BALTIMORE (AP) — Chris Tillman has transcended his role as the ace of the Baltimore Orioles.

Unbeaten since April 14, and riding a seven-game winning streak, the right-hander has earned the right to be considered among the best pitchers in the American League.

Tillman pitched effectively into the eighth inning, Ryan Flaherty drove in two runs and the Orioles extended the Kansas City Royals’ losing streak to seven games with a 4-0 victory Wednesday night.

Tillman (8-1) allowed eight hits over 7 1/3 innings, matched his career high with nine strikeouts and walked none. He is unbeaten in 10 starts since April 14, 6-0 at home and tied for second in the AL in wins.

“I think fastball command from the get-go was pretty spot on,” Tillman said.” I felt pretty good in the bullpen coming in and I was able to carry it over.”

In equaling his career high for successive wins, Tillman lowered his ERA to 3.01. A year ago, he finished 11-11 with a 4.99 ERA.

“You can make a heck of a living going 11-11 in the big leagues,” manager Buck Showalter said. “But Chris wants to be better than that because he knows he’s capable of it and wants to bring what the club needs.”

Showalter believes the 28-year-old Tillman now understands what it takes to win.

“It’s a certain maturity factor. It’s tunnel vision toward that day you pitch,” the manager said. “Everything you do is leading into that. That’s where he is now. He relishes the day he gets to do his thing.”

Brad Brach got the final five outs to earn his second save and help the Orioles complete their first three-game sweep of Kansas City since May 2011. Baltimore has won four straight and seven of eight.

The Orioles took control with a four-run fifth inning against Edinson Volquez (5-6). Flaherty had the key hit, a bases-loaded double that broke open a 0-0 game. Adam Jones followed with a sacrifice fly and Hyun Soo Kim capped the uprising with an RBI single.

Salvador Perez had two hits for the Royals, who have been outscored 42-8 during a skid that’s dropped them from first place to third in the AL Central. The defending World Series champions have scored four runs over their last six games and been blanked twice.

“Tillman was pretty darn good tonight, I’m going to tell you that,” manager Ned Yost said. “Guys were having trouble picking up his fastball.”

The last time Kansas City lost seven straight was in August 2013.

“It’s very frustrating because I know we’re all capable of playing a lot better,” center fielder Lorenzo Cain said. “We’re all struggling. We have to find a way to get it going.”

Volquez was exceptionally sharp over the first four innings, retiring 12 of 13 batters and allowing just one hit. The trouble started after he got the first out in the fifth.

Two walks and a single preceded the key hit by Flaherty, who began the game batting .213.

There was no extension of the hostility created Tuesday night, when the teams emptied their dugouts in a fray that started when Kansas City’s Yordano Ventura hit Manny Machado with a pitch.

“It was water under the bridge as soon as we left here last night,” Brach said. “Guys came here ready to play.”

Orioles first baseman Chris Davis was given the day off, his first of the season. Although Davis is in a 3-for-29 slump, Showalter said the break was designed to allow some bumps and bruises to heal.

ROSTER MOVE

The Royals made an adjustment to their bench, calling up utility INF Christian Colon from Triple-A Omaha and optioning No. 3 C Tony Cruz to the same affiliate.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Royals: Yost said no one on the team was injured in the bench-clearing fray.

Orioles: RHP Yovani Gallardo (shoulder tendinitis) said he experienced “normal soreness, nothing crazy” after his second rehab start. If his bullpen session Thursday goes well, Gallardo could come off the DL next week.

UP NEXT

Royals: After taking Thursday off, KC opens a three-game series on the road against the White Sox. Ian Kennedy (4-4, 3.44 ERA) will seek his first win in six starts.

Orioles: Tyler Wilson (2-5, 4.39) starts in Toronto on Thursday night in the opener of a four-game series against the defending AL East champs.

— Associated Press —

BALTIMORE (AP) — Kansas City right-hander Yordano Ventura hit Manny Machado with a pitch to spark a bench-emptying fray , and the Baltimore Orioles extended the Royals’ losing streak to a season-high six games with a 9-1 rout Tuesday night.

Mark Trumbo homered and drove in four runs, and the Orioles also got long balls from Ryan Flaherty, Chris Davis and Adam Jones.

But the game’s most striking moment came in the fifth, when Ventura (4-4) drilled Machado in the back with a 99 mph fastball. In the second inning, with Baltimore leading 5-0, the two exchanged words after Ventura twice threw inside to the two-time All-Star.

So in the fifth, an instant after the ball hit him, Machado charged the mound. Ventura prepared for the onslaught by slinging aside his cap and glove, but Machado landed a solid punch before the pitcher tackled him to the ground.

Both dugouts and bullpens emptied before peace was restored. Machado was restrained by teammate Chris Tillman after the initial thrust.

Machado and Ventura were ejected with the score 5-1.

Trumbo greeted reliever Chien-Ming Wang with his major league-leading 20th home run, and Davis followed with a solo shot.

Ubaldo Jimenez (3-6) gave up one run and nine hits over five-plus innings to end a three-game skid.

Baltimore has won six of seven. This was the only victory in that stretch in which the Orioles never trailed.

The Royals stranded 13 and went 1 for 14 with runners in scoring position. It’s been a frustrating losing streak for the defending World Series champions, and Ventura made that clearly apparent with his actions in the fifth inning.

Baltimore opened the bottom of the first with four straight hits and took a 4-0 lead with only one out. The big blow was a two-run double by Trumbo, who scored on a single by Jonathan Schoop. The damage would have been worse if leaping center fielder Lorenzo Cain didn’t reach far over the 7-foot wall to rob Pedro Alvarez of a potential two-run homer.

Flaherty led off the second with his first home run of the season, a drive that traveled an estimated 446 feet before landing on Eutaw Street beyond the right-field wall.

Jimenez, meanwhile, worked out of trouble in each of the first three innings. Then, after issuing a bases-loaded walk to Reymond Fuentes in the fourth, the right-hander got three straight outs.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Royals: 3B Cheslor Cuthbert was in the starting lineup after bruising his elbow Monday night on an errant throw by Schoop. … Monday night starter Danny Duffy, drilled in the left calf by a line drive, said Tuesday: “It was a little tender but nothing to write home about.” … OF Alex Gordon (wrist) has started a throwing regimen but there is no timetable for his return.

Orioles: RHP Yovani Gallardo (shoulder tendinitis) allowed three runs and four hits over five innings in his second and perhaps final rehabilitation start. Manager Buck Showalter said Gallardo has lost 11 pounds since going on the DL on April 23.

UP NEXT

Royals: Edinson Volquez (5-5, 4.03 ERA) will attempt to lift Kansas City out of its season-long funk in the series finale Wednesday night.

Orioles: Unbeaten in nine starts since April 14, Tillman (7-1, 3.33 ERA) attempts to complete the three-game sweep for Baltimore.

— Associated Press —