A's Geovany Soto out for thumb injury

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- The Oakland Athletics went to their bench in just the third inning when Geovany Soto left Tuesday's American League wild-card game with a left thumb injury.

A's manager Bob Melvin said before the game that Soto got the call to start because he was more adept at handling the Kansas City Royals' running game, but Derek Norris was pressed into service at catcher in the bottom of the third inning.

Soto injured his thumb when he tagged out Eric Hosmer on a play at the plate in the first inning. There was no information on the specifics of the injury.

With Soto behind the plate in the first two innings, the Royals scored one run off A's starter Jon Lester. In Norris' first inning of work, the Royals scored twice off Lester to take a 3-2 lead into the fourth inning.