Updated

Veteran lefty Bruce Chen makes his second start of the season for the Kansas City Royals on Tuesday night when they host the Baltimore Orioles in the second of four games at Kauffman Stadium.

Now 36 years old, Chen began the season with 19 consecutive appearances out of the bullpen while posting a 2.41 earned run average through 33 2/3 innings.

He was thrust into a starting role on July 12 at Cleveland and tossed six one- hit innings while getting a no-decision in a game the Royals ultimately lost, 3-0.

He won 12 and 11 games in the last two series as a starter for the Royals and has made 204 starts in 371 big-league appearances.

Chen pitched for the Orioles for three seasons between 2004-2006, going 15-18 in 82 appearances, including 51 starts.

He's 2-3 in seven career meetings with Baltimore.

For Baltimore, right-hander Jason Hammel again seeks a first victory since May 27, when he downed Washington, 6-2, with six innings of eight-hit ball.

He's 0-4 in eight starts since, including a 7-3 loss to Toronto in his last start on July 13 after he surrendered six runs on 10 hits in six innings of work.

The Orioles are 1-7 in the last eight games he's pitched.

Hammel has made seven career appearances against the Royals, winning one of three decisions with a 5.11 ERA.

On Monday, J.J. Hardy went 3-for-5 with a home run and three RBI to highlight an 18-hit onslaught that powered the Orioles past the Royals, 9-2.

The Orioles, who were coming off a three-game sweep of the Rangers in Arlington, have won a season-high five in a row.

Chris Davis helped keep them streaking with two hits, three RBI and two runs scored, while Henry Urrutia had three hits and drove in a run in the rout.

Scott Feldman (2-1) was the recipient of the run support, though he didn't need much after yielding just two runs on five hits and a pair of walks in eight innings of work.

Wade Davis (4-9) didn't make it out of the third inning and was charged with four runs -- two earned -- on seven hits and three walks. He fell to 0-4 with a 10.91 ERA (19 ER, 15 2/3 innings) in his last four outings.

The Royals did not record an extra-base hit and lost for the seventh time in the last nine games.

The Orioles won two of three from the Royals when the teams met in May at Camden Yards. Baltimore also won the season series in 2012, 5-4.