Final/12
Orioles try to keep flying high in finale vs. KC
May 26, 2011 - 2:51 PMVideo
The Orioles picked up their fourth straight victory on Wednesday with a 9-2 triumph that was fueled by an eight-run fourth inning. Adam Jones, who hit a game-winning homer in the ninth inning of Tuesday's opener, highlighted the big frame with a two-run single. Jones also started the frame with a double and scored the inning's first run on Vladimir Guerrero's ground out.
Guerrero finished 1-for-4 in the game and his batting .409 (18-for-44) over a 10-game hitting streak with a homer and seven RBI.
"That was a lot of good at-bats all through the order in that inning," Orioles manager Buck Showalter said. "They didn't have emotional at-bats. I knew [Royals starter Luke Hochevar] was struggling a bit with his command. Hopefully that bodes well when we get all our bullets."
Mark Reynolds tacked on an insurance homer in the eighth inning for the Orioles, who won four straight for the first time since starting the season 4-0. Their first three-game sweep of the Royals since May 28-30, 2007 can get them to the .500 mark for the first time since they were 13-13 back on May 1.
Hochevar lasted seven innings despite his struggles in the fourth and Melky Cabrera hit a two-run homer for the Royals, who have lost four straight and nine of their last 11 games. They also fell to just 5-13 on the road this season.
"It was just really bad execution there in the fourth," Hochevar said. "Everywhere I wanted to throw the baseball I didn't throw it there. I'm a lot better than that."
Having finally picked up his inaugural victory in a Royals uniform, Jeff Francis will try to beat the Orioles for the first time in his career and simultaneously claim his first road victory of 2010 this afternoon.
After dropping his first five decisions of the season, the first-year Kansas City hurler shut out the Cardinals over 7 2/3 innings of a 3-0 victory on Friday. Francis allowed six hits and two walks while striking out a season- high six batters and running his scoreless innings streak to 14 2/3 straight frames dating back to a loss at Detroit on May 14.
"I was pulling so hard for the kid to get his first win, I feel so much better and he feels so much better, too," Royals manager Ned Yost told his team's website.
The 30-year-old southpaw has a 4.23 earned run average over his 10 starts this season, going 0-3 with a 6.55 ERA in four road outings. Francis faced the Orioles at home on May 3 and did not factor into the decision of his team's 6-5 victory, yielding five runs and a season-high four walks in 5 2/3 innings. He is 0-2 with a 5.79 ERA in three career starts against Baltimore.
Baltimore's Jeremy Guthrie takes aim at a second straight victory today after snapping a string of six straight losing decisions on Saturday versus the Nationals.
Guthrie went into the start with an American League-worst 1.70 runs per game of support, but got plenty of help in an 8-3 win. The right-hander did his part as well, giving up just two unearned runs over seven innings to improve to 2-6 with a 3.45 ERA in 10 games (nine starts) this year.
Guthrie picked up his first win since April 1, while the Orioles improved to just 3-7 in the 10 games he has appeared in this season.
The 32-year-old is 2-0 with a 5.24 ERA in six career outings versus the Royals, including three starts.
Kansas City took two of three from the O's earlier in the season and had won five of the previous six versus Baltimore prior to this series.
- KANSAS CITY: 5
BALTIMORE: 6
Final/12
May 26 4:10 PM - Alex Gordon double to right scored Chris Getz. Runner on second with two outs and Melky Cabrera due up.
Royals 5, Orioles 5 Top 4, 2 OutsMay 26 1:49 PM - Nolan Reimold two-out, three-run Home Run 2 (3) to left scored Adam Jones and Mark Reynolds. J.J. Hardy due up.
Royals 4, Orioles 5 Bot 3, 2 OutsMay 26 1:38 PM - Mark Reynolds single to center scored Robert Andino. On the play, Adam Jones advances to third. Runners on first and third with two outs and Nolan Reimold due up.
Royals 4, Orioles 2 Bot 3, 2 OutsMay 26 1:36 PM - Nolan Reimold one-out, solo Home Run (2) to left. J.J. Hardy due up.
Royals 4, Orioles 1 Bot 2, 1 OutMay 26 1:14 PM - Melky Cabrera single to center scored Brayan Pena and Chris Getz. On the play, Alex Gordon advances to second. Runners on first and second with two outs and Eric Hosmer due up.
Royals 4, Orioles 0 Top 2, 2 OutsMay 26 1:09 PM - Chris Getz single to left scored Mike Aviles. On the play, Brayan Pena advances to second. Runners on first and second with two outs and Alex Gordon due up.
Royals 2, Orioles 0 Top 2, 2 OutsMay 26 1:04 PM - Mike Aviles reaches on a fielder's choice, short to third scored Jeff Francoeur. Wilson Betemit out at third. Runner on first with two outs and Brayan Pena due up.
Royals 1, Orioles 0 Top 2, 2 OutsMay 26 1:01 PM - KANSAS CITY: 0
BALTIMORE: 0
Top 1, 1 Out
May 26 12:39 PM
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