Baltimore Orioles lose to Kansas City Royals, 4-1, in series finale

The Baltimore Orioles ' bats were once again silenced, losing to the Kansas City Royals, 4-1, on Sunday in Kansas City.

The Orioles (4-6) have lost two of three for their second consecutive series. They scored their only run when Ryan Mountcastle, who tripled, scored on a wild pitch.

Kris Bubic took a shutout into the seventh inning and the Royals won their first series of the season. Bubic (2-0) allowed five hits, walked one and struck out eight in 6 2/3 innings. 

Bobby Witt Jr. had three of the Royals' 13 hits, falling a home run shy of the cycle. Salvador Perez, Mark Canha and Maikel Garcia each had two hits and scored a run.

Carlos Estévez earned his second save with a hitless ninth for the Royals. Kansas City, which swept Baltimore in the wild-card round last year, won its first regular-season series against the Orioles since Aug. 30 to Sept. 1, 2019, after having lost six of the last eight series with two ties.

Jorge Mateo – starting in center field for the first time since April 20, 2024 – misplayed Witt's slicing liner into a triple, keying Kansas City's three-run first inning.

Freddy Fermin's second-inning RBI single snapped an 0-for-12 skid as eight of the Royals' first 11 batters hit safely and Kansas City took a 4-0 lead.

Orioles starter Cade Povich (0-1) allowed four runs and a career-high 13 hits in six innings with four strikeouts.

Mountcastle had three of the Orioles' five hits.

Key moment

Witt's diving stop robbed Jordan Westburg of a first-inning hit – nearly starting an inning-ending double play – then tripled and scored after Mateo's misplay as the Royals took a 3-0 lead in the bottom half.

Key stat

Witt is hitting .377 at Kauffman Stadium since the start of last season, MLB's best home batting average in that span.

Up next

Orioles: Travel to Arizona to begin a three-game series Monday with RHP Zach Eflin (1-1, 3.75 ERA) opposing Diamondbacks RHP Zac Gallen (1-1, 3.38).

Royals: Begin a four-game homestand with Minnesota as Twins RHP Simeon Woods Richardson (0-0, 4.50) faces RHP Michael Lorenzen (0-1, 5.06).