O's game blog: Chris Tillman pitches K.C. series finale

The Orioles have just two series wins in 2018, going 2-9 in 11 series. They can win a third series tonight as they play the rubber match of a three-game series with Kansas City.

The O's previous two series victories came when they took three of four April 5-8 at New York and they won two of three April 27-29 versus Detroit.

Kansas City scored 10 runs in the first inning Tuesday on its way to a 15-7 win in the series opener. Chris Davis hit a three-run homer last night and Mark Trumbo singled in two runs in the eighth as the Orioles beat the Royals 5-3 at Oriole Park.

The Orioles are 9-27 overall, 6-11 at home and 1-7 in May after ending a seven-game losing streak Wednesday night. They have lost seven of eight, eight of 10, 19 of 23 and 21 of the last 26 games.

Right-hander Chris Tillman (1-5, 9.24 ERA) will make his seventh start. During what has been a terrible year for Tillman he had his worst start last Thursday in Anaheim. The Angels scored five runs off him in the first inning and knocked him out two batters into the second in a 12-3 win over the Orioles. He allowed seven runs and seven hits in one inning plus.

His fastball averaged 88.4 mph and the Angels went 7-for-10 against him with three doubles and a triple. Tillman has allowed four runs or more in five of his six starts. The Orioles are 1-5 in the six games.

Tillman has a 16.50 ERA with an average against of .414 in the first inning, and a 9.00 ERA in the second inning with a .391 batting average.

Kansas City is 12-24. Since a 5-20 start, the Royals are 7-4. Kansas City has a chance to win its second series tonight after going 1-8-2 in its first 11.

Right-hander Ian Kennedy (1-3, 2.92 ERA) will make his eighth start. On May 4 versus Detroit he threw six shutout innings on 103 pitches in a no-decision. He has allowd two runs or less in five of his seven starts, but the Royals are only 3-4 in those games. In two road starts, he is 1-1 with a 3.27 ERA. Lefty batters are hitting .271 off Kennedy and right-handers are batting .263. He yields only a .119 average when pitching with runners in scoring position.

In four career games versus the Orioles, he is 0-2 with a 6.98 ERA.