Royals rally for 7 runs in 6th inning, beat Baltimore

And, at last, the number “7” flashing on the Kauffman Stadium scoreboard, signifying the number of runs scored in the definitive inning of an 8-3 lightning strike against the Orioles. He turned in a quality start, going six innings while allowing three runs on five hits and no walks, fanning six.

For the first time in almost two years and two Tommy John surgeries later, Kris Medlen took the mound as a starter. His night finished after the top of the sixth, and he retreated to the Kansas City dugout to watch his teammates batter Orioles starter Ubaldo Jimenez. Duffy went 4-1 with a 2.55 ERA over his previous seven starts before he gave up four runs in five innings of Thursday’s 4-1 loss to Boston. The Orioles victimized him with a pair of big hits, a two-run home run in the first inning and an RBI double in the fourth, but otherwise Medlen operated swiftly and effectively.

“That’s the tough thing about baseball, everything can change”, Jimenez said. Jimenez was one pitch away from ending the inning right after Moustakas’ homer but Salvador Perez kept the inning alive with a full-count infield single up the middle. Mike Jirschele wheeling his arm to send Infante home after a throwing error.

Kansas City added two more runs in the sixth when Cain singled to bring in shortstop Alcides Escobar and left fielder Ben Zobrist. At this point, you have to think the playoff rotation figures to be: Johnny Cueto, Edinson Volquez, and two of Yordano Ventura, Danny Duffy, and Kris Medlen. Bullpen buddies Franklin Morales and Luke Hochevar did the reset.

“We were focused, locked in for that inning”, center fielder Lorenzo Cain said.

Thus, the Kansas City Royals are putting Medlen in the rotation because they need to know whether he can handle post-season starts before August 31.

After almost two years between big-league victories, Medlen now has two in his past three appearances. 283 in those situations.

RF Alex Rios went 2-for-4 and extended his hitting streak to six games Monday, his longest of the season. He’s leaving the team to be with his pregnant wife, who will be induced on Tuesday.

The Royals will have four 2015 Federation Internationale de Football Association Women’s World Cup champions on hand when they play host to the Baltimore Orioles at 7:10 p.m. Wednesday.

Orioles: SS J.J. Hardy (groin) went on the DL and INF-OF Steve Pearce (left oblique) was reinstated….

Royals: First base coach Rusty Kuntz was back at work after missing 13 days with a sinus infection and stomach virus.

“He gave up a couple early runs, and then pretty much shut them down after that”, Moustakas said. The Royals and Orioles were the last two AL teams to face each other this year. He has a 1.46 ERA in three career starts against the Orioles.