Gordon returns to Royals' lineup

KANSAS CITY -- Alex Gordon was back in left field and leading off for the Royals on Saturday after missing just two games after banging into the fence and warning track.

"He's feels a lot better, he made some pretty good progress with that hip in BP yesterday," manager Ned Yost said before Saturday's game against Oakland. "He was driving the ball."

Gordon banged his head against a post in the bullpen fence as his backside hit the warning track as he tumbled backward in a vain attempt to catch a fly ball in the sixth inning of Wednesday night's game against Cleveland at Kauffman Stadium.

Tests determined that Gordon had not suffered a concussion as feared, but his hindquarters were badly bruised.

He was in the Royals' dugout in both games since and had his batting gloves on during a ninth-inning rally in Friday night's 6-3 loss to the A's.

"We had him ready to hit last night if it got to [Johnny] Giavotella with a chance to win it," Yost said. "I needed [Lorenzo] Cain or [Mike] Moustakas to get on to put us in that position but it didn't happen."