Royals at Orioles
It is early but the Baltimore Orioles are beginning to prove wrong all those that predicted their downfall this season. Baltimore looks to extend its three-game winning streak Wednesday when it hosts Kansas City in the second of three straight contests. With a 4-3 victory in the series opener Tuesday, the Orioles became the third American League team to reach 20 wins and pulled within a game of Boston in the American League East, a division very few prognosticators had Baltimore winning.
Tuesday marked the start of a stretch in which the Orioles will play 11 of 14 at home. They have won six of their last eight at Camden Yards. The Royals, meanwhile, have dropped two in a row following a four-game winning streak. They have made a habit of playing close games of late, with four of their last five decided by one run and the other by two. They have also been through a litany of weather-induced interruptions, Tuesday's 48-minute rain delay being the latest.
TV: 7:05 p.m. ET, Fox Sports Kansas City, Mid-Atlantic Sports Network 2 (Baltimore)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Royals RH Luis Mendoza (0-1, 7.00 ERA) vs. Orioles RH Chris Tillman (2-1, 3.63)
Coming off his best season in the majors and opening up with a solid effort at Philadelphia, Mendoza was eying bigger things in 2013. However, he's given up 13 earned runs in 9 2/3 innings in two starts since, with one relief effort mixed in. Mendoza surrendered a career high-tying three homers in four innings against Tampa Bay on Wednesday. Since that opener against the Phillies, the 29-year-old has produced seven strikeouts against seven walks in 12 innings. Mendoza is winless in his last six road outings since a victory at Baltimore opposite Tillman on Aug. 11, when he let up three runs in six innings.
The 25-year-old Tillman is coming off one of the best starts of his career Thursday at Anaheim. He let up only three hits in eight scoreless innings to win his second straight start. Tillman is 2-0 with a 1.31 ERA in three appearances since his only loss. About the only blemish for the righty has been some lackluster performance at home, where he is 0-1 with a 5.87 mark, allowing all three of his home runs and walking nine in 15 1/3 innings. Tillman gave up three homers and six runs overall in 5 2/3 innings in that loss against Mendoza in August. He also got shelled at Kansas City the year before and is 0-2 with a 10.93 ERA in three career starts against the Royals.
WALK-OFFS
1. Baltimore 3B Manny Machado is 18-for-43 with three home runs and 12 runs scored in his last 10 games.
2. The Orioles are 1-4 in games played on Wednesday.
3. Kansas City LF Alex Gordon, who hit a two-run homer in Tuesday's loss, is 15-for-31 with three home runs and 15 RBIs with two outs.
PREDICTION: Orioles 6, Royals 3