Kansas City, Mo. ? Captain Mike Sweeney provided the Kansas City Royals with a much needed lift.

Sweeney hit a tiebreaking solo homer in the eighth inning and Royals beat the Oakland Athletics, 3-2, Wednesday night.

“It was a fastball he left in the middle and I was able to capitalize,” Sweeney said. “Something finally clicked on that third at-bat (a single), and I carried it into the eighth against (Justin) Duchscherer. Everyone knows that our team needed that lift. It was a thrill to be able to provide that lift to our team. The main thing is we won.”

The Royals had lost four straight and 11 of their last 15 games.

“If we’re down 8-2 and I hit that home run, it doesn’t mean a thing. It’s about this team and winning. Gil Meche pitched great. Mark Teahen provided some great defense in right field. I just happened to be the guy who provided the last run. It’s huge. We’ve got to get back on the winning track.”

Sweeney hit a 1-0 pitch from Duchscherer (3-2) out to left for his 194th career homer, moving him past Amos Otis and into second place on the Royals’ list. Only Hall of Famer George Brett has more with 317.

“George Brett is Mr. Royal, and he’ll always be Mr. Royal,” Sweeney said. “I’m still a long ways from him. I don’t foresee me trying to go after George’s record. He’s going to be Mr. Kansas City forever, but it is an honor to be at the top of that list with George.”

Jimmy Gobble (1-1) pitched the eighth, and rookie Joakim Soria worked the ninth for his sixth save in seven opportunities.

Oakland’s Dan Haren and Kansas City’s Meche entered ranked first and third in the AL in earned-run average, and lived up to their early-season results.

Haren gave up two earned runs and six hits in six innings. He struck out seven and walked one. His ERA inched from 1.75 to 1.89, still the best in the league.

“I really didn’t have much, but I battled,” Haren said “I worked out of first and second no-out jams in the fifth and sixth. I was fortunate. That’s a tough way to lose.”

Meche limited the A’s to two runs, one earned, and three hits in six innings to lower his ERA from 2.23 to 2.15. He walked four and struck out seven, both season highs.

Meche, who signed a $55 million, five-year contract in December, has pitched at least six innings in each of his eight starts and leads the AL with 541â3 innings.