Colton Cowser and Jordan Westburg hit back-to-back homers, helping the Orioles beat the Royals 5-0
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Colton Cowser and Jordan Westburg hit back-to-back homers for Baltimore off Royals starter Seth Lugo, who had not allowed a home run since last September, and the Orioles went on to beat Kansas City 5-0 on Sunday.
Cole Irvin (1-1) scattered four hits and two walks in 6 2/3 innings for Baltimore. He stranded a runner on third in the first inning and another at second base in the fifth while earning his first win since beating the Royals on June 10, 2023.
Lugo (3-1) had pushed his streak of not allowing a homer to 41 1/3 innings before Cowser sent an 0-1 pitch soaring into the right-field fountains leading off the third. Westburg followed two pitches later with his drive into the left-field seats.
Cowser's splash came one day after he mistakenly threw Craig Kimbrell's 422nd save ball into the fountains while celebrating the Orioles' 9-7 win. The save had tied Kimbrell for seventh on the career list, so Cowser ran back to the field after the game and managed to fish the ball out of the water with the help of some stadium staff.
Lugo, who had allowed three runs in 25 2/3 innings, was dinged for four and nine hits and a walk in 5 1/3 innings Sunday.
Ryan Mountcastle added an RBI double and Westburg walked with the bases loaded to make it 4-0 in the sixth. Ryan O'Hearn drove in a run with an infield single in the eighth to help Baltimore pull away.
The Royals tried to rally in the eighth, putting runners on the corners with one out. But Danny Coulombe froze Salvador Perez with a pitch on the inside corner, then he struck out Nelson Velázquez to end the inning.
TRAINER'S ROOM
Royals LHP Jake Brentz (hamstring) began a rehab assignment with Triple-A Omaha on Sunday. He last appeared in a game for Kansas City on April 29, 2022, before undergoing Tommy John surgery. Brentz hurt his hamstring during a spring training game in March and had been throwing in Arizona during the rehab.
UP NEXT
The Orioles visit Los Angeles to face the Angels on Monday night with RHP Albert Suárez (0-0, 0.00 ERA) getting the start.
The Royals continue a seven-game homestand Monday night against Toronto with RHP Brady Singer (2-0, 1.54) on the mound.
___
AP MLB: https://apnews.com/MLB