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BALTIMORE (AP) -- Down by four runs and within 12 outs of another loss at Camden Yards, the Kansas City Royals put together the kind of inning that happens maybe once a year.
Mark Grudzielanek went 4-for-5 and played a key role in a seven-run sixth that carried the Royals past the Baltimore Orioles 10-7 on Thursday night.
Kansas City overcame two homers by Aubrey Huff to earn a split of the four-game series. The Royals took an early 3-0 lead, then yielded seven straight runs before sending 11 players to the plate in their most prolific inning since an eight-run second against St. Louis on June 14, 2007.
"We don't put too many seven spots up and we had help," manager Trey Hillman said.
It started with a leadoff walk to Jose Guillen. Then, after Billy Butler doubled and Miguel Olivo struck out, Kevin Millar botched a grounder to first as Guillen scored.
Adam Loewen (0-2) replaced starter Garrett Olson and gave up an RBI single to Ross Gload before Tony Pena got an infield hit to load the bases.
David DeJesus singled in a run, matching his career-high hitting streak of 15 games, and Grudzielanek greeted Chad Braford with a run-scoring single to tie it. Alex Gordon followed with a sacrifice fly and Guillen capped the uprising with a two-run single.
"Belief is within everybody," Grudzielanek said. "You don't want to make the last out, either, so you go out there and try to do something and get a good pitch. We did that."
Millar's error didn't hurt, either.
"They made a mistake there, the fielding error, and we capitalized on it," Butler noted.
The last time the Royals scored more than six runs in an inning on the road was Sept. 30, 2006, a seven-run first at Detroit.
"We did a good job of putting some hits together after we got down by a long ways," Hillman said.
Joel Peralta (1-2) pitched two scoreless innings and Joakim Soria worked a perfect ninth for his 23rd save. Butler and Pena hit solo homers to help the Royals win in Baltimore for only the second time in 11 games.
Huff hit a solo shot in the fourth and a two-run drive in the fifth, both off Kyle Davies. Huff has three homers in his last two games and 17 for the season, two more than in 2007. He also doubled in a 3-for-4 night, but Baltimore's designated hitter watched in dismay during Kansas City's big inning.
"That's baseball. Our bullpen has been steady all year long," Huff said. "You've got to give them credit. They were just hitting in that inning, and you really can't do much about it."
The Royals got six hits in the sixth, but Orioles manager Dave Trembley lamented the leadoff walk to Guillen and Millar's error.
"You've got to give Kansas City credit. We gave them an opening and they took advantage of it," Trembley said. "When you get a leadoff walk and then you make a physical error, now you're talking about a five-out inning."
Said Olson: "I think I created my own trouble in the sixth inning. You can't walk the leadoff hitter."
As a result, the Orioles became the last team in the majors to lose a game in which they scored at least six runs. Baltimore was 27-0 when scoring six runs or more.
Down 3-0, the Orioles batted around in a five-run fourth that included Huff's first home run and successive triples by Adam Jones and light-hitting Brandon Fahey. After Huff homered, Ramon Hernandez singled and scored on a two-out single by Melvin Mora. Millar walked and Jones drove in two runs before Fahey hit a liner off the scoreboard in right.
Huff's homer made it 7-3 in the fifth, but Baltimore got only one more hit the rest of the way.
Butler made it 1-0 in the second with his second homer in 196 at-bats this season. Pena led off the third with his first home run, the fourth of his three-year major league career, and Guillen added an RBI single for a 3-0 lead.
Game notes
Royals OF Joey Gathright was rested with a sore left shoulder. ... Guillen has 14 multihit games in his last 26 starts. ... Dropped to seventh in the batting order, Millar went 0-for-3 with a walk and is 5-for-33 (.152) in his last nine games. ... Grudzielanek was 0-for-5 with the bases loaded before his single in the sixth. ... The last time the Orioles hit successive triples was August 2000. ... The Orioles surpassed 1 million in attendance.
