Orioles 2, Royals 1
Nelson Cruz hit a two-run homer and Wei-Yin Chen worked 5 1/3 solid innings as Baltimore edged host Kansas City in the opener of a four-game series.
Chen (5-2) scattered seven hits and limited the damage to one run while Nick Markakis had three hits and J.J. Hardy doubled for the Orioles. Three relievers bridged the gap to left-hander Zach Britton, who worked a 1-2-3 ninth for his first save.
Yordano Ventura (2-3) struck out nine while yielding two runs and seven hits over 6 1/3 innings for the Royals. Danny Valencia drove in Kansas City’s lone run and Alex Gordon added a pair of singles.
Ventura walked Chris Davis leading off the fourth and Cruz followed by belting a first-pitch fastball the opposite way to right-center for his 12th home run and a 2-0 lead. The Royals got one back in the bottom of the inning when Valencia came up with the bases loaded and lifted a sacrifice fly to left.
Ventura struck out the side in the fifth and sixth innings but was pulled after surrendering back-to-back one-out singles in the seventh. Darren O’Day, Troy Patton and Ryan Webb retired eight straight after taking over for Chen before handing it off to Britton, who got the save opportunity after a series of rough outings from Tommy Hunter.
GAME NOTEBOOK: Ventura, who is from the Dominican Republic, had his mother in attendance for the first time as a major leaguer. … Kansas City RHP Wade Davis got the night off to rest a stiff neck. … Baltimore recalled RHP Evan Meek from Triple-A Norfolk and optioned RHP Kevin Gausman prior to the game.