Final
Orioles-Royals Preview
Aug 26, 2015 - 4:22 AM It's all but assured that the Kansas City Royals will be AL Central champions and part of the playoffs for a second straight season. It's also becoming apparent that they won't be seeing the Baltimore Orioles there again.The Royals seek their ninth straight win over the spiraling Orioles on Wednesday night as Johnny Cueto looks to rebound from a dismal performance.
With a 13-game lead in the Central and the best record in the league, it's looking very likely that Kansas City (77-48) will be a division winner for the first time since 1985. The Royals made their first playoff appearance since that year last season and swept the Orioles in the ALCS en route to the World Series.
After scoring seven runs in the sixth inning to take Monday's opener 8-3, Kansas City had no need for a comeback Tuesday in a 3-2 victory. Kendrys Morales homered and three relievers worked 3 1-3 scoreless innings to lift the Royals to their 14th win in 18 games and 12th in 14 at home.
''They did an awesome job,'' Royals manager Ned Yost said of his bullpen. ''It's what they do.''
Mike Moustakas added a run-scoring single and is batting .375 with three homers and eight RBIs during a six-game hit streak.
A slumping offense continues to plague Baltimore (62-63), which has scored 15 runs and batted .225 during a season-high six-game skid to fall below .500 for the first time since July 26. The Orioles last dropped seven in row as part of a nine-game slide July 4-15, 2011.
''We've just got to figure out a way to score more runs,'' manager Buck Showalter said. ''That's one of the reasons why they're sitting where they are, is they don't give up many."
Several of their best hitters are slumping at the worst time. Chris Davis is 0 for his last 16 with nine strikeouts, while Manny Machado is batting .154 in the losing streak.
Both will get their first look at what should be a very motivated Cueto (2-2, 3.00 ERA), who was roughed up for seven runs and a career-high 13 hits over six innings in a 7-2 loss at Boston on Friday.
That performance came after the right-hander allowed six runs in his first four starts with Kansas City.
"Just a bad outing. I'm going to keep my head up and get them next time," Cueto told MLB's official website through an interpreter.
Cueto has quickly taken a liking to pitching at Kauffman Stadium, going 2-0 with a 0.53 ERA in two starts there since joining the Royals.
He has never faced the Orioles but is plenty familiar with Gerardo Parra, who is 7 for 23 with two home runs in their matchups.
Baltimore hopes Wei-Yin Chen (7-6, 3.13) can continue his string of solid outings. The left-hander is 2-0 with a 1.86 ERA in his last three starts and was in line to win his fourth straight decision Friday against Minnesota. He allowed one run in six innings but the bullpen faltered in a 4-3 loss.
He'll oppose the Royals for the first time since a 2-1 loss in Game 3 of the ALCS. Chen is 1-2 with a 4.07 ERA in seven career starts against Kansas City but has a 2.55 ERA in the past three.
This has been a very favorable matchup for Eric Hosmer, who is 9 for 20 with two homers and a double against Chen. Lorenzo Cain (.400) and Ben Zobrist (.371) have also hit him well.
- BALTIMORE: 8
KANSAS CITY: 5
Final
Aug 26 10:57 PM - Moustakas homered to right on a 2-1 count, K.Morales scored.
Orioles 7, Royals 5 Bot 8, 2 OutsAug 26 10:35 PM - Mike Moustakas homers to right field. Kendrys Morales scores.
Orioles 7, Royals 5 Bot 8, 2 OutsAug 26 10:34 PM - K.Morales singled to right, Zobrist scored, L.Cain to second.
Orioles 6, Royals 3 Bot 6, 1 OutAug 26 9:51 PM - Kendrys Morales singles to right field. Lorenzo Cain to second. Ben Zobrist scores.
Orioles 6, Royals 3 Bot 6, 1 OutAug 26 9:51 PM - C.Davis homered to left on a full count, G.Parra scored.
Orioles 6, Royals 2 Top 5, 1 OutAug 26 9:26 PM - Chris Davis homers to left field. Gerardo Parra scores.
Orioles 6, Royals 2 Top 5, 1 OutAug 26 9:26 PM - Schoop homered to left on a 1-2 count, Pearce scored.
Orioles 4, Royals 2 Top 4, 2 OutsAug 26 9:10 PM - Jonathan Schoop homers to deep left field. Steve Pearce scores.
Orioles 4, Royals 2 Top 4, 2 OutsAug 26 9:09 PM - M.Machado homered to left on the first pitch, Flaherty scored.
Orioles 2, Royals 2 Top 3, 0 OutsAug 26 8:50 PM - Manny Machado homers to deep left field. Ryan Flaherty scores.
Orioles 2, Royals 2 Top 3, 0 OutsAug 26 8:49 PM - Infante hit an infield single to third, S.Perez scored, Orlando to second.
Orioles 0, Royals 2 Bot 2, 1 OutAug 26 8:43 PM - Omar Infante singles to shallow infield. Paulo Orlando to second. Salvador Perez scores.
Orioles 0, Royals 2 Bot 2, 1 OutAug 26 8:43 PM - Salvador Perez doubles to left field. Kendrys Morales scores.
Orioles 0, Royals 1 Bot 2, 1 OutAug 26 8:40 PM - Manny Machado grounds out to shortstop, Alcides Escobar to Eric Hosmer.
Aug 26 8:11 PM - BALTIMORE: 0
KANSAS CITY: 0
Top 1, 0 Outs
Aug 26 8:10 PM
Related News
- Royals Rumblings - News for December 26, 2023 Dec 26
- Tuesday Bird Droppings: The slow march to Opening Day Dec 26
- Royals Rundown: Recapping moves, MJ Melendez update, and love/hate new MLB rules? Dec 25
- Christmas Bird Droppings: Enjoy the holiday season, Birdland Dec 25
- Christmas Eve Bird Droppings Dec 24
- The Royals got me what I wanted for Christmas Dec 23
- Weekend Rumblings - News for December 23, 2023 Dec 23
- Saturday Bird Droppings: Ryan Minor has passed away Dec 23
- Royals Review Roundtable: The free-spending Royals Dec 22
- The 2023 ALDS, Game 1 (Camden Chat’s version) Dec 22
- Royals Rumblings - News for December 22, 2023 Dec 22
- Friday Bird Droppings: The Dodgers won the Yamamoto sweepstakes Dec 22