BALTIMORE -- Rather than dismantle the Baltimore Orioles at the trade deadline, Dan Duquette worked diligently to improve the club.
Appreciative of his confidence, the Orioles backed up his effort with a rousing 2-1 victory over the Kansas City Royals on Monday night.
Craig Gentry singled home the winning run in the ninth inning, and closer Zach Britton -- who was rumored headed out of town hours earlier -- got three outs to earn the win.
Baltimore started the day with a 50-54 record, but Duquette, the team's executive vice president of baseball operations, believes the team can be a contender. He beat the non-waiver trade deadline by obtaining infielder Tim Beckham from Tampa Bay, three days after snagging right-hander Jeremy Hellickson from Philadelphia.
"We still have some hope that we can make the playoffs," Duquette said, hours before the Orioles extended their modest winning streak to three games.
Caleb Joseph got Baltimore going in the ninth with a one-out single off Joakim Soria (4-3). Ruben Tejada singled with two outs before Gentry hit a grounder up the middle that sent Joseph home from second base without a throw.
"We feel good about ourselves," Joseph said. "Maybe some of the fans have left, but we still believe in ourselves, 100 percent."
By keeping Britton (1-0), who has converted an AL-record 57 straight saves, Duquette showed his faith in this team.
"I've played with Zach since `09, so even the thought of not playing with him is not fun," Joseph said.
Knowing he was going to be sticking around with the only team he's ever been a part of, Britton walked to the mound in the ninth with a clear head.
"You get some things off your mind that shouldn't be there and just focus on pitching," the lefty said.
It was the second loss in 12 games for the Royals, who managed only five hits off three Baltimore pitchers.
The first seven innings featured a pitching duel between Kansas City's Danny Duffy and Ubaldo Jimenez, both of whom allowed one run and struck out six.
"I just grinded through that outing," Duffy said. "I felt like I had really good stuff but I didn't pitch very well. That was the least impressive seven-inning, one-run outing I've ever had."
Jimenez came in with a 6.93 ERA, but on this night he was exceptionally sharp.
`If he's not on, we get him," manager Ned Yost said. "We couldn't get him. Couldn't do much against him."
Kansas City used first-inning doubles by Lorenzo Cain and Eric Hosmer to jump to a 1-0 lead.
Jimenez settled down after that, and Baltimore pulled even in the fifth when Manny Machado doubled and scored on a two-out single by Jonathan Schoop .
Though quiet on the final day of the trade deadline, the Royals welcomed back Melky Cabrera, who made his 2017 debut with Kansas City after being acquired from the White Sox on Sunday.
Playing right field and batting third, Cabrera went 0 for 4.
HOLE IN ONE
Orioles first baseman Chris Davis was charged with an error when he failed to handle a throw in the ninth inning from Machado at third. Turns out, the ball went right through the faulty webbing of Davis' glove. He immediately got a new glove.
HAPPY HOMECOMING
Cabrera said he's "really happy" to return to the pennant-contending Royals, whom he played for in 2011. "What I love to do is play postseason baseball," the 13-year veteran said through an interpreter. Yost said Cabrera, a switch-hitter, "brings a great personality to a locker room filed with great personalities. He's going to mesh perfectly with our group."
TRAINER'S ROOM
Royals: Yost is optimistic third-baseman Cheslor Cuthbert (wrist) can return to his rehab assignment sometime this week after fouling a ball off his foot.
Orioles: DH Mark Trumbo was placed on the 10-day disabled list with an oblique injury. He played in Baltimore's first 103 games before sitting on Sunday. ... SS J.J. Hardy (wrist) was transferred to the 60-day DL.
UP NEXT
Royals: Ian Kennedy (4-6, 4.43 ERA) seeks his fifth straight victory in the second game of the series Tuesday night.
Orioles: Dylan Bundy (9-8, 4.53 ERA) can match his win total of last season with a victory.
---
More AP baseball: https://apnews.com/tag/MLBbaseball
Appreciative of his confidence, the Orioles backed up his effort with a rousing 2-1 victory over the Kansas City Royals on Monday night.
Craig Gentry singled home the winning run in the ninth inning, and closer Zach Britton -- who was rumored headed out of town hours earlier -- got three outs to earn the win.
