How to lose a lead (and a game 8-6)

Start with playing on Sundays. What is it with the Orioles and Sundays? In the past, it could be traced to managers playing seldom-used reserves while resting certain regulars. Matt Wieters always seemed to sit on that day. That's not necessarily the case anymore, though Wieters has no choice while being on the disabled list. Doesn't matter who's in the lineup. The last day of the weekend brings the same old result. The Orioles lost five of their six Sunday games before today and they trail the Royals 8-3 in the bottom of the eighth. Alex Gordon hit a three-run homer off Troy Patton in the seventh inning. The left-left matchup didn't favor the Orioles. How did the rally start? With a leadoff walk to Eric Hosmer. The Royals scored three runs in the fifth off starter Ubaldo Jimenez. How did the rally start? With a leadoff walk to Nori Aoki. Does anything good happen after a leadoff walk? Four of the five runs off Jimenez scored with two outs. Also bad. The Orioles were shut out last night and have scored in only one inning today. This is nothing new, of course. They scored in three innings in their three-game series against the Tigers at Camden Yards and beat the Royals 2-1 on Thursday after Nelson Cruz hit a two-run homer. They had James Shields on the ropes today and let him off. Nick Markakis walked and Manny Machado singled to open the seventh. Adam Jones struck out on four pitches, Chris Davis grounded out on the first pitch and Cruz flied out on a 1-0 cutter. The Orioles are 2-for-9 with runners in scoring position and have stranded eight. Update: Adam Jones hit an opposite-field three-run homer off Aaron Crow in the ninth, but the Orioles lost to the Royals 8-6 at Kauffman Stadium. The Orioles hadn't scored more than five runs since May 1, a span of 16 games. The Orioles split the four-game series and fall to 22-20. They're off Monday before starting a two-game series in Pittsburgh.