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Orioles, Royals begin series in KC

May 3, 2011 - 2:48 PM (Sports Network) - The Kansas City Royals take aim at their fifth straight home win this evening when they open a three-game set with the Baltimore Orioles at Kauffman Stadium.

Kansas City enters tonight's opener on the heels of sweeping the Minnesota Twins. The Royals capped the whitewash with an offensive onslaught on Sunday, as Mike Aviles had four RBI, including a three-run homer, and Kansas City banged out 15 hits in the 10-3 victory.

The sweep over the Twins followed a winless six-game road trip for the Royals, who sit in second place in the American League Central, 4 1/2 games back of the also surprising Cleveland Indians.

"Obviously, we're playing very well at home," first baseman Billy Butler said. "It's good to see, it's good for the fans. We had a rough road trip and we had to break out of it, and we're doing well now."

Getting the call for the Royals tonight will be left-hander Jeff Francis, who has lost his last three starts and has failed to get out of the fourth inning in his last two outings. Francis lasted just three innings on Wednesday in Cleveland, as the Indians pounded him for six runs (five earned) and 10 hits, dropping him to 0-3, while raising his ERA to 5.03.

"I left some balls up and they hit them," Francis said. "And the odd time I made a pitch, they hit that, too. So I don't think there are too many things I did very well."

Over his last two starts Francis has allowed 19 hits and 10 earned runs in only seven innings. Francis' recent struggles have helped the Royals post an AL-worst 5.29 ERA.

Francis is 0-2 with a 4.85 ERA in two starts against the Orioles. This, though, will be his first start against them since 2007.

Baltimore, meanwhile, was denied a sweep in the finale of its four-game set with the Chicago White Sox on Monday, as the O's dropped a 6-2 decision at U.S. Cellular Field.

Derrek Lee finished with a two-run shot among his three hits for the Orioles, who fell for only the second time in their last six tries.

Jeremy Guthrie (1-4) was tagged for five hits and four runs over seven frames in defeat.

Hoping to get the Orioles back into the win column tonight will be righty Brad Bergesen, who is 0-3 with a 4.76 ERA. Bergesen did not get a decision on Thursday against Boston, but pitched well, allowing two runs and six hits in six innings of his team's 6-2 loss.

Bergesen is 1-1 in three starts versus the Royals with a 2.61 ERA.

Kansas City won four of its six matchups with the O's last season, including three of the four meetings at Kauffman Stadium.