KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Jackson Holliday highlighted Baltimore’s four-run sixth inning with a two-run single, Tomoyuki Sugano was solid through five-plus innings and the Orioles defeated the Kansas City Royals 8-1 on Saturday to snap a three-game skid.
Heston Kjerstad and Ramón Urías also had RBI singles in Baltimore’s big inning. Gary Sánchez hit a two-run single in the second and Tyler O’Neill had a two-run triple in the seventh for the Orioles, whose five through nine batters went 8 for 19 with all eight RBIs.
Leadoff man Gunnar Henderson was 0 for 5 with four strikeouts, dropping to 1 for 9 since returning from a a right intercostal strain.
Sugano (1-1) got the first eight Royals hitters out and allowed one run and five hits in 5 1/3 innings. He struck out four, walked one and hit one batter.
Royals starter Michael Wacha (0-2) tossed 5 2/3 innings and gave up four runs and six hits with five strikeouts and one walk.
Bobby Witt Jr. hit his first homer of the season for Kansas City, a 399-foot shot to left field in the sixth.
Key moment
After giving up back-to-back singles to start the fifth and pitching with a 2-0 lead, Sugano kept the Royals off the board, stranding the runners at first and second. The Orioles then responded with their four-run sixth.
Key stats
Baltimore had 12 hits after entering the game tied for first in the American League in that category.
Up next
The teams will play the rubber game of the series Sunday. The Royals had seven series last season during which they won the first game and dropped the next two of the series. LHP Cade Povich (0-0, 6.23 ERA) will start for Baltimore and LHP Kris Bubic (1-0, 0.00 ERA) will take the mound for Kansas City.
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