Cabrera Throws Complete Game, O's Beat Royals 5-2
Thursday 07-03-2008 10:12am ET
BALTIMORE (AP)—Winless with a 7.06 ERA in June, Daniel Cabrera happily flipped the calendar with another dominant performance against the Kansas City Royals.
Cabrera pitched a seven-hitter to earn his first victory since May 20, Aubrey Huff homered and the Baltimore Orioles beat Gil Meche and the Royals 5-2 Wednesday night.
Cabrera (6-4) retired 13 straight batters before David DeJesus singled with two outs in the eighth inning. The right-hander struck out two and walked none in his second complete game of the season, both of which have come against the Royals.
His performance was a stark contrast to his five starts in June, when he went 0-3 and never got past the seventh inning.
“It’s great. It’s a new month,” Cabrera said. “It’s good to have a good game. It’s been a long time since I had one like that.”
One night earlier, Orioles manager Dave Trembley told Cabrera two things: that he should forget about June, and that he needed to go deep into the game to give the weary bullpen a much-needed rest.
Going against a team he’s dominated since entering the league in 2004, Cabrera delivered. He’s 5-0 with a 2.21 ERA lifetime against Kansas City, and the Orioles are 8-0 in his eight career starts against the Royals.
“Well, you’re probably not going to see Cabrera pitch any better than he did tonight,” Trembley said. “He had command. He got groundballs and he got great defense behind him. His poise was outstanding.”
Royals right fielder Mark Teahen, who went 0-for-4 with a strikeout, said of Cabrera: “He got ahead in the count and was pitching strikes. Nothing amazing, but he didn’t hurt himself. He’s made an adjustment this year to where he’s not throwing as hard, but he’s throwing strikes. More effective than in past years.”
Meche (6-9) allowed five runs, four earned, and nine hits in six innings. The right-hander had won three straight starts and was unbeaten since June 5, but he’s winless at Camden Yards in 10 career starts.
“I was horrible. I struggled. One of those days when you’re not pitching good,” Meche said. “Two years in a row I’ve pitched here and given up a ton of hits. Just a bad outing.”
Ramon Hernandez had three hits for the Orioles, who improved to 5-2 against Kansas City to clinch the season series for a fifth consecutive year.
Back in the leadoff spot for the Royals after missing two games with a bruised rib cage, DeJesus went 3-for-4 with a home run in extending his hitting streak to 14 games. He’s batting .421 with 15 RBIs during that span.
DeJesus opened the game with Kansas City’s first leadoff homer since Aug. 17, 2006, when he connected against the Chicago White Sox. In the bottom half, Brian Roberts hit his AL-high 31st double and Huff took over the team lead in home runs with his 15th, a two-run shot to right on an 0-2 pitch.
“They get off to a 1-0 lead, and obviously in the first inning we got Daniel the lead tonight and gave him some run support,” Huff said. “He was really able to settle in.”
After Joey Gathright singled and scored on a double-play grounder in the Kansas City third, Luke Scott hit an RBI single in Baltimore’s half for a 3-2 lead.
The Orioles made it 5-2 in the fifth. Roberts drew a leadoff walk and Gathright robbed Nick Markakis of a home run by getting his glove on a drive to center with a leap at the wall. But Gathright couldn’t hold onto the ball, and Markakis ended up on third, credited with a double after Teahen was given an error for fumbling the loose ball.
“It was a great effort. It would have been greater obviously if he would have been able to pull it back in,” Royals manager Trey Hillman said.
Said Teahen: “Pretty unbelievable. Wish he had some pine tar in his leather so it would have stuck. I didn’t pick it up and then I kicked it. It’s a play you don’t work on very much.”
Two batters later, Hernandez singled past the drawn-in infield.
That was more than enough offense for Cabrera, who needed 105 pitches to get through his sixth career complete game.
