Royals catcher John Buck tripled in the go ahead run, the slid head first at home on a suicide squeeze in the bottom of the 8th in the Royals’ 7-4 victory over the Orioles.
Buck, lined a triple past diving center fielder Felix Pie to score David DeJesus and give KC a 5-4 lead. Then, after Coco Crisp’s bunted Buck home. The Royals still weren’t done as Billy Butler later singled home Crisp to give reliever Juan Cruz a three run lead.
Down 3-1 after Royals starter Luke Hochevar gave up those runs in the third, Alberto Callaspo singled and scored on Butler’s double to deep right-center. Mike Jacobs dribbled a single and Jose Guillen hit a two run double down the left-field line for a 4-3 lead.
The Orioles tied the game at 4 in the eighth after Nick Markakis was safe on shortstop Willie Bloomquist’s throwing error, advanced on Aubrey Huff’s single and scored on a fielder’s choice. The error was the Royals’ fourth of the game, their most since four on July 16, 2005, against Detroit.
Luke Hochevar, in his second outing for the Royals since being recalled from Triple-A Omaha, made it through one out in the fourth inning.