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Royals-Orioles Preview

May 18, 2010 - 3:40 AM By JON PALMIERI STATS Editor

Kansas City (14-24) at Baltimore (12-26), 7:05 p.m. EDT

The Kansas City Royals are still looking for their first three-game win streak.

Throwing ace Zack Greinke against the light-hitting Baltimore Orioles would appear to give them an excellent chance at accomplishing that.

Greinke looks to build on his first win and help the Royals complete a two-game sweep of the lowly Orioles on Tuesday night at Camden Yards.

Although it wasn't his most effective start, Greinke (1-4, 2.73 ERA) finally received some run support on his way to a 6-4 victory against Cleveland on Friday. He allowed three runs and eight hits over six innings.

Greinke has gotten the seventh-lowest run support in the AL (3.25) and the bullpen has blown leads in three of his starts. The right-hander, though, has also surrendered three runs or more in half of his eight outings.

Greinke is 1-2 with a 6.49 ERA in five starts against the Orioles but went 1-0 with a 2.08 ERA in two outings last season.

Kansas City (15-24) won for the third time in four games under new manager Ned Yost, holding on for a 4-3 victory Monday night. Joakim Soria worked out of a bases-loaded jam in the ninth, as the Orioles went 1 for 12 with runners in scoring position.

Billy Butler had his third straight multihit game and drove in two for the Royals, who ended a five-game road losing streak. A victory in this game would give Kansas City successive series wins for the first time this season.

"I feel like we're playing more fundamental baseball," Butler said. "Guys are getting timely hits and guys are pitching good. And when guys are pitching good, you have a chance to win ball games."

Baltimore (12-27) lost its third straight despite its starters posting a 2.89 ERA during that span. The major league-worst Orioles are 2-23 when scoring fewer than four runs and batting .120 with runners in scoring position during their 27 defeats.

"There's nothing for me to say other than the fact that we're getting the opportunities and we're not cashing them in," manager Dave Trembley said.

One of the few pitchers who's received less run support than Greinke will be on the mound for Baltimore as Kevin Millwood seeks his first win.

The right-hander has gotten a major league-low 2.18 runs per game but has given up a league-high 10 homers - three to Seattle on Thursday. Millwood (0-4, 3.69) was in line for another loss after allowing five runs and seven hits in 6 2-3 innings, but the Orioles rallied for a 6-5 victory.

Millwood has pitched at least six innings and allowed three earned runs or fewer in six of eight starts.

He is 6-4 with a 4.23 ERA in 13 starts against the Royals, throwing two complete games in the past three meetings.

Jose Guillen is 14 for 32 (.438) with a homer against Millwood.