KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The only things that slowed down Yordano Ventura on Wednesday night were the long periods that Kansas City’s 24-year-old flamethrower spent on the bench between innings.

While the Royals were pounding four homers and nine extra-base hits off Detroit pitching, Ventura had to sit idly in the dugout. Still, he managed to strike out 11 in seven sharp innings as the AL Central leaders cruised to a 12-1 rout of the slumping Tigers.

“Definitely good to have,” Ventura said of the run support, “but when things take that long, it can be challenging. I was able to overcome that.”

Ventura (10-7) walked one and hit one while matching a career high for strikeouts set in his last start. The 24-year-old with the 100 mph fastball has not allowed more than two earned runs in his last five outings, and is 6-0 since his last defeat July 20 against Pittsburgh.

“Good pitching generates good offense,” said Jonny Gomes, who got a hit and scored in his first start for Kansas City since arriving in a trade from Atlanta. “Obviously that strikeout stuff plays.”

Kendrys Morales hit a three-run shot, Cheslor Cuthbert added his first career homer, and Ben Zobrist and Lorenzo Cain also went deep as the Royals matched a season high for runs.

Randy Wolf (0-3) gave up eight runs in 3 2/3 innings for Detroit, though he did last longer than Miguel Cabrera. The slugger was tossed by third base umpire Gary Cederstrom after fanning in the third inning, and after a quarrel with plate umpire Quinn Wolcott proved fruitless.

Even before Cabrera hit the showers, the Detroit hitters were sputtering.

After the Tigers put runners on the corners with one out in the first, Ventura allowed just one of the next 13 batters he faced to reach base. Ventura didn’t give up a run until the sixth, when Anthony Gose hit a leadoff triple and scored on Ian Kinsler’s groundout.

By that point, the Royals already led 12-0.

Zobrist homered in the first to give Kansas City the lead, and Cuthbert — called up Tuesday when rosters expanded — added a two-run double in the second. Cain’s home run in the third and a five-run fourth inning highlighted by Morales’ towering shot to center made it a rout.

Cuthbert added his two-run homer during a three-run fifth.

“I couldn’t throw my curveball for a strike to save my life,” Wolf said. “My changeup was up. My fastball location wasn’t where I wanted it to be. You put all those elements together, it’s going to be tough to have a good night.”

Just about the only thing that didn’t go right for Kansas City was when Cain fouled a pitch off his left calf in the fourth inning. He was checked out by trainer Nick Kenney and manager Ned Yost and remained in the game, and promptly hit a two-run double.

Cain was replaced by Jarrod Dyson for precautionary reasons in the fifth, and said after the game that his calf was “a little tight right now. Kind of hurts to walk but I’ll be OK.”

With the game out of hand, both teams substituted as liberally as in spring training.

Left-hander Scott Alexander made his big league debut in the ninth for Kansas City, while Rajai Davis — who had been bothered by a finger injury — got into the game for Detroit.

“I don’t have much to say,” Tigers manager Brad Ausmus said. “It was all Royals.”

STATS AND STREAKS

Cabrera was ejected for the seventh time in his career and first since May 2014. … The Royals scored in each of the first five innings for the first time since July 2000, when they did it against the White Sox. … Cain has hit in 10 straight games.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Tigers: RHP Al Alburquerque (hip) had a precautionary MRI exam Wednesday, Ausmus said. The reliever has not pitched since Aug. 24.

Royals: RHP Ryan Madson (weak arm) hopes to return this week, Yost said. Madson last pitched Aug. 22. … 3B Mike Moustakas (hamstring) got his second straight night off. “He’s feeling well. Better,” Yost said.

UP NEXT

Tigers: LHP Matt Boyd starts the series finale against Kansas City, though Ausmus declined to say who would start Friday night against Cleveland. LHP Kyle Ryan could get the nod.

Royals: RHP Edinson Volquez (12-7) has lost twice to the Tigers this season, including a 2-1 defeat when David Price was on the mound for Detroit on May 2.

— Associated Press —

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Justin Verlander may not be pitching like he did in 2011, when he won the AL Cy Young and MVP awards.

