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Royals-Orioles Preview

Jul 30, 2009 - 5:37 AM By ANTHONY GIORNALISTA STATS Senior Writer

Kansas City (40-59) at Baltimore (42-57), 12:35 p.m. EDT

Baltimore earned a victory in promising pitcher Chris Tillman's major league debut. Still, the youngster has a long way to go before he can earn the same faith the Orioles have in Brad Bergesen.

Coming off just their second win in 10 days, the Orioles send Bergesen to the mound in the finale of a four-game series with the Kansas City Royals on Thursday.

Baltimore (43-57) had lost seven of eight before a 7-3 win over Kansas City (40-60) on Wednesday night.

The Orioles are in last place in the AL East, but they've gotten a strong season from 23-year-old center fielder Adam Jones, have been able to give much-heralded prospect Matt Wieters time to develop in the majors and have gotten a look at plenty of young pitchers.

Tillman was latest player to make his major league debut for Baltimore, leaving to a standing ovation despite allowing three runs and seven hits in 4 2-3 innings versus the Royals. The Orioles have high hopes for Tillman, the fifth starter to make his debut with the team this year and the only one who didn't earn a win.

Bergesen (6-5, 3.56 ERA) has been the most impressive of Baltimore's young pitchers. The right-hander has given up three earned runs or fewer in six straight starts.

"I think he's a keeper," Orioles manager Dave Trembley said. "I think he's a major league pitcher."

Bergesen, though, has lost his last two outings. He allowed three runs and nine hits in six innings of Baltimore's 3-1 loss at Boston on Friday night.

Bergesen returns to Camden Yards, where he is 6-1 with a 2.82 ERA in 10 starts. This will be his first appearance against the Royals.

Kansas City will counter with Luke Hochevar (6-3, 4.84), who is 1-0 with a 2.70 ERA in his last two outings.

The right-hander struck out a career-high 13 in seven innings to earn a win in Kansas City's 6-3 victory over Texas on Saturday night. He yielded three runs, two earned, and five hits en route to compiling the second-most strikeouts in team history.

Hochevar fell one short of Mark Gubicza's team strikeout record and became the first Royals pitcher to have 13 strikeouts with no walks. Gubicza set the club mark Aug. 27, 1988, against Minnesota.

Hochevar has struck out only eight Orioles in 16 1-3 innings, going 0-2 with a 6.61 ERA in three career starts against them. He'll face a Baltimore lineup that is coming off a strong effort, going 4 for 11 with runners in scoring position.

Jones homered and drove in three runs and Nick Markakis also had three RBIs.

Jones has homered in each of this series' first three games, driving in seven runs over that stretch. He has 11 RBIs in his last six games against Kansas City.

The Royals' only bright spots at the plate were homers from Alberto Callaspo, Miguel Olivo and Mike Jacobs. Kansas City went into Wednesday's game winners of three of four following a season-high 10-game losing streak.

"We have found a way to lose a lot this month no matter how it is. Just been a real bad month for everyone," said Royals starter Zach Greinke, referring to the Royals' 7-17 record in July.

Kansas City lost despite a solid performance from Greinke, who gave up two runs in six innings. The Royals have a 5.76 ERA over their last 14 games.