Baltimore started the day with a 50-54 record, but Duquette, the team's executive vice president of baseball operations, believes the team can be a contender. He beat the non-waiver trade deadline by obtaining infielder Tim Beckham from Tampa Bay, three days after snagging right-hander Jeremy Hellickson from Philadelphia.
"We still have some hope that we can make the playoffs," Duquette said, hours before the Orioles extended their modest winning streak to three games.
Caleb Joseph got Baltimore going in the ninth with a one-out single off Joakim Soria (4-3). Ruben Tejada singled with two outs before Gentry hit a grounder up the middle that sent Joseph home from second base without a throw.
"We feel good about ourselves," Joseph said. "Maybe some of the fans have left, but we still believe in ourselves, 100 percent."
By keeping Britton (1-0), who has converted an AL-record 57 straight saves, Duquette showed his faith in this team.
"I've played with Zach since `09, so even the thought of not playing with him is not fun," Joseph said.
Knowing he was going to be sticking around with the only team he's ever been a part of, Britton walked to the mound in the ninth with a clear head.
"You get some things off your mind that shouldn't be there and just focus on pitching," the lefty said.
It was the second loss in 12 games for the Royals, who managed only five hits off three Baltimore pitchers.
The first seven innings featured a pitching duel between Kansas City's Danny Duffy and Ubaldo Jimenez, both of whom allowed one run and struck out six.
"I just grinded through that outing," Duffy said. "I felt like I had really good stuff but I didn't pitch very well. That was the least impressive seven-inning, one-run outing I've ever had."
Jimenez came in with a 6.93 ERA, but on this night he was exceptionally sharp.
`If he's not on, we get him," manager Ned Yost said. "We couldn't get him. Couldn't do much against him."
Kansas City used first-inning doubles by Lorenzo Cain and Eric Hosmer to jump to a 1-0 lead.
Jimenez settled down after that, and Baltimore pulled even in the fifth when Manny Machado doubled and scored on a two-out single by Jonathan Schoop .
Though quiet on the final day of the trade deadline, the Royals welcomed back Melky Cabrera, who made his 2017 debut with Kansas City after being acquired from the White Sox on Sunday.
Playing right field and batting third, Cabrera went 0 for 4.
HOLE IN ONE
Orioles first baseman Chris Davis was charged with an error when he failed to handle a throw in the ninth inning from Machado at third. Turns out, the ball went right through the faulty webbing of Davis' glove. He immediately got a new glove.
HAPPY HOMECOMING
Cabrera said he's "really happy" to return to the pennant-contending Royals, whom he played for in 2011. "What I love to do is play postseason baseball," the 13-year veteran said through an interpreter. Yost said Cabrera, a switch-hitter, "brings a great personality to a locker room filed with great personalities. He's going to mesh perfectly with our group."
TRAINER'S ROOM
Royals: Yost is optimistic third-baseman Cheslor Cuthbert (wrist) can return to his rehab assignment sometime this week after fouling a ball off his foot.
Orioles: DH Mark Trumbo was placed on the 10-day disabled list with an oblique injury. He played in Baltimore's first 103 games before sitting on Sunday. ... SS J.J. Hardy (wrist) was transferred to the 60-day DL.
UP NEXT
Royals: Ian Kennedy (4-6, 4.43 ERA) seeks his fifth straight victory in the second game of the series Tuesday night.
Orioles: Dylan Bundy (9-8, 4.53 ERA) can match his win total of last season with a victory.
