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.
“Just a quality team game,” Irvin said. “Felt like we did all the little things right today.”
The Royals were shut out for the first time this season after they were blanked 15 times last year.
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 the souvenir ball from Craig Kimbrell's 422nd save into the fountains while celebrating the Orioles' 9-7 win. The save 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.
“We prefer he hit one into the fountains,” Orioles manager Brandon Hyde said, “than throw one in the fountains.”
Lugo, who had allowed three runs in 25 2/3 innings, was dinged for four runs, 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 at the corners with one out. But Danny Coulombe froze Salvador Perez with a pitch on the inside corner, then struck out Nelson Velázquez to end the inning.
The Royals were shut out for the first time this season after they were blanked 15 times last year.
“We didn't get much going,” manager Matt Quatraro said. “We had a couple of chances there where we didn't capitalize. When a team shuts you out, you have to tip your cap.”
TRAINER'S ROOM
Orioles OF Austin Hays (calf) was unavailable Sunday after being pulled from the game the previous night, Hyde said. The club plans to evaluate him again when it arrives in California for a series against the Angels.
Royals LHP Jake Brentz (hamstring) began a rehab assignment with Triple-A Omaha. 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.
UP NEXT
The Orioles visit the Angels on Monday night, with RHP Albert Suárez getting the start.