The Royals hit two home runs and the pitching staff held to Orioles to only five hits. One would think those are solid stats that would lead to win. Not the case, as one inning had the Royals defense looking like a little league team. That led to a 5-3 loss in Baltimore on Wednesday night.
It was the fifth inning when the Orioles went up 5-1 with a three-run rally thanks to three Royals errors and a wild pitch. After Chris Dickerson leadoff with a double, shortstop Alcides Escobar grabbed Nate McLouth’s sharp grounder and tried to get Dickerson at third, but the throw hit Dickerson to put runners at the corners.
McLouth promptly stole second, and Manny Machado followed with a single to bring home Dickerson. Machado then stole second, and McLouth came home after Escobar couldn’t handle the poor throw from catcher George Kottaras. Escobar’s throw home was also off target, allowing Machado to take third, and he scored when starter Luis Mendoza uncorked a wild pitch.
After the game, Escobar said, “I can’t believe that I made stupid errors like that.”
The Royals got their runs off Alex Gordon’s fifth homer of the season and second of this series. That came in the top of the fifth to cut the O’s lead to 2-1. Mike Moustakas hit a two run shot in the ninth.
Watch things unravel for the Royals.