“He’s an aggressive pitcher. He’s going to come at you, he’s going to try to get you to put the ball in play early in the count,” said Hernandez, Baltimore’s catcher. “He wants to get quick outs. I think that’s what he did tonight.”
Sherrill Gets Back on Track
Wednesday 07-02-2008 10:22am ET
BALTIMORE (AP) -- George Sherrill would have been happy with a night off.
The Baltimore Orioles closer had blown two straight save opportunities by yielding late-inning home runs, yet circumstances called for the left-hander to hold on to a ninth-inning lead against the Kansas City Royals. Fortunately, Sherrill had plenty of margin for error. Despite surrendering a two-run single, Sherrill earned his 27th save by getting the final two outs in a 7-5 victory Tuesday night. Brian Roberts homered and Ramon Hernandez and Adam Jones had two RBIs apiece, but Baltimore's most notable accomplishment was that of Sherrill. After giving away victories Sunday and Monday, he got the job done pitching in a third straight game. "It's good to get this win and get the last two out of my system," he said. Sherrill entered with two on, one out and Baltimore up 7-3. After retiring Mike Aviles on a grounder, he yielded a two-run single to Mark Grudzielanek before striking out Alex Gordon. Dennis Sarfate started the ninth inning but was lifted after giving up two walks. Asked if he was itching to get in the game, Sherrill said, "Two percent yes, 98 percent no, just to see [Sarfate] do well. It [stinks] to see him struggle, but so be it. I got in there and put it behind me." On a night when fans received a Sherrill T-shirt upon entering the gate, manager Dave Trembley showed his support for the closer under his jersey. "I think enough of George Sherrill that I wore his shirt tonight," Trembley said. Baltimore led 6-1 after three innings but then let the margin slip to three runs before Roberts hit a solo shot in the seventh off reliever Jimmy Gobble. Gordon and Mark Teahen homered for the Royals, whose six-game road winning streak ended. Kansas City had won 12 of 15 overall, including Monday night's comeback victory over the Orioles. Aviles went 0-for-5 and hit into two double plays. "Not a whole lot went his way. He needs to get a little bit more disciplined, especially with the pitch up," manager Trey Hillman said. "They're climbing the ladder on him a little bit. He's chasing." Baltimore starter Radhames Liz (3-0) allowed three runs and seven hits in six innings. The rookie gave up two home runs totaling 820 feet but limited the Royals to 1-for-5 production with runners in scoring position. He was replaced by Adam Loewen, who returned from the disabled list Monday and was making his first appearance in the majors since April 24. Pitching in relief for the first time since July 21, 2006, Loewen gave up two hits in two shutout innings. "After I got through the first inning, I just felt all the anxiety kind of melt away, all the anticipation of just getting into the game," he said. "I could relax and it felt great to come back. To contribute to a win is even better." Royals rookie Luke Hochevar (5-6) allowed a career high-tying six runs in six innings. The right-hander was 2-0 in five starts since May 29. Gordon hit a first-inning shot that cleared the 25-foot scoreboard in right field and traveled an estimated 425 feet. It was the 45th home run in the 17-year history of Camden Yards to land on Eutaw Street, the fifth this season. Baltimore tied it in the bottom half when Roberts walked, stole second, went to third on a groundout and scored when Aubrey Huff singled past a drawn-in infield. Brandon Fahey doubled in a run in the second, and the Orioles went up 6-1 with a four-run third that featured two-run singles by Hernandez and Jones. "It's hard to win ballgames when you're giving up a four-spot in the third. And six runs in the first three innings, that's all me," Hochevar said. "We swung the bats well enough tonight to win. I didn't do a good job of keeping us in it." After Teahen homered leading off the fifth, the Royals used three singles to load the bases with one out. Aviles followed with a fly ball to shallow center before Liz retired Grudzielanek on a liner to Roberts at second. Kansas City closed to 6-3 in the sixth when Gordon doubled and scored on a sacrifice fly by Teahan.
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