck's double to right center to tie the contest. Paul Phillips pinch ran for Buck and was driven in immediately courtesy of Shealy's base hit to center.

David Riske then retired the A's in order in the ninth to pick up his third save of the season.

Both starting pitchers were strong despite neither factoring in the decision.

Kansas City's Odalis Perez had a no-hitter after five innings before Jason Kendall doubled to lead off the bottom of the sixth. That was the only hit the left-hander allowed in six shutout frames.

Oakland's Joe Blanton yielded just two runs on five hits through eight innings and left the contest with a 3-2 lead.

Kendall had a pair of RBI and Jack Cust homered for Oakland.

With Street on the disabled list and Justin Duchscherer battling a sore hip, the Athletics hope to get a quality outing out of rookie Dallas Braden in today's finale. The 23-year-old didn't deliver one when he was recalled from the minors last Saturday, as Braden surrendered four runs (three earned) on six hits over just four innings in a no decision against Cleveland.

Braden also made two starts for Oakland in April. He defeated Baltimore with six innings of one-run ball in his major-league debut on April 24, then suffered a loss at Tampa Bay five days later after giving up five runs in 4 1/3 innings.

Kansas City's Scott Elarton makes his second start off the disabled list this afternoon. The oft-injured right-hander was solid in his first big-league appearance since last July on Saturday, holding the White Sox to three runs -- two earned -- on six hits over five innings in a no decision at U.S. Cellular Field.

Elarton missed virtually the entire second half of last season after undergoing shoulder surgery.

The 31-year-old is 1-1 with a 5.60 earned run average in five career starts against Oakland. He suffered a loss at McAfee Coliseum on May 31 of last season after allowing five runs in a 6 2/3-inning stint.

The Royals have now won six of their last eight games as the visitor in the series, although Oakland is 19-11 overall against Kansas City since the start of the 2004 campaign. The clubs have split six meetings this season.