But he’s been plenty good for Detroit over the last month.

Verlander threw his fifth consecutive quality start, and Ian Kinsler homered and drove in three runs as the Detroit Tigers beat the Kansas City Royals 6-5 Tuesday night.

The Tigers, who had lost nine of 10 to drop into last place in the AL Central, snapped a four-game losing streak.

Verlander (3-6) limited the Royals to seven hits and four runs, two unearned, over 6 2/3 innings. He has a 0.76 ERA in his past five starts and the Tigers’ lone two victories since Aug. 19, including a one-hit shutout of the Angels in his previous outing.

“It wasn’t spectacular, but it’s nice to get the win for the team,” Verlander said. “My fastball location was really good. When other pitches aren’t working as well, fastball location gets you out of trouble.”

Verlander’s velocity picked up as the game went along. He was throwing 97 mph in his final inning, including 10 straight pitches of 95-plus.

“I’m aware of it,” Verlander said.

The last time Verlander faced the Royals was Aug. 4, when he allowed five runs and 10 hits over seven innings. It was his only rough start in his past eight.

“Obviously we adjusted our game plan to have more success,” catcher James McCann said.

Johnny Cueto (2-4), who the Royals acquired in a July 26 trade with Cincinnati, allowed four runs on nine hits over six innings. Cueto has given up 38 hits in his past four starts, the most hits he has allowed in his career over a four-start span. He has allowed 17 runs in 17 innings in losing his past three starts.

“This is obviously part of the game,” Cueto said with coach Pedro Grifol as his interpreter. “Every player has a streak like this. I’m not concerned because I’m well aware that this is going to turn around and I’m going to help this team.”

Cueto, who shut out the Tigers on Aug. 10, yielded six hits and three runs in the first two innings. Miguel Cabrera, who hit .393 in August, singled home Anthony Gose in the first inning.

“He just wasn’t real sharp the first three innings,” Royals manager Ned Yost said.

Miguel Almonte gave up a two-run, seventh-inning homer to Kinsler in his major league debut. Kinsler also hit a two-out RBI single in the fourth.

Kendrys Morales homered in the fourth off Verlander. Alex Gordon, who missed 48 games with a groin injury, drove in a run with a sacrifice fly in the second. Omar Infante and Alcides Escobar had RBI in the seventh.

The Royals cut the lead to one run in the eighth on a Salvador Perez single.

Bruce Rondon worked a scoreless ninth for his third save in four opportunities.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Tigers: LHP Daniel Norris (right oblique strain) made 60 throws from flat ground.

Royals: LF Gordon was reinstated after being out eight weeks with a strained left groin. … RHP Kelvin Herrera and RF Alex Rios have the chickenpox and likely will miss a minimum of two weeks. … 3B Mike Moustakas (pulled hamstring) did not start, but grounded out as a pinch hitter in the eighth.

UP NEXT

Tigers: LHP Randy Wolf makes his third start after losing his first two despite a 2.57 ERA.

Royals: Newly acquired OF Jonny Gomes will likely start Wednesday. He is 13 for 23 (.522) with two home runs off Wolf.

— Associated Press —

ATLANTA (AP) — Now that he’s officially on the move from Atlanta, Jonny Gomes is excited to be joining the AL Central-leading Kansas City Royals.

The Braves traded Gomes during a 4-0 loss to Miami on Monday night. He left the game in the fifth inning, hugged his teammates in the dugout and began packing up his belongings in the clubhouse.

Laughing that his career “has been kind of nomadic,” Gomes will be making his seventh move to a new team in the last five years.

“I’ve been on some good teams — won the World Series, lost the World Series, lost in a playoff game to (Kansas City) last year in the one-game wild card,” he said. “Once (the regular season) is over, it’s a clean slate. Batting averages are gone. Wins and losses are gone. Nothing to be taken for granted. I’ll just go over there, be Jonny Gomes, try not to clog it up and help them win.”

Atlanta sent Gomes and an undisclosed amount of cash to Kansas City for shortstop Luis Valenzuela. The Braves assigned Valenzuela to Class A Rome.

