Cabrera pitches three-hit gem as O's beat Royals 4-1
Daniel Cabrera pitched a complete-game three-hitter as the O's beat KC 4-1, to end their five-game losing streak. Cabrera is 3-1 3.54 on the season and has an ERA of 2.28 over his last six starts.
Nick Markakis hit the Orioles first three-run homer of the year in the third inning. It was his 7th homer of the season and third on this current road trip.
The O's went 7-0 vs. the Royals last year and have won ten in a row vs. KC dating to 2006.
CABRERA THE STOPPER AS O'S BEAT KC, 4-1
Daniel Cabrera pitched a complete-game three-hitter as the Orioles beat Kansas City, 4-1, Thursday night. The O's ended their five-game losing streak and beat Kansas City for the 10th time in a row.
Cabrera gave up an RBI single to Tony Pena Jr. in the 5th, but not much else. He fanned seven and walked just one in improving to 3-1 and lowering his ERA to 3.54.
Cabrera has now recorded six straight quality starts, pitching to an ERA of 2.28 in those outings. He is now 4-0 lifetime vs. KC. He retired the last 13 batters.
Cabrera picked up his 5th career complete game and first since May 15 of last season.
Nick Markakis walked and later scored on a wild pitch in the first and he hit a three-run homer in the third. It was the O's first three-run homer or Slam this season after 32 solo or 2-run shots.
In the third vs. Luke Hochevar, Freddie Bynum, starting at shortstop, singled and Melvin Mora walked ahead of Markakis' 7th homer of the season and third on this road trip.
Hochevar, the first overall pick in the 2006 draft, allowed four runs on five hits in seven innings, in falling to 2-2.
The O's improve to 2-5 on this road trip and are 13-1 in their last 14 games vs KC.
Steve Trachsel faces Gil Meche in game two of the series Friday night at 8:10pm.
Balt 4-6-0
KC 1-3-2
POST-GAME NOTES
DAN THE MAN
The only thing better than Cabrera's outing tonight was its timing. This team really needed a win and Cabrera made sure of it. Given an early lead, a rarity for an O's starter, he never wavered in his best start of the season.
He retired 12 in a row before allowing a run in the 5th, then retired the last 13 after giving up the one run.
Of the 27 outs, there were 18 ground-ball outs, just two in the air and 7 K's. He retired the side in order seven times, throwing just 114 pitches.
Over his last six starts he is 3-1 with an ERA of just 2.28.
Soon he will go from having turned the corner, to not being able to see that corner in his rear-view mirror.
BOOM BOOM COMES THRU
Before today's game, Freddie Bynum was activated and pronouced as the team's new starting shortstop. He then went out and had a strong game. He hit singles his first two times up, going 2-4 with a run scored. He handled eight chances in the field flawlessly.
EARL WEAVER LIKED IT
Finally, in their 35th game, an Oriole hit a homer that wasn't a solo or two-run shot. Nick Markakis' three-run homer in the third was the Orioles 33rd homer of the season, and first that was a 3-run shot or Slam.
He blasted it to center for his 7th homer of the year and 3rd on this road trip.
Markakis had just five hits all last season vs. KC, but three were homers.
THE DOMINANCE VS. KC
The Birds went 7-0 vs. KC last year, outscoring the Royals, 37-11. They have now won ten in a row and 13 of 14 vs. KC. Their last loss to the Royals came on July 25, 2006.
Since 2004, the Orioles are 23-6 vs. KC.
SOME FINAL NOTES
Cabrera pitched one complete game in 2004, two in 2006 and one last season........The three hits allowed is the best by the O's on the year, previous low-hit game was five hits........Melvin Mora went 0-3, ending his six-game hit streak......This result ends the run of seven straight O's games decided by two runs or less..........O's are now 14-5 when scoring four or more............Royals are just 4-10 in their last 14 home games.
Steve Melewski's live GameBlog
STILL LEADING
O's 4 KC 1......end of seven
Cabrera has a three-hitter with five K's, thru seven. Of the 21 outs, there have been 15 ground balls, 1 fly and five whiffs. he has thrown 90 pitches, so maybe could get a complete game. He has 4 in 123 career big lg starts.
ROYALS BREAK THRU
O's 4 KC 1.........end of five
Three straight Royals reached with two out in the 5th off Cabrera, the last of which, Tony Pena Jr looped a single into right to pull KC within 4-1. Cabrera got DeJesus to ground out to end the threat as KC standed two.
CABRERA STRONG AGAIN
O's 4 KC 0........end of four
With each outing, Daniel Cabrera makes us forget last year even more.
He has a one-hit shutout thru four on 52 pitches. That used to be his pitch count for two innings. He has fanned four without a walk and the Royals are 1-13 against him.
