O's game blog: Kevin Gausman on mound in K.C. finale

KANSAS CITY - The Orioles are a day away from Monday's off-day and they will certainly enjoy it more if they can escape Kauffman Stadium with at least one win this weekend.

The Orioles have lost here by scores of 3-2 and 4-3 the past two nights. They are 2-9 in their last 11 games in this ballpark since May 17, 2014.

Right-hander Kevin Gausman (2-3, 6.63 ERA) will try to be a stopper today as he makes his ninth start and fifth on the road. He has never pitched against Kansas City in the regular season.

Gausman took an ERA of 7.55 into his last start,but had a strong outing. He went seven innings, allowing five hits and two runs Monday against the Nationals. He fanned eight and threw 116 pitches.

In four road starts, Gausman is 1-2 with an 8.62 ERA. He has two quality starts and the Orioles are 4-4 in his games in 2017.

O's starters have 18 quality starts:
8 - Dylan Bundy
3 - Wade Miley
2 - Gausman, Alec Asher
1 - Jayson Aquino, Ubaldo Jimenéz, Tyler Wilson
0 - Chris Tillman

Right-hander Chris Young (0-0, 5.93 ERA) makes his ninth appearance and second start for Kansas City. His first seven games came out of the bullpen until his start Tuesday against Tampa Bay. Over three innings, he gave up seven hits and four runs. On the year, lefty batters are hitting .348 and right-handers .333 versus Young.

Kansas City starting pitchers have an ERA of 3.00 and 54 strikeouts in 54 innings over the last nine games. The Royals are 6-3 in those games.

In winning five of their last six games - going 3-1 against Tampa Bay and 2-0 against Baltimore - K.C. hitters are batting .283/.345/.439 with 15 doubles and six homers.

When Francisco Peña homered twice for the Orioles last night, he became the first player to hit two from the No. 9 spot in the order since J.J. Hardy on Aug. 18, 2016 against Houston.

O's catchers (Pena and Caleb Joseph) are 5-for-6 in this series with two doubles, a triple, two homers and three RBIs. That is an .833 batting average. The rest of the Orioles are batting .167 (10-for-60) this weekend.