The 34-year-old Gomes has been in the postseason four times since 2010 and helped Boston win the World Series two years ago. The Red Sox traded Gomes and ace Jon Lester to Oakland last year for outfielder Yoenis Cespedes and a draft pick.

“I think that just comes with the status for playing a long time on a one-year deal,” he said. “Therefore, you kind of become tradeable if things don’t work out with the team that you’re on.”

Gomes hit .221 with seven homers and 22 RBIs in 195 at-bats with Atlanta. He was playing left field for the Braves and has been a designated hitter during his career. He also pitched Friday in a blowout loss to the New York Yankees.

Kansas City, last year’s AL champion, began the day 13 games up in the AL Central. The Braves started the day 18 games out of first place in the NL East.

— Associated Press —

ST. LOUIS (AP) — Jason Heyward hit a two-run, tie-breaking double in the seventh inning to key a five-run rally, and the St. Louis Cardinals beat the Washington Nationals 8-5 on Monday night.

St. Louis won for the eighth time in nine games and moved five games ahead of the idle Pittsburgh Pirates in the NL Central.

Washington, which had won six of its previous eight, fell 6 1/2 games behind the New York Mets in the NL East. New York beat Philadelphia 3-1 on Monday.

The Cardinals sent 10 batters to the plate in the seventh and erased a 5-3 deficit with five two-out runs.

Kolten Wong followed Heyward’s hit with a run-scoring single to push the lead to 8-5.

Stephen Piscotty and Jhonny Peralta had RBI hits off Casey Janssen (1-3) to tie the game. Felipe Rivero gave up the double to Heyward.

Kevin Siegrist (6-1) picked up the win despite allowing three runs in the seventh.

St. Louis closer Trevor Rosenthal recorded his 42nd save in 44 opportunities. He had missed the previous three games due to the birth of his daughter.

Ryan Zimmerman hit a three-run homer and drove in four runs for the Nationals. Zimmerman, who went 3 for 5 and was a triple shy of the cycle, has 15 RBI in his last eight games.

Heyward, who was homer shy of the cycle in Sunday’s 7-5 win at San Francisco, is 7 for 14 in his last four games.

St. Louis starter John Lackey gave up two runs, one earned, in six innings. He struck out eight and walked four.

Washington starter Gio Gonzalez surrendered three runs in six innings. He had given up 14 earned runs over his last three starts totaling 12 1/3 innings.

The Cardinals scored three runs in the third on successive run-scoring hits by Yadier Molina, Kolten Wong and Mark Reynolds to go up 3-1.

Zimmerman’s three-run homer in the seventh, his 13th of the season, put the Nationals up 5-3.

TRAINER’S ROOM:

Nationals: INF Yunel Escobar returned to the lineup on Monday. He missed the previous three games after being hit on the hand by a pitch on Thursday.

Cardinals: RHP Carlos Martinez was scratched from his scheduled start on Tuesday due to a sore back suffered in his last start Thursday in Arizona. LHP Marco Gonzales will be recalled from Triple-A Memphis to make the start. The Cardinals first-round selection in the 2013 draft, Gonzales is 1-4 with 5.20 ERA in 13 starts in Memphis. … RHP Lance Lynn will make his scheduled start Friday despite rolling his ankle in Saturday’s 6-0 win at San Francisco.

UP NEXT:

Washington RHP Joe Ross (5-5, 3.24 ERA) will take on LHP Marco Gonzales in the second game of the three-game set on Tuesday. Gonzales is making his first appearance of the season. Ross is 2-0 in his last two starts with a 0.69 ERA, allowing just one run in 13 innings.

— Associated Press —

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) — A couple of solo home runs from unlikely sources and four strong innings of relief were just enough for the Tampa Bay Rays to get their first and only win of the season over the Kansas City Royals.

Brandon Guyer and Kevin Kiermaier homered, and four Tampa Bay pitchers held the Royals to one hit over the final five innings Sunday in the Rays’ 3-2 win.

By salvaging the final game of a three-game series, the Rays prevented the Royals from a 7-0 sweep of their season series, a feat they have not accomplished since going 12-0 against Baltimore in 1988. The AL Central-leading Royals lost for only the sixth time in 23 games.