---
More AP baseball: https://apnews.com/tag/MLBbaseball
| View: Play-By-Play | Pitch-By-Pitch | Inning: All | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 |
| Kansas City - Top of 1st | SCORE | |
|---|---|---|
| Ubaldo Jimenez pitching for Baltimore | KC | BAL |
| Merrifield popped out to second. | 0 | 0 |
| Cain doubled to deep center. | 0 | 0 |
| Cabrera struck out swinging. | 0 | 0 |
| Cain stole third. | 0 | 0 |
| Hosmer doubled to deep left, Cain scored. | 1 | 0 |
| Pérez popped out to second. | 1 | 0 |
| 1 Runs, 2 Hits, 0 Errors | ||
| Baltimore - Bottom of 1st | SCORE | |
| Danny Duffy pitching for Kansas City | KC | BAL |
| Jones flied out to center. | 1 | 0 |
| Machado doubled to deep left center. | 1 | 0 |
| Schoop flied out to center. | 1 | 0 |
| Machado out at third on runner's fielder's choice. | 1 | 0 |
| 0 Runs, 1 Hits, 0 Errors | ||
| Kansas City - Top of 2nd | SCORE | |
| Ubaldo Jimenez pitching for Baltimore | KC | BAL |
| Moustakas singled to left center. | 1 | 0 |
| Moss flied out to left. | 1 | 0 |
| Escobar grounded into double play, second to shortstop to first, Moustakas out at second. | 1 | 0 |
| 0 Runs, 1 Hits, 0 Errors | ||
| Baltimore - Bottom of 2nd | SCORE | |
| Danny Duffy pitching for Kansas City | KC | BAL |
| Mancini singled to left. | 1 | 0 |
| Davis flied out to center. | 1 | 0 |
| Joseph popped out to second. | 1 | 0 |
| Rickard singled to left, Mancini to second. | 1 | 0 |
| Tejada walked, Mancini to third, Rickard to second. | 1 | 0 |
| Gentry popped out to shortstop. | 1 | 0 |
| 0 Runs, 2 Hits, 0 Errors | ||
| Kansas City - Top of 3rd | SCORE | |
| Ubaldo Jimenez pitching for Baltimore | KC | BAL |
| Gordon doubled to deep right. | 1 | 0 |
| Merrifield flied out to center, Gordon to third. | 1 | 0 |
| Cain popped out to second. | 1 | 0 |
| Cabrera grounded out to first. | 1 | 0 |
| 0 Runs, 1 Hits, 0 Errors | ||
| Baltimore - Bottom of 3rd | SCORE | |
| Danny Duffy pitching for Kansas City | KC | BAL |
| Jones flied out to center. | 1 | 0 |
| Machado popped out to first. | 1 | 0 |
| Schoop reached on infield single to second. | 1 | 0 |
| Mancini struck out swinging. | 1 | 0 |
| 0 Runs, 1 Hits, 0 Errors | ||
| Kansas City - Top of 4th | SCORE | |
| Ubaldo Jimenez pitching for Baltimore | KC | BAL |
| Hosmer walked. | 1 | 0 |
| Pérez grounded into fielder's choice to shortstop, Hosmer out at second. | 1 | 0 |
| Moustakas struck out swinging. | 1 | 0 |
| Moss flied out to center. | 1 | 0 |
| 0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors | ||
| Baltimore - Bottom of 4th | SCORE | |
| Danny Duffy pitching for Kansas City | KC | BAL |
| Davis struck out swinging. | 1 | 0 |
| Joseph popped out to shortstop. | 1 | 0 |
| Rickard singled to left. | 1 | 0 |
| Tejada popped out to second. | 1 | 0 |
| 0 Runs, 1 Hits, 0 Errors | ||
| Kansas City - Top of 5th | SCORE | |
| Ubaldo Jimenez pitching for Baltimore | KC | BAL |
| Escobar struck out looking. | 1 | 0 |
| Gordon struck out swinging. | 1 | 0 |
| Merrifield struck out swinging. | 1 | 0 |
| 0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors | ||
| Baltimore - Bottom of 5th | SCORE | |
| Danny Duffy pitching for Kansas City | KC | BAL |
| Gentry out on batter's interference to catcher. | 1 | 0 |
| Jones grounded out to third. | 1 | 0 |
| Machado doubled to deep right. | 1 | 0 |
| Schoop singled to center, Machado scored. | 1 | 1 |
| Mancini struck out swinging. | 1 | 1 |
| 1 Runs, 2 Hits, 0 Errors | ||
| Kansas City - Top of 6th | SCORE | |
| Ubaldo Jimenez pitching for Baltimore | KC | BAL |
| Cain struck out swinging. | 1 | 1 |
| Cabrera flied out to center. | 1 | 1 |
| Hosmer singled to center. | 1 | 1 |
| Pérez flied out to left. | 1 | 1 |
| 0 Runs, 1 Hits, 0 Errors | ||
| Baltimore - Bottom of 6th | SCORE | |
| Danny Duffy pitching for Kansas City | KC | BAL |
| Davis struck out swinging. | 1 | 1 |
