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Royals-Orioles Preview

May 17, 2010 - 12:09 AM By MATT BECKER STATS Senior Writer

Kansas City (13-24) at Baltimore (12-25), 7:05 p.m. EDT

For several years now, the Kansas City Royals and Baltimore Orioles have finished at or near the bottom of their respective divisions.

Thus far in 2010, that doesn't appear likely to change.

The owners of the two worst records in the AL open a two-game series Monday night when the Royals visit the Orioles.

Baltimore finished a league-worst record 64-98 last season. Kansas City wasn't much better, finishing 65-97 to tie Cleveland for last in the AL Central. The Royals (14-24) have finished in the Central cellar five times in the last six years, while the Orioles have two last-place finishes and three fourth-place finishes in the East over the last five seasons.

Kansas City is currently bringing up the rear in the Central, while Baltimore (12-26) owns the majors' worst record.

The Royals arrive in Baltimore after beating Chicago 5-3 on Sunday to take two of three from the White Sox in manager Ned Yost's first series with the team. It also marked the first series Kansas City won since it took two of three in Detroit from April 12-14.

"It's still very, very early in the season," said Royals designated hitter Jose Guillen, who drove in three runs Sunday. "I know there are a lot of people panicking, but hopefully our new boss we have here can put this team together and play as a team and do the little stuff we need to do to win as a team."

More production from Guillen could be key.

The Royals are 10-4 when Guillen has an RBI, and 4-20 in all other games. He is batting .375 with 15 RBIs in his last 14 games against the Orioles.

Baltimore, which split eight games with Kansas City last season, has dropped five of eight overall including Sunday's 5-1 home loss to Cleveland.

The Orioles, who have scored two runs or fewer in each of their last five losses, will try and fix their offensive woes against Kansas City's Kyle Davies (2-2, 5.22 ERA).

After being tagged for a season-high nine runs in four innings of Kansas City's 13-12 loss to Texas on May 6, Davies gave up two runs in five innings of Wednesday's 4-0 loss to Cleveland before a 70-minute rain delay cut his outing short.

Davies gave up three runs and six hits in seven innings of a 3-2 loss to the Orioles on May 16, 2009.

Baltimore counters with Brad Bergesen (3-2, 5.76), who looks to continue his impressive turnaround.

Bergesen was optioned to Triple-A Norfolk after going 0-2 with a 12.19 ERA. He's looked like a completely different pitcher since being recalled May 1, posting a 2.33 ERA while winning his last three starts. Against Seattle on Wednesday, the right-hander allowed one run and five hits in a season-high 7 2-3 innings of a 5-2 victory.

"My mechanics were off a little bit," Bergesen said of his early-season struggles. "Sometime when I was coming back from the (offseason) arm injury I picked up a bad habit somewhere. I'm not sure what it was, but that break helped me out a lot."

Bergesen was sharp in his only career start against the Royals, yielding one run and seven hits in seven innings of a 7-3 win July 30.