“They’re kind of firing on all cylinders right now and we need to get to that point,” Rays manager Kevin Cash said. “We needed this win because we’ve had some frustrating losses, no doubt. We needed to bounce back and get a win in a tight ball game.”

Kiermaier’s sixth-inning homer off Luke Hochevar (1-1) broke a 2-2 tie. It was Kiermaier’s second homer in two games and seventh of the season.

Xavier Cedeno (3-1) got the win in relief while Brad Boxberger pitched the ninth for his 32nd save.

Four of Kansas City’s seven hits came during a two-run third that included RBI by Ben Zobrist and Lorenzo Cain. The Royals had a chance to tie it in the eighth when Rays first baseman James Loney turned a double play by throwing Zobrist out at the plate after fielding a bouncer the Royals thought was foul.

“A game shouldn’t be decided on a play like that,” said Kendrys Morales, who never left the batting circle and was tagged by Rays catcher Rene Rivera. “It’s a little bit frustrating. That play should be reviewable.”

“I think we had some luck on our side right there,” Kiermaier said. “But for us to close out a game today was great because we’ve struggled doing that lately.”

Rays starter Nathan Karns gave up two runs on six hits while striking out five. It was the rookie right-hander’s 19th start in which he has given up two runs or fewer, most in the AL.

Kansas City starter Danny Duffy gave up two runs while striking out six in five innings.

Guyer led off the third with a homer on an 0-2 pitch from Duffy, his sixth of the season.

“A lot of my homers this year have come with two strikes,” said Guyer, who had three hits and scored twice. “I choke up on the bat and just stay simple, put it in play. That’s when a lot of the power comes, but on that one I wasn’t thinking home run at all.”

BULLPEN SERIES

Kiermaier’s home run off Hochevar accounted for the only run given up by the Royals’ bullpen in the series. … The Rays’ bullpen has given up only one run over 17 2/3 innings in the last four games. … Boxberger took the AL lead with his 32nd save.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Royals: OF Alex Rios, out of the lineup for the second straight game with a virus, was sent back to Kansas City. … RHP Ryan Madson has been resting since Aug. 22 to recover from a dead-arm period.

Rays: OF Steven Souza Jr. (broken left hand) is hitting off a tee and doing soft toss. He expects to be back in mid-September.

UP NEXT

Royals: RHP Johnny Cueto (9-9) looks to end a personal two-game skid when he faces Detroit RHP Justin Verlander (2-6) in the opener of a nine-game homestand Tuesday night. Verlander is coming off a 5-0 shutout Wednesday against the Los Angeles Angels in which he took a no-hitter into the ninth inning.

Rays: RHP Chris Archer (11-10) will go against Orioles LHP Wei-Yin Chin (8-6) Monday night to start a three-game series in Baltimore.

— Associated Press —

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) — Mike Moustakas had three hits and three RBI, Kendrys Morales kept up his torrid two-out hitting and the AL Central-leading Kansas City Royals beat the Tampa Bay Rays 6-3 on Saturday night.

Morales had an RBI single and Moustakas a run-scoring double off Jake Odorizzi (6-7) as the Royals grabbed a 4-3 lead in the fifth. Morales leads the majors with 47 RBI with two outs this season, breaking the team record of 46 set by Joe Randa in 2000.

Lorenzo Cain had a run-scoring single in the sixth, and Moustakas added an RBI single in the ninth.

Kris Medlen (3-0) allowed three runs and four hits over 5 1/3 innings in his second start and ninth appearance since returning from elbow ligament replacement surgery. Wade Davis, the third Royals reliever, got the last three outs for his 13th save.

Kevin Kiermaier homered for the Rays, who have lost 10 of 15. Tampa Bay has dropped all six games against Kansas City this season and 20 of 25 over the last four seasons.

Tampa Bay took a 3-2 lead in the fourth when Asdrubal Cabrera had a run-scoring single and Kiermaier hit a two-run homer.

Eric Hosmer, mired an 0-for-13 slide, and Moustakas both had RBI doubles during the top of the fourth to put the Royals ahead 2-0.

