BALTIMORE (AP) Mike Moustakas hit two home runs, including a grand slam, and finished with a franchise-record nine RBIs as the Kansas City Royals beat the Baltimore Orioles 14-6 Saturday.
Moustakas singled home two runs in the sixth inning, hit his second career slam in the seventh and capped his record-setting performance with a three-run drive in the ninth.
The previous team record for RBIs in a game was seven, by Billy Butler against Philadelphia on April 7, 2013.
Salvador Perez had two hits and three RBIs for the AL Central leaders, who won for only the second time in eight games.
Yordano Ventura (11-8) allowed four runs and eight hits in 5 2-3 innings for Kansas City. The right-hander is 7-1 in his last 10 starts, including a pair of wins over Baltimore.
Adam Jones and Nolan Reimold homered for the Orioles, whose modest three-game winning streak ended. Baltimore has 21 games left to close a significant gap in the hunt for the second AL wild card.
Kansas City trailed 4-1 before batting around in a five-run sixth against three pitchers. After Eric Hosmer chased starter Chris Tillman with a run-scoring single, Moustakas drove in a pair of runs with a single off Brian Matusz (1-4). Perez greeted Chaz Roe with an opposite-field, two-run single to right.
The Royals pulled away with a five-run the seventh. The big blow was delivered by Moustakas, who drove an 0-2 pitch over the right-field wall after an intentional walk to Kendrys Morales filled the bases.
After Reimold got Baltimore to 11-6 with a two-run drive in the eighth, Moustakas connected off Steve Johnson in the ninth.
It was the fourth career multihomer game for Moustakas, who turned 27 on Friday night.
The start of the game was delayed by rain for 3 hours, 2 minutes. Dark clouds hovered into the late evening and there were some rainy stretches, but no further stoppages.
Baltimore used a sacrifice fly by Gerardo Parra and a three-run shot by Jones to build a 4-1 lead after three innings.
TRAINER'S ROOM
Royals: Reliever Wade Davis returned to action after being rested with shoulder soreness.
Orioles: C Matt Wieters was back in the starting lineup after missing three games with a sore left wrist. ... The Orioles hope RHP Miguel Gonzalez (right shoulder tendinitis) can come off the DL before the season ends. ''Best scenario, he gets some starts,'' manager Buck Showalter said. ''It would certainly help his frame of mind.''
UP NEXT
Royals: RHP Johnny Cueto attempts to snap a four-game losing streak in the series finale Sunday night. He's 2-5 with a 4.86 ERA in eight starts with Kansas City.
Orioles: Wei-Yin Chen beat the Royals on Aug. 26 and tries for an encore. The Taiwanese left-hander is 4-1 in his last nine starts.
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