Orioles 3 - 2 Royals
Final
  for this game

Orioles hang on to defeat Royals

May 5, 2011 - 5:13 AM

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Kansas City, MO (Sports Network) - Nick Markakis homered while finishing with two hits and two RBI as the Baltimore Orioles held on to beat the Kansas City Royals, 3-2, to tie up a three-game set.

Mark Reynolds went 3-for-3 and Luke Scott registered two hits for the Orioles, who snapped a two-game losing streak.

Jake Arrieta (4-1) went seven innings deep for Baltimore, allowing just one run on three hits and struck out eight.

Jeff Francoeur had a solo homer for the Royals, who had a four-game winning streak snapped. Kyle Davies (1-4) suffered the loss in 6 1/3 innings, allowing three runs on seven hits and three walks.

The Royals made it a one-run game in the eighth. Mike Aviles hit a ground-rule double to put runners on second on third with one out.

The play could have been worse for Baltimore if it wasn't for the heads up play by Adam Jones, who saw Aviles' ball get wedged in the padding of the outfield fence. Instead of playing the ball, he called for a ground-rule double, which put the runners back on the bags.

"I've seen that before and I almost reached for it," Jones said of the wedged ball. "I saw it lodged under there. I pulled my hand back because it wasn't moving."

Melky Cabrera, though, brought home Alcides Escobar on a grounder for a 3-2 game, but Kansas City didn't score again.

"I've been here since 2008 and I've never once seen a ball get stuck in the fence either visitors or at home," Aviles said of his hit. "I was actually in awe it got stuck. I was planning on being on third base there with Escobar scoring. It's a whole different ballgame."

The Royals kept it interesting in the ninth putting Francoeur on second with two outs. However, Kevin Gregg got Kila Ka'aihue to fly out for his sixth save of the season.

Brian Roberts, who missed Tuesday's game after having a root canal, doubled to lead off the game and scored on Derrek Lee's sacrifice fly to break open the scoring for the Orioles. They tacked on another run in the second after Markakis' single into left brought home Reynolds.

Francoeur responded during the bottom of the same inning with a lead off homer over the left fence for a 2-1 game.

It was back to a two-run cushion in the seventh when Markakis lifted a shot that was carried by the wind over the right field fence.

Game Notes

Kansas City was 0-for-5 with runners in scoring position...Baltimore out hit Kansas City 10-5.






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