Odorizzi gave up four runs and seven hits in 4 2/3 innings. He is winless in six starts, which includes a stretch of five no-decisions where the right-hander pitched at least six innings in each game.

Rays catcher Rene Rivera appeared to get cut near around the mouth after Medlen’s pitch deflected off Rivera’s arm and struck his face in the third. After a brief treatment period with a team trainer near the plate, Rivera remained in the game and went to first base.

Tampa Bay loaded the bases with two outs later in the third, but failed to score when Evan Longoria struck out.

The Rays became the last team in the majors to reach 1 million in home attendance with an announced crowd of 24,372.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Royals: Manager Ned Yost said LF Alex Gordon, out since July 9 with a strained left groin, is getting close to returning. Gordon is currently on a minor league rehab assignment with Triple-A Omaha. … OF Alex Rios was late scratch due to illness.

Rays: LHP Matt Moore should get some starts after rejoining the team next month. He was sent to Triple-A Durham Aug. 3 after going 1/3 with an 8.78 ERA in six starts following his return from elbow ligament replacement surgery. “We need Matt to pitch,” manager Kevin Cash said.

UP NEXT

Royals LHP Danny Duffy (7-6) will go against Rays RHP Nathan Karns (7-5) in the finale of the three-game series Sunday.

— Associated Press —

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) — Kendrys Morales lost sight of his deep drive to center field. Turns out he missed seeing the end of a quirky long ball.

Morales hit his 15th homer, Edinson Volquez pitched into the seventh inning and the AL Central-leading Kansas City Royals beat the Tampa Bay Rays 3-2 on Friday night.

Morales put the Royals up 3-1 with a two-run shot in the third off Erasmo Ramirez (10-5) that struck an overhanging catwalk.

“I was confused in a couple of ways,” Morales said through an interpreter. “I didn’t think I hit the ball that well, and I didn’t see where it actually hit.”

Morales has 89 RBI this season, including a majors-best 46 with two outs.

“He’s been consistent all year,” Kansas City manager Ned Yost said. “Got a lot of big hits, picked up a lot of big RBI. An anchor in the middle of our lineup.”

Tampa Bay center fielder Kevin Kiermaier started to climb the fence on Morales’ drive, but the ball ended up well short of him after striking the overhead structure.

Volquez (12-7) allowed two runs and six hits in 6 2/3 innings. Greg Holland, the third Kansas City reliever, got three outs for his 29th save.

“I thought he did a great job of navigating the lineup a couple of times,” Yost said of Volquez.

The Royals (79-49) are 30 games over .500 for the first time since finishing the AL Pennant-winning season of 1980 at 97-65.

Ramirez gave up three runs and six hits over 4 1/3 innings for the Rays, who fell 3 1/2 games back in the crowded second AL wild-card race. Tampa Bay is 1/3 on a six-game homestand.

The Rays closed to 3-2 in the third as Daniel Nava scored when left fielder Paulo Orlando dropped John Jaso’s routine fly for an error.

Tampa Bay manager Kevin Cash was ejected by first base umpire Brian O’Nora for arguing after the next batter, Logan Forsythe, was called out on a grounder to short with runners on second and third with two outs.

Cash couldn’t challenge the call after having an earlier unsuccessful one.

“I think the replay shows enough,” Cash said. “It stings, but it’s part of baseball.”

O’Nora had another call overturned after a Kansas City challenge in the first inning when Ben Zobrist was called out on what was changed to an infield single.

Kansas City took a 1-0 lead on Orlando’s second-inning RBI single. The Rays tied it at 1 in the bottom half when James Loney had a run-scoring double.

Zobrist had the infield single and a double in four at-bats during his first game at Tropicana Field since being traded by the Rays to Oakland in January. Zobrist, obtained by the Royals from the Athletics July 28, played nine years for Tampa Bay and received a standing ovation after a video tribute was shown on the scoreboard prior to the game.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Royals: LF Alex Gordon, out since July 9 with a strained left groin, played in his sixth game with Triple-A Omaha.

