• Preview
• Recap
• Bleachers

Markakis' home run lifts Orioles past Royals

Sep 25, 2007 - 3:09 AM BALTIMORE (Ticker) -- Nick Markakis' go-ahead home run in the eighth inning lifted the Baltimore Orioles to a 3-2 victory over the Kansas City Royals on Monday.

After Mark Grudzielanek had tied the game with a solo home run in the top of the eighth, Markakis - who had a career-high five RBI on Saturday - drove the 0-1 pitch from Gil Meche to straight-away center field for his 22nd home run of the season.

"He hit a great pitch," Meche said. "I was thinking curveball. I don't remember the last time I've seen a guy hit my curveball that hard. He was sitting on it and he got it."

"I was frustrated in my previous at-bats against him," Markakis said. "I had seen all his pitches and just wanted to get a good swing on it. It was a curveball way down."

Tike Redman had an RBI double and a run scored for the Orioles, who won for just the third time in the team's last 17 games at Camden Yards.

"It was a good way to get the last week of the season started," Orioles manager Dave Trembley said. "The guys showed a lot of hustle and enthusiasm early."

Baltimore starter Daniel Cabrera was in line for his first win since August 14, before Grudzielanek launched his first career pinch-hit home run off Orioles reliever Jamie Walker.

"The team won," Cabrera said. "That is what matter's most."

Walker (3-2) completed the eighth inning for the win and Chad Bradford worked the ninth for his second save.

Cabrera pitched seven strong innings, allowing just one run and six hits with three walks and five strikeouts.

"He mixed his pitches a lot better and made good pitches when he had to," Trembley said. "He threw more breaking balls and changeups than he had in in last six or seven starts."

Meche (9-13) was almost nearly as effective, pitching an eight-inning complete game and giving up three runs and seven hits with five strikeouts.

Redman put the Orioles on the board in the bottom of the fifth inning when he lined a two-out double to right field, scoring Ramon Hernandez. Two batters later, Melvin Mora singled to center to score Redman and push the Orioles advantage to 2-0.

The Royals answered with a run of their own in the top of the sixth. Mark Teahen hit an RBI double to left-center to score Esteban German and cut the Orioles lead to 2-1.