| Joseph grounded out to third. | 1 | 1 |
| Rickard grounded out to shortstop. | 1 | 1 |
| 0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors | ||
| Kansas City - Top of 7th | SCORE | |
| Ubaldo Jimenez pitching for Baltimore | KC | BAL |
| Moustakas popped out to pitcher. | 1 | 1 |
| Moss walked. | 1 | 1 |
| Escobar grounded into double play, shortstop to second to first, Moss out at second. | 1 | 1 |
| 0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors | ||
| Baltimore - Bottom of 7th | SCORE | |
| Danny Duffy pitching for Kansas City | KC | BAL |
| Tejada struck out swinging. | 1 | 1 |
| Gentry struck out swinging. | 1 | 1 |
| Jones grounded out to third. | 1 | 1 |
| 0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors | ||
| Kansas City - Top of 8th | SCORE | |
| Mychal Givens pitching for Baltimore | KC | BAL |
| Givens relieved Jiménez. | 1 | 1 |
| Gordon struck out looking. | 1 | 1 |
| Merrifield struck out swinging. | 1 | 1 |
| Cain grounded out to shortstop. | 1 | 1 |
| 0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors | ||
| Baltimore - Bottom of 8th | SCORE | |
| Peter Moylan pitching for Kansas City | KC | BAL |
| Moylan relieved Duffy. | 1 | 1 |
| Machado struck out swinging. | 1 | 1 |
| Schoop grounded out to pitcher. | 1 | 1 |
| Mancini grounded out to third. | 1 | 1 |
| 0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors | ||
| Kansas City - Top of 9th | SCORE | |
| Zach Britton pitching for Baltimore | KC | BAL |
| Britton relieved Givens. | 1 | 1 |
| Cabrera safe at first on error by first baseman Davis. | 1 | 1 |
| Hosmer grounded into double play, second to shortstop to first, Cabrera out at second. | 1 | 1 |
| Pérez struck out swinging. | 1 | 1 |
| 0 Runs, 0 Hits, 1 Errors | ||
| Baltimore - Bottom of 9th | SCORE | |
| Joakim Soria pitching for Kansas City | KC | BAL |
| Soria relieved Moylan. | 1 | 1 |
| Davis grounded out to third. | 1 | 1 |
| Joseph singled to deep left. | 1 | 1 |
| Rickard flied out to right. | 1 | 1 |
| Tejada singled to left, Joseph to second. | 1 | 1 |
| Gentry singled to center, Joseph scored, Tejada to second. | 1 | 2 |
| 1 Runs, 3 Hits, 0 Errors | ||
| Kansas City Royals | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hitters | AB | R | H | RBI | BB | SO | #P | AVG | OBP | SLG |
| Merrifield 2B | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 14 | .295 | .335 | .482 |
| Cain CF | 4 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 12 | .274 | .343 | .428 |
| Cabrera RF | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 14 | .292 | .333 | .431 |
| Hosmer 1B | 3 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 17 | .323 | .380 | .501 |
| Pérez C | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 12 | .286 | .315 | .524 |
| Moustakas 3B | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 15 | .275 | .305 | .559 |
| Moss DH | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 15 | .208 | .290 | .407 |
| Escobar SS | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 12 | .232 | .255 | .317 |
| Gordon LF | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 8 | .203 | .296 | .306 |
| Totals | 30 | 1 | 5 | 1 | 2 | 9 | 119 | |||
| BATTING 2B: Cain (17, Jiménez); Hosmer (21, Jiménez); Gordon (14, Jiménez) RBI: Hosmer (56) 2-out RBI: Hosmer GIDP: Escobar 2, Hosmer Royals RISP: 1-6 (Merrifield 0-1, Hosmer 1-1, Cabrera 0-2, Pérez 0-1, Cain 0-1) Team LOB: 4 | ||||||||||
| BASERUNNING SB: Cain (17, 3rd base off Jiménez/Joseph) | ||||||||||
Game Information
| Stadium | Oriole Park at Camden Yards, Baltimore, MD |
| Attendance | 20,663 (44.9% full) - % is based on regular season capacity |
| Game Time | 2:33 |
| Weather | 89 degrees, clear |
| Wind | 2 mph |
| Umpires | Home Plate - Ted Barrett, First Base - Angel Hernandez, Second Base - John Tumpane, Third Base - Sean Barber |
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