Rays: OF Steven Souza Jr. (broken left hand) is looking to return in mid-September. He has sidelined been since Aug. 2.

ROYAL FLUSH

Kansas City has scored 36 runs in winning all five games against the Rays this season. … The Royals are 19-5 against Tampa Bay the last four seasons.

NUMBER’S GAME

Rays: OF Brandon Gomes tied the team mark held by Sean Rodriguez (2011) when he got by a pitch for the 18th time this season.

Royals: Morales had his 26th multi-RBI game, the most by a Kansas City player since Carlos Beltran had 26 in 2003.

UP NEXT

Rays RHP Jake Odorizzi (6-6) and Royals RHP Kris Medlen (2-0) are Saturday night’s scheduled starters. Odorizzi has five straight no-decisions, which ties the Tampa Bay team record set by current Royals pitching coach Dave Eiland in 2000.

— Associated Press —

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Yordano Ventura’s locker sits next to that of Edinson Volquez in the Kansas City clubhouse, and two down from Johnny Cueto, who arrived last month in a trade from Cincinnati.

In other words, he gets plenty of veteran advice.

“I believe Johnny’s had a big impact on Ventura the last three or four starts,” Royals manager Ned Yost said after his young flamethrower tossed a gem in a 5-3 victory over Baltimore.

“Every once in a while, you hear it from the pitching coach, you hear it from the pitching coach, and then you hear it from a teammate and it sinks in,” he said.

Exactly what “it” might be is anyone’s guess, but the results have been obvious: Ventura (9-7) struck out a career-high 11 in just six innings Thursday, allowing only two hits and four walks while improving to 5-0 in his last seven starts.

“There’s been a lot of work put in preparing to get better,” Ventura said with catching coach Pedro Grifol serving as a translator. “I feel like this was one of my better outings.”

The Royals’ usually solid bullpen nearly gave it away, though. Kelvin Herrera served up a homer to Ryan Flaherty in the seventh, and Greg Holland allowed two more runs in the ninth before getting Gerardo Parra to ground out with a runner on to end the game.

Chris Tillman (9-9), who tossed a five-hitter at Kauffman Stadium last May, followed his first loss since May 31 with another. He allowed four runs over six innings.

The game wasn’t all that Baltimore lost, either.

All-Star outfielder Adam Jones left soon after crashing into the wall trying to track down a fly ball in the first. Jones lay on the warning track for a few minutes before standing up and finishing the inning. Paul Janish replaced him as a pinch hitter.

“He feels a lot better now than he did. His vision was — most of it was whiplash,” Orioles manager Buck Showalter said. “I don’t think there’s any head trauma, concussion-wise.”

Showalter said that Jones would be evaluated Friday in Texas.

“Any time Adam says anything’s bothering him,” Showalter said, “you’d better multiply it times two because he’s a tough nut.”

The first five outs Ventura recorded were punchouts, and he later struck out Matt Wieters to leave runners on second and third. Ventura eventually surpassed his career-best of 10 strikeouts set last May by fanning Wieters for the third time with a 99 mph fastball.

Orlando also contributed a sacrifice fly for the Royals, while hot-hitting Mike Moustakas drove in a pair of runs and Salvador Perez had an RBI single

The AL Central-leading Royals took three of four in the series, and have won 10 of their last 11 against the Orioles. Baltimore, which began the day two back of the final wild-card spot, still has not won back-to-back games since sweeping Oakland earlier this month.

The start of the game was delayed by 1 hour, 35 minutes, as a storm rolled through.

Then, Ventura followed up the thunder with some lightning of his own, an assortment of fastballs that nipped at triple digits and kept the slumping Orioles flailing.

Ventura had at least two strikeouts each of his first four innings.

“He was good,” Showalter said. “We had him close to 30 pitches the first inning, we let him get back in step second or third inning or he could have had a lot shorter outing.”

STATS AND STREAKS

The Royals have won eight straight series at home. … Flaherty’s homer snapped Herrera’s streak of 18 1/3 scoreless innings against the Orioles. … Janish had a pair of hits, the first time he’s had a multihit game since Sept. 4, 2013, with Atlanta.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Orioles: Jones walked in his only plate appearance before leaving the game.

