BALTIMORE—Jordan Westburg showed off his power with a two-run home run in the bottom of the ninth for a 6-4 Orioles win over the Kansas City Royals before 12,666 at Camden Yards on Monday night.
With one out in the ninth, Cedric Mullins singled off Nick Anderson (0-1), and Westburg hit an 0-2 pitch over the right-field wall for the win. Anderson had thrown Westburg two straight breaking balls but threw a fastball on the outer part of the plate, and Westburg jumped on it. He said afterward that he thought Anderson might throw a fastball and stayed on “heater time.”
Oriole closer Craig Kimbrel (1-0), who allowed the game-tying run in the ninth, got the win for the Orioles (3-1).
Oriole starter Dean Kremer allowed three runs in the third inning. Royals shortstop Bobby Witt Jr. hit a 440-foot home run, and two batters later, catcher Salvador Perez hit a two-run homer, this one traveling 418 feet, and the Royals (1-3) led, 3-0.
The Orioles didn’t have a hit in the first three innings against Royals starter Michael Wacha, but in the fourth, they tied it at 3-3 when catcher Adley Rutschman led off with a double and scored on rightfielder Anthony Santander’s RBI single. First baseman Ryan Mountcastle hit his first home run of the season to left field to tie the game.
The Orioles committed two errors in the first inning. Third baseman Ramón Urías and shortstop Gunnar Henderson both booted balls. Later, the Orioles made two excellent plays.
Santander made a diving play off Kyle Isbel’s sinking liner in right to start the fifth, and Mountcastle at first made a great stop on Isbel’s grounder and dove to reach the bag at first for the second out of the seventh.
Kremer allowed three runs on three hits in 5 1/3 innings, walking one and striking out five.
Yennier Cano pitched out of trouble in the eighth when Witt led off with a single and stole second. Vinnie Pasquantino singled Witt to third and stole second. With the infield in, Perez grounded to short, and Witt held at third. MJ Melendez was walked intentionally. Hunter Renfroe popped to short and Loftin struck out, and Cano celebrated on the mound.
With the scored tied at 3, Henderson led off the eighth and singled. Rutschman hit a shot off the glove of first baseman Nick Loftin that he couldn’t find at first, and Rutschman was safe with an infield single. Henderson moved to third on Santander’s fly ball and scored on Mountcastle’s infield single.
Isbel singled against Kimbrel, who hadn’t pitched since March 20th. Dairon Blanco stole second and third and scored on Maikel Garcia’s sacrifice fly to right to tie the score, 4-4, and set up Westburg’s walk-off home run.