The Baltimore Orioles defeated the Kansas City Royals 8-6 on Wednesday afternoon at Kauffman Stadium, fueled by a six-run sixth inning highlighted by Coby Mayo's three-run homer. Pete Alonso's early two-run shot set the tone, while the Orioles' offense showed signs of resurgence after early-season struggles. The victory gave Baltimore two wins in the three-game series.
Baltimore jumped ahead in the first inning when Pete Alonso launched an opposite-field two-run homer. Leody Taveras and Colton Cowser each collected two hits, contributing to the Orioles' momentum. The offense, inconsistent through early April, scored 20 runs across the series against Kansas City, winning two of three games. Manager Craig Albernaz praised the sixth-inning rally: “That’s what our offense is capable of. Six runs is a big ask, but there were quality at-bats and passing the baton.” With one out and trailing 3-2, six straight batters reached base, turning the game with Mayo's 452-foot blast that made it 8-3. It was Mayo's second homer in two days, following a 439-foot shot Tuesday, driving in six runs over the pair after just two in his prior 18 games. “I knew I hit it good,” Mayo said. “The spin was good. It’s about being confident in my approach and sticking to it. Make them come to me and not chase. If I can get hold of it, it’s going to go.” Royals starter Michael Wacha, with a 1.00 ERA entering, yielded seven hits and six runs in 5 1/3 innings. Kansas City answered with three runs in the bottom of the sixth, chasing Orioles starter Chris Bassitt after 5 1/3 innings, eight hits, and five runs allowed. The Baltimore bullpen steadied, with Anthony Nunez earning his first major league save. Bassitt reflected, “I’m usually an asset, and right now I feel like a liability. I have to figure out how to be more consistent. I need to eat more quality innings.” Cowser added, “Today, the at-bats came together and we’re looking forward to continuing that. I think we’re going to look up at the end of the year and be in a really good spot.”
