• Preview
• Recap
• Bleachers

Royals-Orioles Preview

Jul 26, 2009 - 11:48 PM By JEFF MEZYDLO STATS Senior Writer

Kansas City (38-58) at Baltimore (41-55), 7:05 p.m. EDT

Rich Hill realizes his days in the Baltimore Orioles' rotation could be numbered.

Looking for his first win in over a month, Hill tries to help the Orioles to a second straight victory when they face the visiting Kansas City Royals on Monday night in the opener of a four-game series between last-place teams.

Hoping to revive his career in Baltimore after the Chicago Cubs gave up on him last season, Hill (3-3, 7.64 ERA) has little room for error with the Orioles (42-55).

Hill is 0-2 with a 10.64 ERA in his last five starts since winning at Philadelphia on June 19. He allowed five runs and three hits while walking four in three innings of a 6-4 loss to the New York Yankees on Tuesday.

"I would say he's had a tremendous opportunity here and has been extended every measure of patience by all of us," manager Dave Trembley told the Orioles' official Web site. "I have to look at the situation for what it is and see what we can do to make it better."

With several talented young pitchers already on the Orioles' roster and more in their farm system, Hill is aware of his need to improve.

"I think that times are maybe getting a little bit slim here," the left-hander said. "The writing is on the wall. It's not very difficult to see when you're going out there and not putting up good numbers."

Facing Kansas City (38-59) might give Hill a chance to get back on track. He gave up two runs and struck out six in 5 2-3 innings of a 3-2 win on May 16 in his only appearance versus the Royals.

The Orioles look to build off a 6-2 win at Boston on Sunday that snapped their five-game losing streak and concluded a 2-7 road trip.

Nick Markakis homered and had three RBIs for the Orioles, who begin a seven-game stretch at Camden Yards, where they are 26-21 this season. Baltimore has won 11 of its last 14 home games against Kansas City.

Markakis is batting .353 (18 for 51) with four homers and 10 RBIs in his last 12 games.

Leadoff hitter Brian Roberts, who's 4 for 8 in his last two games, went 5 for 14 (.357) when the Orioles split a four-game set at Kansas City from May 14-17.

The Orioles face veteran Bruce Chen (0-5, 6.58), who makes his first appearance against the club he went 15-18 for from 2004-06. The left-hander has not won since Oct. 2, 2005, the same season he won a career-high 13 games for Baltimore.

In his last start, Chen allowed three runs and seven hits in five innings of a 10-2 loss to the Los Angeles Angels on Tuesday.

Alberto Callaspo had one of his team's four hits, but also made a key error in Kansas City's 7-2 loss at Texas on Sunday.

The Royals, who snapped a season-high 10-game skid with a 6-3 win on Saturday, have lost 13 of 15. They've also lost three in a row on the road, where they are 15-27.

Callaspo is batting .406 (13 for 32) during an eight-game hitting streak, and is 7 for 15 with four RBIs against the Orioles this season.