By the way, Freddie Bynum is now 2-2.
NICK THE STICK WITH A BIG FLY
O's 4 KC 0.......middle of third
It has finally happened. The O's have hit their first three-run homer of the year. It came off the bat of Nick Markakis, a blast to straight-away center in the third for a 4-0 edge.
Of the team's first 32 homers, 22 were solo shots and there were 10 two-run HR's.
Bynum singled and Mora walked ahead of Nick's 7th homer of the season. The O's have hit just four homers on this road trip, three by Markakis.
He had three hits yesterday and now has 4 hits in his last 6 at bats. It gives him a season-high 3 RBI.
TRYING TO FIND A SHORTSTOP
On the MASN O's Xtra pre-game tonight, Amber reported that Freddie Bynum will take over at short, replacing Luis Hernandez, starting tonight. Bynum is in the lineup batting ninth.
Dave Trembley told reporters before tonight's game there were plays Luis "did not make" that hurt his cause, including the DP they could not turn Wednesday vs. Frank Thomas.
So Bynum now gets his shot, with Alex Cintron still in the mix at AAA.
Boom-Boom as some like to call him has earned a shot with his play of last year. He adds athleticism to the position and has more pop than Luis. Let's see how he can do with what should be extended playing time.
O'S SCORE FIRST
O's 1 KC 0......end of first
A two-out rally in the first vs. Hochevar. Markakis walked, then Aubrey Huff singled to center as Nick raced for third. A wild pitch scored Markakis for the 1-0 lead. The Orioles are 8-6 this season when they score first.
PLAY BALL IN KC
The Orioles and Royals are underway in game one of their four-game series that ends this road trip. The Birds have won 9 in a row, dating to last season, over KC.
PRE-GAME NOTES
They outscored Kansas City 37-11 last year, pitching to an ERA of 1.41 as a team. In 64 innings, O's pitching allowed just two homers among 43 hits. O's hitters batted .302.
In fact, the O's have won the season series four years in a row and, since 2004, are 22-6 vs. Kansas City.
The 2008 Royals got off to an 8-5 start, but are 7-13 since. Wednesday, David DeJesus hit a three-run homer and Alex Gordon a two-run shot in KC's 9-4 win over the Angels.
The Royals are 1-2 on a ten-game homestand and have lost 9 of their last 13 games at Kauffman Stadium.
They have a first-year manager in Trey Hillman, who managed the five previous seasons in Japan. From 1990-2001 Hillman managed in the Yankees farm system.
PITCHERS
Daniel Cabrera will look to be the O's stopper tonight as he makes his 8th start of the season, 1st vs. KC and 5th on the road. He is 2-1 4.06 on the year.
Cabrera, since he allowed 10 runs in 10 innings and four homers in his first two starts, has been on a roll. Over his last five starts, he is 2-1 2.62. In that time, covering 34.1 ip, he has allowed 10er, walked 14 and fanned 18 while giving up just 2 homers.
In four road starts in 2008, the righty is 1-1 2.54, allowing a batting average of just .202
Last season vs. KC, Cabrera was 0-0 3.00 in 12 innings. In his career he is 3-0 2.57 in six starts vs. the Royals. In 35 innings he has allowed 29 hits and no homers.
His mound opponent is 24-year-old right hander, Luke Hochevar, who is 2-1 4.86 in three starts. Hochevar was the first overall pick in the 2006 draft after a stellar three-year career at the University of Tennessee.
He won his last start, Saturday at Cleveland, giving up just three hits and two runs in six innings, beating CC Sabathia.
On the season he has pitched 16.2 ip, allowing 18 hits, 9 walks and 14 strikeouts. Left-handed batters hit .303 vs. Hochevar while righties bat .242.
Hochevar began this year at AAA and was 1-1 2.60 before he was recalled on April 20. He has never faced Baltimore.
TODAY'S ROSTER MOVE
The O's have recalled Freddie Bynum from his rehab stint in the minors and activated him off the DL. They have optioned IF Eider Torres to AAA Norfolk.
Bynum played in six games with AA Bowie and went 7-20, with a double, triple, homer and 3 RBI. Last season with the O's he batted .260-2-11 in 70 games.
Torres was 2-9 with the O's.
O'S HITTERS VS. KC IN 2007
RHernandez 5-12/1/6
AHuff 7-29/0/4
NMarkakis 5-26/3/9
KMillar 9-23/1/2
MMora 8-28/0/2
JPayton 3-14/0/3
BRoberts 8-26/0/1
THE OFFENSES
Neither team has done much on offense this year.
KC 3.6 runs per game, .256 ave, 18 homers
O's 4.1 runs per game, .246 average, 32 homers
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