Royals: CF Lorenzo Cain and 1B Eric Hosmer got a day off from the starting lineup as manager Ned Yost tries to keep key players fresh. Hosmer pinch ran in the seventh and stayed in the game.

UP NEXT

Orioles: RHP Kevin Gausman opens a three-game set Friday night at Texas.

Royals: Volquez starts a three-game series Friday night at Tampa Bay.

— Associated Press —

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — The Orioles had managed a measly 15 runs while losing six straight games, and were preparing to face Johnny Cueto and the streaking Kansas City Royals on Wednesday night.

Naturally, they pounded five homers in an explosive performance.

“It’s why the people come to the games,” Baltimore manager Buck Showalter said after an 8-5 victory. “Because what’s supposed to happen on paper doesn’t always happen.”

For instance, Chris Davis breaks out of an 0-for-16 slump with a double and a two-run homer. Or Manny Machado, also struggling at the plate, hits his own two-run shot. Or Jonathan Schoop hits yet another two-run homer off Cueto, who struggled for the second consecutive start.

Wei-Yin Chen (8-6) allowed three runs for the Orioles while scattering nine hits over six innings. The losing pitcher against the Royals in Game 3 of last year’s AL Championship Series, he has now gone seven straight starts without a defeat.

“Every day we come here to the ballpark, all we think about is how to win today’s game,” Chen said through a translator. “Hopefully we can move up from here.”

Cueto (9-9) labored through five innings for Kansas City, allowing 10 hits and a walk. He was coming off a career-high 13 hits in a loss to Boston.

“I’m not a robot,” he said. “Just have to keep working, get ready for the next one.”

Steve Pearce made it 7-3 with a solo shot in the eighth for Baltimore. Mike Moustakas kept the Royals close with a two-run homer off Brian Matusz in the bottom half of the inning, but Ryan Flaherty answered with the Orioles’ fifth homer leading off the ninth.

Zach Britton got three outs for his 30th save.

The Orioles had lost nine straight to the Royals, and appeared to be in trouble again when they failed to score with runners on the corners and nobody out in the second inning.

In the bottom half, Moustakas hit a sacrifice fly and Salvador Perez an RBI double to stake Kansas City to a 2-0 advantage that could have been more substantial. The inning ended when Omar Infante ran past Paulo Orlando on a flyout, resulting in Infante also being called out.

Moments later, the Orioles started to showcase their power.

Baltimore tied the game in the third on Machado’s two-run shot, then pulled ahead in the fourth when Schoop clobbered his two-run homer an estimated 427 feet to left field.

Davis made it three straight innings with a two-run shot when he went deep in the fifth, the big first baseman’s 35th home run giving Baltimore a 6-2 advantage.

Kansas City clawed back with a run in the sixth when Kendrys Morales hit an RBI single, but Chen calmly retired Moustakas and Perez to prevent more damage.

When the Orioles tacked on a couple more home runs in the final two innings, the Royals were headed to only their third loss in 15 games at Kauffman Stadium.

“You’re facing the best team in the American League last year and they’ve added players to improve on that,” Showalter said. “So it’s a challenge, but we’ve got a chance to split against the American League champions tomorrow and move on to Texas.”

STATS AND STREAKS

The five home runs allowed by the Royals matched a season high. … Royals RHP Jeremy Guthrie made his first relief appearance since June 30, 2012, when he was with the Rockies. He had been in the Kansas City rotation. … Machado has 26 homers, the most by an Orioles third baseman since Melvin Mora hit 27 in 2005. … Pearce’s homer was his first since July 11.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Orioles: After another rough start Tuesday night, Showalter was asked whether RHP Miguel Gonzalez is fully recovered from a groin injury. “Yeah,” Showalter replied. “Far as I know.”

Royals: Manager Ned Yost has given reliever Ryan Madson and closer Greg Holland some rest due to sore arms, though Holland has been available the past two nights.

UP NEXT

Orioles: RHP Chris Tillman took a tough-luck loss in his last outing against Minnesota, but is 3-0 with a 2.50 ERA over his past six starts.

