Baltimore, MD – Eric Hosmer finished with three hits, including a go-ahead RBI single in the eighth, to lift the Kansas City Royals to a 4-3 victory over the Baltimore Orioles in the middle installment of a three-game series on Saturday at Camden Yards.
Hosmer finished with two RBI, while Billy Butler added a solo blast for the Royals, who snapped a three-game skid.
Greg Holland (1-2) got the victory after inducing a double play from Adam Jones to end the seventh and Jonathan Broxton fired a scoreless ninth for his ninth save of the season.
"Our bullpen came in and did a great job," said Royals manager Ned Yost.
Pedro Strop (3-2) took the loss after serving up Hosmer's go-ahead single in the eighth. Chris Davis and J.J. Hardy each launched solo shots in the setback, the second in the last three games for the O's.
With the game knotted at 3-3, Strop replaced Darren O'Day in the eighth and served up a single to Mike Moustakas to start the frame. Alex Gordon worked a walk two batters later before Johnny Giavotella singled to load the bases.
Hosmer then lofted a single into left that fell at the feet of a charging Xavier Avery as Moustakas crossed home to give the Royals a 4-3 lead.
Earlier in the contest, Baltimore struck first in the bottom of the second as Davis crushed his eighth of the season before Hardy doubled the O's advantage in the third with a leadoff blast over the wall in left field.
Jones followed two batters later with a triple into the right-field corner before scoring on a sacrifice fly from Matt Wieters to grab a 3-0 edge.
"He did a good job on the mound," said Avery about Royals starter Felipe Paulino. "We didn't get too many hits off him so he obviously did a good job."
The Royals began the comeback bid in the fifth as Johnny Giavotella doubled to start the frame and quickly scored on Hosmer's line drive into center.
Butler then made it a one-run game in the top of the sixth with a leadoff homer into the visitors bullpen in left-center field before the Royals tied the game in the seventh.
O'Day entered for starter Wei-Yin Chen to start the seventh and served up a one-out double to Hosmer. Humberto Quintero then followed with a double of his own to score Hosmer and knot the game at 3-3.
Game Notes
Paulino fired 5 2/3 innings, allowing three runs on five hits and five walks while fanning five...Chen allowed two runs on six hits over six innings in the start...Royals center fielder Jarrod Dyson left the game in the third with a bruised right hamstring after colliding with left fielder Alex Gordon...Jones extended his hit-streak to a career-high 17 games with a triple in the third...The O's are expected to announce a six-year contract extention worth $85.5 million for Jones prior to Sunday's game.
Receive your weekly recap of all the happenings around the world of sports.