By MATT PIKE
Coby Mayo hit his second three-run home run in as many days during a six-run sixth inning, and the Baltimore Orioles beat Kansas City 8-6 at Kauffman Stadium to take two of three from the Royals.
The two home runs by Mayo at 'The K' were his first of the season, and he more than doubled his RBI total to 10. Both were well over the wall in left field, with the latest a 452-foot shot into the bleachers above the fountains.
Pete Alonso also homered for Baltimore, starting the scoring in the first inning as he took Michael Wacha deep for a two-out, two-run shot, driving in Taylor Ward. In the bottom half of the inning, Vinnie Pasquantino hit a no-doubt 422-foot drive over the Royals' bullpen in right field to cut the Orioles lead to one run, ending the first with Kansas City trailing 2-1.
The Royals briefly took a lead in the fourth inning as Pasquantino led off the inning with a double and later scored on a single by Carter Jensen. Lane Thomas singled to drive in Jensen and put Kansas City ahead 3-2 at the end of the fourth.
Things began to fall apart in the sixth inning as Baltimore began to get to Wacha, who entered the game with a 1.00 ERA in four starts, putting together the six run inning. The Orioles saw six straight batters reach in the frame. Leody Taveras hit an RBI single, scoring Alonso, and Jeremiah Jackson followed with a two-run single to bring in Samuel Basallo and Tavaras, chasing Wacha from the game. After a hit by Colton Cowser against reliever Eli Morgan, Mayo went deep pushing the Baltimore lead to 8-3.
Kansas City started to fight back in the bottom half of the inning. Carter Jensen hit his team-leading sixth home run for the Royals to lead off the inning. Following Jensen's home run, Michael Massey doubled, and then with two outs Kyle Isbel hit the second home run of the inning to cut the lead to 8-6.
Kansas City got a baserunner on in both the eighth and ninth innings. In the eighth, after Massey singled with one out, Jac Caglianone grounded into a double play ended the inning. Then in the ninth, with two outs, Nick Loftin reached on a fielding error, but with the runner on first Bobby Witt Jr struck out to end the game as Anthony Nunez worked a scoreless ninth for his first save.
Wacha took his first loss of the season, falling to 2-1, allowing six runs on seven hits in 5.1 innings. He struck out five and waked two. At the plate, Jensen led the way going 2-for-3 with a home run and a walk with two RBI's. Massey was 2-for-4 with a double. Pasquantino was also 2-for-3 with a double, a home run, a walk, and one RBI.
Kansas City has an off day on Thursday. The Royals welcomes the Los Angeles Angels as Noah Cameron (1-1, 5.40 ERA, 17K's) faces Yusei Kikuchi (0-2, 5.63 ERA, 27K's) on Friday. First pitch is at 6:40pm, pregame will air at 6 on KFEQ (680AM/95.3FM).
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