Royals: RHP Yordano Ventura allowed one run and six hits in a win last Saturday at Boston, making him 4-0 with a 3.55 ERA in his last six outings.

— Associated Press —

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Eric Hosmer rolled a grounder toward first base in the third inning with the score tied, and Lorenzo Cain put on the brakes — a heads-up play that may have won the Royals the game.

Cain hesitated just long enough between first and second base that Baltimore was unable to turn a double play. He later scored on a single by Mike Moustakas, and the Royals went on to a 3-2 victory Tuesday night that pushed their winning streak to four games.

“Just kind of hesitated and didn’t let him tag me,” Cain said. “It ended up being the winning run, so I guess it was a good one to have.”

Kendrys Morales hit a solo homer and Hosmer also drove in a run for the Royals, who improved to 44-20 at home this season, including 12-2 in their current stretch.

Danny Duffy (7-6) dodged trouble for most of 5 2/3 innings, allowing two runs on five hits and two walks. The left-hander struck out five in a start that began in crisp efficiency and ended with the Orioles threatening to pull ahead in the sixth inning.

Luke Hochevar calmed things down with an inning of relief, though. Kelvin Herrera had no trouble with the rest of the seventh and eighth, and Wade Davis pitched a perfect ninth in place of closer Greg Holland to earn his 12th save.

“They did an awesome job,” Royals manager Ned Yost said of his bullpen. “It’s what they do.”

Miguel Gonzalez (9-10) allowed all three runs on six hits and three walks in 4 1/3 innings, the latest in a string of lousy starts for Baltimore. Gonzalez is 0-4 in his last six tries.

Leadoff hitter Manny Machado went 0 for 5 with three strikeouts, his last ending the game.

The Orioles (62-63) have lost a season-high six straight, falling below .500 for the first time since they were 48-49 on July 26. The calamitous slump has also damaged their playoff hopes — they began the night 2 1/2 games back of Texas for the final AL wild-card spot.

“Always takes a little bit of everything,” Orioles manager Buck Showalter said. “Everybody wants to throw one big circle around one thing. It’s a lot of things. A lot of things. And you can’t (borrow) from Peter to pay Paul in this game. You’ve got to do it all.”

The Royals never trailed after Morales sent a 3-2 pitch into the fountains in right field in the second inning. Hosmer added an RBI groundout in the third, and Moustakas delivered yet another two-out single by the league’s best-hitting team in such situations to score another run.

The Orioles got two runs back in the fourth when Matt Wieters drew a two-out walk and Steve Pearce, Jonathan Schoop and Caleb Joseph strung together a trio of singles. But Duffy managed to get recently called up Paul Janish to ground out to end the threat.

Duffy was in trouble again in the sixth, but Hochevar got Joseph to fly out to deep right field to leave runners on second and third and preserve the 3-2 lead.

It was up to one of the best bullpens in the majors to take care of the rest.

“We’ve just got to figure out a way to score more runs,” Showalter said. “That’s one of the reasons why they’re sitting where they are, is they don’t give up many. They’re taking people out of the rotation that would be in a lot of people’s, so it kind of gives you an idea one of the reasons why they’re good.”

EVEN NED

Yost managed his 900th game with the Royals. He is now 450-450. “I guess it’s cool,” he said, pointing out that at one point he was 53 games under .500. “The last two years we’ve won a bunch of baseball games with a really good group of guys.”

TRAINER’S ROOM

Orioles: C Steve Clevenger went on the three-day paternity list to attend the birth of his daughter. Peyton Lee was born Tuesday afternoon.

Royals: Yost said there is still no timetable for OF Alex Gordon to return from his rehab stint at Triple-A Omaha. Gordon had been out with a groin injury.

UP NEXT

Orioles: LHP Wei-Yin Chen tries to keep his unbeaten streak intact Wednesday night. He is 3-0 with three no-decisions since July 21.

Royals: RHP Johnny Cueto makes his sixth start since being traded to Kansas City. He is 2-2 with a 3.00 ERA since leaving the Reds.

— Associated Press —